Mental Health

According to the World Health Organisation, mental health is

 “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” 

Mental health can be considered the foundation of an individual’s ability to function within a community. However, there are many factors that contribute to how "healthy" someone’s mental health is. For instance:

🍃 Your family and upbringing can influence the person you are, such as genetics, divorce, housing situation

🍃 Poor sleep hygiene, such as difficulty going to sleep and staying asleep

 🍃 Brain development and hormones

🍃 School engagement

🍃 Friendships

None of these factors sit in isolation. For example: If your child is struggling at school, those challenges and stressors don't stay in the classroom or the school ground, they thread through their life to impact on their sleep, they can change their mood and friendships. Likewise, if work is demanding with increased pressure to meet deadlines you are not always able to walk out the door at the end of the day and leave your challenges there...they come home with you and influence your relationships, your activities, your mood.

Understanding and recognising all factors in your life and how they interact and influence your wellbeing can be valuable.

At Brave Heart Wellbeing we support you in breaking this down, understanding what enhances and what detracts from your wellbeing, and we work with you to recognise individual goals, find "your bucket" of coping strategies and support you in understanding how you can function in your community to the best of your ability.

Mental Health & Children 

When our children have experiences that help to improve their mental health, their ability to concentrate at school, sleep, eat and communicate are improved. Big feelings for children can be hard to talk about and they may find it hard to explain what they are experiencing. So how do they express feelings, such as sadness, anxiety, anger? 

🍃 They may become irritable

🍃 They may have difficulty mixing with friends

🍃 Their toilet habits may change

🍃 They may experience tummy aches

🍃 They may become clingy and teary

We love the infographic above thanks to @blessingmanifesting which provides some great tips to support the mental health of our children. Showing them how to open up and discuss feelings, taking time to breathe and calm down, finding activities that boost their mental health will help everyone. For more information on how Brave Heart Wellbeing can support the mental health of your children through our one-on-one counselling and small group or online early intervention programs, contact us today!

Mental Health & Adolescents 

Adolescence is a crucial period for developing and maintaining social and emotional habits important for mental well-being.

Understanding these factors and exploring strategies on how to manage challenges can assist the individual and families to cope during this period.

The more risk factors adolescents are exposed to, the greater the potential impact on their mental health.

Factors that can contribute to stress during adolescence include;

🍃 A desire for greater autonomy

🍃 Pressure to conform with peers

🍃 Exploration of sexual identity

🍃 Increased access to and use of technology

Some ways to improve mental health include:

🍃 Adopting healthy sleep patterns;

🍃 Regular exercise;

🍃 Coping strategies that suit the individual (no one size fits all);

🍃 Problem-solving;

🍃 Developing interpersonal skills; and

🍃 Learning to manage emotions.

Supportive environments within the family, at school and in the wider community are critical for mental health and wellbeing in adolescents.

At Brave Heart Wellbeing we believe in early intervention and supporting our youth through the adolescent years with individual counselling and group programs. Our Standing Strong and Bravely Being Me programs provide a safe space for your child to build their self-confidence and resilience, while learning new skills of yoga and mindfulness too! For more information on our programs browse our website!

Mental Health & Adults

Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being and includes our;

🍃 Emotional

🍃 Psychological and;

🍃 Social well-being 

It affects how we;

🍃 Think

🍃 Feel and;

🍃 Act

It also helps determine how we;

🍃 Handle stress

🍃 Relate to others and;

🍃 Make healthy choices 

Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

As adults, we often prioritise family and work above our own wellbeing but it is important to remember:

You cannot pour from an empty cup, take care of yourself too!

At Brave Heart Wellbeing our fully qualified psychologists and counsellors offer families, couples and individuals, counselling sessions to help with a range of issues. You are never alone! To book an appointment, contact us today to discuss how we can help you!