1. Year 10 – Strong emotions
I understand the links between mental health problems and harmful behaviours
© Leeds South and East CCG

2. Learning outcomes Knowledge Skills
I know about some mental health problems (including self-harm and eating problems) and their causes, symptoms and treatments
I can show understanding and empathy for a fellow student with a mental health condition using role play (to keep them safe) 2

3. How we will work together
Can you remember the ground rules we have already talked about, let’s take a minute to think about them
Teacher notes
Read these through with the children. Hopefully the ground rules will be displayed in the classroom already. 3

4. What do we already know?
List all the mental health words you can think of
Introduce the lesson by saying that we will build on previous years’ work on strong emotions by thinking about when these emotions last for more than a short time and get in the way of us functioning well. Then they become mental health problems.
We will be exploring mental health and mental health problems. So lets begin by saying what we already know. In pairs/groups list all the mental health words you can think of on a sheet of paper. Explain pupils needn’t worry about getting it wrong as this will come later.
Circle those words associated with anger in red, sadness in blue and stress in green 4

5. A mentally health person
Let’s get started
Draw and write technique
On the sheet provided (optional) sketch a mentally healthy person and write words you would associate with this person
Draw and write technique: On the sheet provided (optional) sketch a mentally healthy person and write words you would associate with this person. Pupils then pair up and discuss what they have put looking for similarities and differences and explaining them.
Important points to draw out are:
Mental health problems are not always visible
You can see the behaviour not the cause
Some people might hide their mental health problem, why (because of stigma)
Note as it is not possible to tell from looking at someone if they have mental health problems so some pupils may pick up on this and not draw or write anything.
A mentally health person 5

6. One person’s story Watch the video clip Source: Fixers, 2015
Watch the video of Elise Towell (17) from Whitby in North Yorkshire. She has battled depression and wants other young people to look after their mental health and not let their problems pile up. Her story was broadcast on ITV News Calendar on Thursday 10th September. In the TV film, she urges others to be open about their feelings and shares her experiences of mental ill health. Link to the idea raised on the previous exercise that we can not tell from looking at someone whether they are mentally healthy.
Ask pupils what they learnt. Ask about stigma. Ask what did Elise think would help and what she is now doing to help.
Watch the video clip
Source: Fixers, 2015 6

7. Some definitions
Emotional wellbeing – this includes being happy and confident and not anxious or depressed. Can have poor MH and good EW
Psychological wellbeing – this includes the ability to be autonomous, problem- solve, manage emotions, experience empathy, be resilient and attentive
Social wellbeing – has good relationships with others and does not have behavioural problems, that is, they are not disruptive, violent or a bully
Children and young people with good mental health are able to achieve and maintain optimal psychological and social functioning and well-being 7

8. Prevalence
1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health problem each year.
1 in 10 children and young people will also experience a mental health problem each year.
In any classroom of year olds (from PHE 2015)
3 could have a mental disorder
10 are likely to have witnessed their parents separate
1 could have experienced the death of a parent
7 are likely to have been bullied
6 may be self-harming 8

9. Treatments Self-help Talking therapies Medication Hospitalisation
– Healthy eating
– Physical activity
– Positive psychology
Talking therapies
– Counselling
– Psychotherapy
– CBT
Medication
Hospitalisation
Explain that most mental health problems can be improved by a range of interventions. Briefly explain the treatments above (see below for more info all from NHS choices website) before pupils begin the next episode. It is important that pupils are made aware that the treatments can be combined and need to be personalised.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It's most commonly used t
Counselling is a type of talking therapy that allows a person to talk about their problems and feelings in a confidential and dependable environment. A counsellor is trained to listen with empathy (by putting themselves in your shoes). They can help you deal with any negative thoughts and feelings you have to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.
Psychotherapy is a type of therapy used to treat emotional problems and mental health conditions. It involves talking to a trained therapist, either one-to-one, in a group. It allows you to look deeper into your problems and worries, and deal with troublesome habits and a wide range of mental disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia. 9

10. Mental health briefings
In groups
© Young Minds; Mind. All Rights Reserved
In groups get pupils to look into one of the chosen mental health problems in more detail. Ask them to use the resources provided (leaflets etc.) to find the symptoms, possible causes, and treatments for the selected conditions, anxiety & panic, eating disorders, self-harm and depression. 10

11. Empathy and support
Empathy statements show people you are listening to them and are tuning in to their emotions
Get into pairs A & B
A reads the statement and B responds with both an empathy statement and a non-empathic statement. Then swap over. Decide which is statement is empathy
Then develop a role play based on what you have learnt today showing empathy and support to someone who has a mental health problem
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Empathy has been taught and practised in this theme in the previous two years so begin by asking them what they can remember about empathy. The second answer is empathy in both scenarios. Ask pupils what could be the negative consequences of the first 2 responses. These include the person not telling you their worries, lying and saying everything is all right etc.
The instructions for this slides are on the handouts and read as follows:
Think of a mental health problem and create a roleplay. First show empathy and then explain what you know about how and where to get help and the different types of help available. The roleplay should only last a few minutes. Empathy is a key feature of offering support as it allows to the person in difficulty to feel heard. Feeling heard is an important human need. Showing empathy therefore creates a connection and makes it easier for the person being helped to open up to any information and or advice they are being offered. Without empathy they may feel judged or as if they don’t really matter. The person helping connects to the feeling and NOT the situation.
Empathy is not sympathy which is about feeling sorry for someone. Sympathy can be an appropriate response but it doesn’t do the same things empathy in terms of helping people change, move forward. Also it is quite possible to empathise with someone experiencing strong emotions such as joy and excitement.
A good way of showing empathy is using visual or auditory clues such as how someone sounds or looks. This can then be expressed by saying “you sound …” “you look…” 11

12. Empathy and support Watch the video clip
The CogSai video link explains this in one way the Brene Brown in another (neither is perfect but they both give an interesting perspective on the concept). Chose the one that fits your style and the needs of the class. If time allows you could show both and ask the class which they prefer and why.
Watch the video clip
© CogSai, All Rights Reserved. 12

13. How has our learning progressed?
In groups
Get pupils back into the original groups with their lists of mental health conditions and ask them to add in any they have learnt amend any they now think are inappropriate & increase stigma and prejudice
© Huffington Post; Time to Change; See Me Scotland. All Rights Reserved 13

14. Taking the learning away
Use empathy instead of sympathy, advice or information giving when people you know are experiencing strong emotions
Notice what impact this has
Look for images/stories about mental health on FB, twitter, TV etc. Do they increase or reduce stigma?
Pupils can try using empathy with friends and family when they are feeling strong emotions and notice what impact this has. 14

15. Want to know more or get help?
im-a-young-person
get-support
Contact:
Call, or go online 12