A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
flickr One of the most exciting research findings from positive psychology is the amazing wellbeing boosts that can be achieved when we harness our own strengths, and the strengths of our children or students. It seems that when we know what our strengths are - or when our children and students can identify [...]
shutterstock In a world where children are "growing up digital," it's important to help them learn healthy concepts of digital use and citizenship. Parents play an important role in teaching these skills. Here are a few tips from the AAP to help parents manage the digital landscape they're exploring with their children. Treat [...]
Families - 2014 IStockphoto Often when young people are experiencing difficult times in their lives they cannot believe that good times will come again. They often forget that they have even had some good times in the past. Adults working with young people need to share some of their own life stories to illustrate that [...]
Generation Next speaker, campaigner and the 2015 Australian of the Year, Rosie Batty, appeared on Today Tonight last Friday after her presentation at the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young People seminar in Adelaide. Click the image below to watch her interview.
Self-harming is when people cause themselves physical pain in the hope that it will alter their mood state. Some people harm themselves because they feel disconnected and isolated from everybody, and hurting themselves is the only way they feel real or connected. People who cut often start cutting in their young teens. If your teen is self-harming then you may [...]
It is not uncommon for young people to feel overwhelmed and like they are unable to cope with what life has thrown at them. This is when they often come to the attention of teachers, school counsellors or health professionals – when they are in some sort of crisis. The crisis can be precipitated by [...]
Have you found yourself standing in front of a 12 or 13 year old wondering "Who on earth are you?" Whether we are the parent, the teacher, the coach.....whoever.......we are often left to scratch our head and consider where we went wrong. Almost overnight it seems this gorgeous 12 or 13 year old has transformed into a grumpy, [...]
Stock Photos Teens and their phones are almost inseparable. Most parents and teachers are troubled by this – and rightly so. Excessive or inappropriate device usage is shown to interfere with sleep, relationships, academic difficulties, and physical activity and health. These each influence wellbeing in important and positive ways, so when devices interfere, outcomes are sub-optimal. [...]
The risk of dementia doubles every five years after the age of 65 in Australia. And whereas before little was known about this debilitating disease, we now have "some good ideas as to what may be the contributing mechanisms", says Professor Perminder Sachdev, co-director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW. While there's no [...]
When depression chopped me in the back of the knee and sent me sprawling on the floor – well actually the couch – for a full year, I had to learn some brilliant ninja moves. I learned moves that got me back on my feet and moves that keep sneaky saboteurs from whacking me so [...]
