Build Sound Minds Y5&6 Workshops 2023
In July 2023, two representatives from Action For Children came into school to deliver the Bouncing Back programme to our Y5 and Y6 classes. This was delivered over 2 x 1 hour sessions to the whole class group with the support of a member of the school staff team and was aimed at helping young people to identify triggers to negative thought processes that can impact our emotional and mental well-being. It was based around the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy theory and focused on the idea that our thoughts, feelings and actions are all connected. Throughout the sessions, we spoke about a range of self-care strategies.
Session 1 focused on resilience, triggers, dealing with negative/bad thoughts, and different activities to make us feel good.
Session 2 focused on building resilience, practical skills, knowing when we need help and where/who to go to, and planning ahead.
The following acronym can help us to 'bounce back':
Bad times don't last
Others can help
Unhelpful thinking makes it worse
Nobody is perfect
Concentrate on the good things
Everyone feels like this sometimes
Bouncing - physical exercise is essential to our well-being
Accept what you CAN change
Catastrophising makes things seem worse
Keep talking - keep things in perspective