Behind Happy Faces

Lessons

Lesson 1 - October 23 - Understanding Mental Health

BHF Lesson 1 Video.mov

Synopsis: This lesson provides a definition of mental health and discusses the reasons students do not seek help for mental health challenges. The lesson compares mental health to physical health. The goal is to allow students to explore their current thoughts and feelings about mental health, while offering a clear definition for them to build a positive foundation of understanding. The first step in getting someone to access help or to accept treatment is learning why they may be resistant. Every mental health challenge is different for each person.

Conversation with your children

Have you ever thought about mental health in the same context as physical health?
Why do you think mental health is important? How can you maintain your mental health in the same way that you maintain your physical health?
What is your biggest stressor? Lack of sleep, workload….
Do you know anyone who has sought help maintaining their mental health

Lesson 2 - October 30 - Connecting Mental Health

BHF Lesson 2 Video.mov

Synopsis: This lesson provides an opportunity for students to do an activity that allows them to learn more about themselves and their classmates. The goal of the activity is to be able to share in a safe and anonymous manner. The history of this activity comes from a program called Council and is centered on feeling empowered from connection to others.

Conversation with your children

What is one thing you wish people knew about you?
What was something you heard about someone else that resonated with you?
Did you find that you have things in common with other people that you didn’t realize?
Did hearing other people’s statements make you feel more connected?

Lesson 3 - November 13 - Your Mental Health

BHF Lesson 3 Video.mov

Synopsis: The Your Mental Health lesson helps students better understand the mental health challenges in their lives, and learn about a spectrum to identify how they are addressing those challenges. Students are often overwhelmed by the amount of mental health challenges that impact them. Knowing how to categorize those challenges helps a person recognize how severe the issues are. When someone is more aware of what is affecting them, then they can begin to determine how to work towards having a balanced life.

Conversation with your children

How would you describe your mental health and you can’t say good, bad, or fine.
Do you feel balanced?
What is the mental health spectrum?
Is having a bad day the same thing as being clinically depressed?

Lesson 4 - December 4 - Understanding Mental Health Disorders

Synopsis: In the fourth lesson, students learn about the most significant symptoms for the most common mental health disorders and developmental disabilities. This lesson is an important follow up to theYour Mental Health lesson, because it dives deeper into explaining the differences between everyday challenges, significant events and diagnosable disorders. Students are extremely confused about the types of mental health disorders and developmental disabilities that people experience. They often confuse feeling sad with having clinical depression or feeling stress with having an anxiety disorder. This lesson helps to briefly explain the severity of mental health disorders and developmental disabilities.

Conversation with your children

What types of Mental Health Disorders did you learn about today?
What is the difference between feeling nervous and having a diagnosed anxiety disorder?
Who are the people who can diagnose a mental health disorder?
Who is someone you can talk to if you think you or a friend needs to be seen by a mental health professional?

Lesson 5 - February 5- Mental Health Disorders and Developmental Disabilities

Synopsis: In the fifth lesson, students continue to learn about the most significant symptoms for the most common psychotic disorders and developmental disabilities. This lesson is an important continuation of the fourth lesson. Students are extremely confused about the types of mental health disorders and developmental disabilities that people experience. This lesson continues the conversation about the major defining symptoms and offers an optional quiz to determine if students have learned the definitions.

Conversation with your children

What is the difference between an everyday challenge and a mental health disorder?
How are mental health disorders diagnosed?
Do you know anyone with a developmental disability?

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