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Understanding and navigating your child’s mental health needs

Thrive Behavioral Health

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Objectives

Check-in
Define Mental Health
Whole Child
Facts about Mental Health
Warning Signs
Nurture tips
Talking about Mental health with children
Resources
Mindful Moment

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How are YOU feeling?

What color best matches your current mood/feelings?
Can you name it?

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What do you hope to learn from this presentation?

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What is Mental Health?

Being mentally healthy during childhood means reaching developmental and emotional milestones and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when there are problems.
Mentally healthy children have a positive quality of life and can function well at home, in school, and in their communities.

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Mental Health requires you to consider

the WHOLE child!

Physical Health

Social Emotional Development

Identity development

Cognitive development

Academic

Development

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Facts about Mental Health

Children can have the same mental illnesses as adults. It is important to see the signs early so they can get the help they need.
It is important to note that talking about mental health with your children does not CAUSE mental health concerns.
Mental health concerns are as real as physical health concerns at all ages
Mental health symptoms can present physically

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Warning signs:

Feeling anxious/worried
Feeling low/unhappy
Emotional outbursts
Sleep Problems
Weight/appetite changes
Quiet or withdrawn
Feeling guilty/worthless

It is important to be aware of warning signs that your child may be struggling. You can play a critical role in knowing when your child may need help.

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Ways to help nurture your child’s mental health

Active listening

practice patience

share your feelings and validate theirs

Tell the truth

Model Healthy Behavior

Be consistent and follow through with what you promise

Believe them and in them

Use open ended questions

Have scheduled family time

Reach out and hug them

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Ways to help nurture your child’s mental health Continued...

Set and Respect boundaries

Be present

Model forgiveness

Practice relaxation exercises together

Make play and exercise a priority

Teach them how to be safe

View their behavior as a window to their needs and feelings

Limit electronics as much as possible

Respond calmly when their emotions are elevated

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Talking about mental health with your child

When talking about mental health problems with your child try to...

Communicate in a straightforward manner
Speak at a level that is appropriate to a child’s age and development level
Discuss the topic when your child feels safe and comfortable
Watch for reactions during the discussion and slow down or back up if your child becomes confused or looks upset
Listen openly and let your child tell you about his or her feelings and worries

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How to talk about mental health with your child

Conversation starter questions:

Can you tell me more about what is happening? How you are feeling?
Have you had feelings like this in the past?
Sometimes you need to talk to an adult about your feelings. I'm here to listen. How can I help you feel better?
Do you feel like you want to talk to someone else about your problem?
I'm worried about your safety. Can you tell me if you have thoughts about harming yourself or others?

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Resources Concerning Children’s Social-Emotional Development

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What to do if you are concerned about your child’s mental health

You can ask your…..Community school Coordinator, Parent Engagement Assistant, Mental Health Therapist, School counselor, School nurse, Teachers, Primary care doctor, Friends and Family

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Mindful moment

Let’s end our time together today with practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of staying present in the moment and having awareness of your environment, thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. This is called a Mindfulness of breath exercise:

Sit comfortably with your back straight and your eyes closed. Begin by focusing on your breath and feeling the air going into your body and then leaving your body.

Feel the air traveling through your nose as it goes in and then comes out again.

Whatever your breath is doing just watch and notice how it feels.

Feel the movement of your body as the air goes into your lungs and then out again.

If your mind wanders off to other thoughts just bring it back to focus once again on your breath.

Just feel yourself breathing.

When you are ready gently open your eyes.

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PBS Parents . Child Development Tracker. Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/five/socialandemotionalgrowth.html

The Urban Child Institute. Stress Has Lasting Effect on Child’s Development. 2012. Retrieved from

http://www.urbanchildinstitute.org/articles/editorials/stress-has-lasting-effect-on-childs-development

Kids Health. Childhood Stress. 2015. Retrieved from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/stress.html

National Educational Association. Identify Bullying. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/53359.htm

Bright Hub Education. How to Identify a Bully in School: Behavior and Characteristics of a Bully. Retrieved from

https://www.brighthubeducation.com/classroom-management/6335-how-to-identify-a-bully/

Stop Bullying. Stop Bullying on the Spot. 2018. Retrieved from https://www.stopbullying.gov/

Mayo Clinic. Mental illness in children: Know the signs. 2018. Retrieved from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/mental-illness-in-children/art-20046577

Sources

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Thank You

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