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Home > Resources > Be There For Others Unit Plan > Lesson Plan 2

Be There — Golden Rule #2: Show You Care

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Let’s Review!

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Golden Rule #2: Show You Care

What is Golden Rule #1?

What should you do and not do when following Golden Rule #1?

Today, we are moving on to Golden Rule #2: Show You Care

What questions or comments do you have?

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Golden Rule #2: Show You Care

How can you help someone who is struggling with their mental health get through their day?

How can you help someone feel comfortable talking to you about their mental health?

In this lesson you’ll learn:

create a safe environment for someone to open up
find practical ways to help someone get through their day

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First, A Word From Mohammad

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Showing You Care

According to CAMH:

“Fear and misunderstanding often lead to prejudice against people with mental illness and addictions…. This prejudice and discrimination leads to feelings of hopelessness and shame in those struggling to cope with their situation, creating a serious barrier to diagnosis and treatment.”

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Golden Rule #2: Show You Care

Showing you care can create a safe environment for that person, allowing them to open up and feel comfortable enough to talk things through.
Part of being there for someone is also finding practical ways to help them get through their day to day life.

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Create a Safe Environment

Everything you do and say is a little clue to the people around you as to how approachable and trustworthy you are.

Being critical of someone (like their weight/clothing/accent etc.) might suggest that you’ll also be judgemental of someone’s mental health struggle.
Being inclusive, compassionate, helpful, and a good listener in your daily interactions signals to others that you care about people and you’re a safe person to reach out to.

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Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Telling someone you’re there for them is a good first step.

Even if you don’t know what to say, just send them a text to let them know you’re thinking about them.
It’s also helpful to show you care through your tone of voice, body language, and actions.

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Showing You Care — Examples

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When hanging out, put away your phone and look them in the eye.

Offer practical help like making dinner, giving someone a ride, or running errands for them.

Don’t rush the conversation; ensure you have enough time to show that you’re prioritizing them.

Ask to give them a hug, put a hand on their shoulder, or hold their hand (if appropriate!).

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Shawn and Shaiya

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Practical Everyday Support

Life is busy. We all get overwhelmed from time to time, even under the best of circumstances. Finding ways to help a struggling friend get through their day-to-day can be a huge weight off their shoulders and can sometimes be the best way to show you care.

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What practical examples can you think of?

Check out some practical examples from the Be There team: Be There Golden Rule #2: Show You Care

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Figure Out What Support They Need

Everyone is different, so it’s important to ask how you can help and then really listen to what they say.

Make sure that the ways you offer to help are what they need, not what you think they need or what you would want someone to do for you.
It’s easy to assume you know what they need, but it’s crucial that you ask!

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Figure Out What Support They Need — Examples

Someone may want to talk, another might want you to get them a glass of cold water.

Some people are able to articulate what they need, while others may only show signs of how you can help in which case you can offer some suggestions.

If you want to know how to support someone, ask.

And it never hurts to check back in every so often and ask again.

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Questions?

Let’s take a look at a few questions from the Be There community:

What can I do to help life continue on as usual?

Answer

What if they live far away?

Answer

What questions do you have?

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A Word From Wali and His Mother, Fariha

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Activity: Reflect and Connect

Handout 2:

Wali and Fariha Discussion Questions

Think about Wali and Fariha’s story, and write down your answers to the questions on Handout 2. Note that a transcript of Wali and Fariha’s story is available for you to refer to.
Prepare to share your some of your answers with a partner, small group, and class.

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Activity: Review and Apply Your Knowledge

Handout 3:

Review and #LevelUp

Task 1: Review What You Know

Task 2: #LevelUp

Before starting Task 2, watch the videos on the next two slides.

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#LevelUp

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Henry and Nightingale