With the rise of social media, mental health online resources have never been more important.
Social media can be a toxic environment for student mental health, and educators need to be aware of the potential hazards and know how to access online therapy support when needed.
Here, in the rest of this article, we’ll look at some of the best mental health online resources available for educators.
Mental Health
Educators play an important role in supporting the mental health of their students. To help support that mission, we have compiled a list of online resources to help educators access tools and information about mental health services and guidance.
From apps and hotlines to counseling options, these resources can be a helpful starting point for any educator seeking support for mental health in their school community.
- Center for School Mental Health
- Classroom Mental Health: A Teacher’s Toolkit for High School
- MedStar Georgetown WISE Center
- Teenmentalhealth.org – Teachers Knowledge Update
- UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools
Self-Care for Educators and Students
As an educator, it is important to practice self-care to maintain your mental and emotional development and physical health, and social and emotional learning.
- Self-care can help you manage stress, stay energized, and stay focused on your work. It can also help you build stronger relationships with your students and colleagues.
- Self-care activities can include anything from taking a few minutes each day to relax and meditate, to making time for physical activity or hobbies that bring you joy.
- It is important to set boundaries for yourself so that you don’t become overwhelmed by the demands of teaching. Taking regular breaks throughout the day and setting aside time for yourself is essential for maintaining balance in your life.
It is also important to encourage students to practice self-care as well. Teaching students about the importance of self-care can help them develop healthy habits that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Activities such as journaling, mindfulness exercises, yoga, or art projects can be used to teach students about self-care and how it can help them manage stress and anxiety.
Overall, practicing self-care is essential for educators and students alike to maintain mental health and well-being. By taking care of yourself first, you are better able to take care of others around you.
Mindfulness Activities for the Classroom
Mindfulness activities for the classroom are a great way to help students manage their thoughts, emotions, and actions it a effective address. These activities can be used to help children recognize and manage their feelings in a safe and supportive environment.
- One of the most popular mindfulness activities is the Shark Fin Breathing Exercise. This exercise helps students calm their thoughts and bodies by focusing on their breathing.
- To do this activity, have all students sit quietly at their desks and direct their attention to their breath. Ask them to imagine that they are sharks swimming through the ocean with each breath they take.
- Another popular mindfulness activity is creating a mindful jar. Ask your students to bring in a mason jar and small items of different shapes, sizes, textures, and colors.
- Have them fill the jar with these items while focusing on how each item looks, feels, or sounds when it’s placed inside the jar. This activity can help kids focus on being present at the moment and paying attention to details.
- Finally, you can also use candle study as a mindfulness activity for your classroom. Find candles for your students or ask them to come with their favorite candles for this activity.
- On the specified day, light up all of the candles and ask your students to observe how they look or smell without touching them or speaking about them. This will help them practice being mindful of what’s around them without getting distracted by other things happening in the room or outside of it.
These are just some of the many mindfulness activities that you can use in your classroom setting to help children recognize and manage their thoughts, emotions, and actions in a safe environment.
Which Students Benefit most from Online Mental Health Support?
Online mental health support can be beneficial for students of all ages for support students. With the rise of digital technology, students now have access to a variety of online resources that can help them manage their mental health.
From virtual counseling sessions to online support groups, there are many ways that students can get the help they need without having to leave their homes.
- For college students, online mental health services can provide a much-needed respite from the stress and anxiety of campus life. Virtual counseling sessions allow students to talk with a professional in a safe and secure environment, while online support groups offer an opportunity for students to connect with peers who are going through similar struggles.
- Additionally, many colleges are now offering telehealth options which make it easier for students living off-campus to access mental health resources.
- K-12 schools also benefit from providing more robust mental health services for their students. Community partnerships can help schools provide better access to mental health care and create programs that focus on prevention and early intervention. This can include activities such as mindfulness exercises, social-emotional learning, and peer mentoring programs.
Overall, online mental health services provide an important resource for students who may not have access to traditional forms of care or who may feel uncomfortable seeking help in person.
By utilizing these resources, students can receive the support they need to cope with stress and anxiety in healthy ways.
What are Troublesome Signs that a Teenager needs Mental Health Support?
When it comes to teenagers, several signs may indicate they need mental health support for student wellness. These can include changes in sleep, weight, eating habits, or other everyday patterns; loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy; feeling overwhelmed by emotions; difficulty concentrating; sudden changes in personality; falling grades; persistent sadness, anxiety, or sleep problems; self-harming behaviors such as cutting or hitting themselves; avoiding friends and family members; drug use; and running away.
If you notice any of these signs in your teen, it is important to seek help from a mental health professional. A therapist can provide guidance and support for your teen as well as for the entire family.
Online therapy can be a great option for teens who are uncomfortable with face-to-face therapy or who have difficulty accessing traditional counseling services. Online therapy offers flexibility and convenience while still providing evidence-based treatment.
Teens who benefit most from online mental health support are those who are comfortable using technology, have access to a device and internet connection, and feel safe discussing their feelings online.
List of Mental Health Online Resources for Educators Teaching Students
Are you or someone you know struggling with mental health issues? If so, there are a variety of online resources available to help young people.
- Mental Health in Adolescents — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-development/mental-health/index.html): The Office of Adolescent Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides information about adolescent mental health across states, adolescent mental health disorders, and access to care.
- The Jed Foundation (http://www.jedfoundation.org/): The Jed Foundation is a group dedicated to improving the mental and emotional health of college students and preventing suicide among this group. For students and campuses, the foundation offers several free online self-assessments and resource programs. It provides tools for professionals on campus to improve the mental health services they provide to students.
- U.S. Government — Youth Mental Health (https://youth.gov/youth-topics/youth-mental-health): This is a hub of government information about youth mental health issues such as drug use, LGBT issues, bullying, and homelessness.
- ULifeline (http://www.ulifeline.org/): A project of the Jed Foundation that offers more than 1,500 colleges and universities a free, private online resource about emotional health.
- LawLifeline (http://www.lawlifeline.org/): The Jed Foundation and the Dave Nee Foundation collaborated to create LawLifeline. It is a free, anonymous, and private online resource for law school students to find information about depression, anxiety, suicide, stress, and self-harm.
- Center for Mental Health in Schools and Student Learning Support at UCLA (http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/): The School Mental Health Project, an online collection of tools, research, publications, and resources for school professionals, was developed by the UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools.
What are the Best Resources for Mental Health?
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there are many resources available to help.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides a National Helpline that offers free and confidential referrals and information for individuals and families facing mental health issues. It is available in both English and Spanish.
It’s arguably the #1 mental health resource in the world.
Mental Health Online Resources for Educators Conclusion:
Mental health is important not only for students but also for educators themselves.
Thankfully, there are many online resources available that can help guide educators toward better understanding and managing their mental health as well as helping them provide support for their student’s mental well-being too.
From Talkspace for teens to 7 Cups Of Tea for free counseling sessions and Psych Central for expert advice on various topics to Brightside – the possibilities are endless!
With these tools at your disposal, you can give your students the help they need when it comes to managing their mental health in this digital age.
Leave a comment below and tell our Online Mental Health Review team which app, service, or platform you think we should buy and try next!
We want to know what works best, or what topic you want to know more about so that we can give the best care.
