My Wellbeing Journals are personal spaces for students to express their feelings, fears, goals, struggles and opinions without fear of judgement from others. They are tools children can use to help get their private thoughts out of their minds and onto paper, while simultaneously learning techniques and strategies to cope with life’s challenges.
It is widely acknowledged that mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, affect one in seven primary-aged children, and an estimated 50% of all serious mental health issues in adulthood begin before age fourteen (beyondblue.com.au).
Throughout the My Wellbeing Journals, students will be offered exercises that focus on:
- self-management
- self-awareness
- social awareness
- relationship skills
- responsible decision making
The benefits of keeping a journal have been well documented. It is believed that writing down thoughts can help individuals achieve mental clarity and prioritise worries or fears.
My Wellbeing Journals have been created by Lauren O’Brien, a passionate educator and best-selling author. The journals are well-researched, easy-to-use student resources designed to assist in improving overall wellbeing in school-age children.
Example pages:
Teachers' Manuals
Accompanying teacher’s manuals have been created by Rose Pennington, a primary school teacher and social and emotional learning consultant. These teacher’s manuals provide background information on each topic as well as lesson plans and additional materials to aid in the teaching of wellbeing.
Teachers Manual Years 1-2
Teachers Manual Years 3-4
Teachers Manual Years 5-6