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Understanding Our Own Culture to Understand Others

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Understanding Our Own Culture to Understand Others

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Amanda: This article covers the different types of cultures present in a classroom to be aware of in order to build relationships accordingly.

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Educating students today should focus on educational and cultural equity along with academics. How do we attain equity and what should we do as teachers to ensure that students are receiving an education that focuses on who they are and who they will become in today's society?

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Culturally responsive teaching focuses on practitioners being culturally competent in order to authentically instruct students. How can this be accomplished?

It is most important to build relationships through understanding. Teachers must understand their own culture before they can understand the culture of others. They must dissect stereotypes and assumptions about other cultures. Often cultural norms can be misinterpreted or misunderstood because they are unexamined and intersect with white, conventional dominant cultural norms. Teachers must consciously make an effort to be non-biased toward other cultures. Understanding their own culture and the cultures of the students that they teach will ensure cultural equity and responsibility.

Let's continue to understand through a definition of culture. Zaretta Hammond explains that "culture... is the way that every brain makes sense of the world.....in other words culture is the central processing unit of how we adapt, attain and understand meaningful events." Hammond states there are three levels of culture that must be understood in order for educators to build the necessary trust with students so that transformative learning partnerships can be forged. These levels are identified as: surface, shallow and deep. Let's take a deeper dive into each of these.

Surface Culture

Surface culture is the superficial. It encompasses overall cultural themes that are cross binding and all ethnicities can relate to. It includes food, clothing, music, and holidays and is interchangeable between all humans. There is not necessarily an impact on emotions and in some cases, this type of culture can help build rapport and relationships. Within this level of culture, several questions must be addressed to better understand yourself in relation to culturally responsive teaching.

First, do I understand my culture as a teacher and am I relatable to my students through their surface culture?

Next, do I respect their dress, the food they eat, the music they listen too and the holidays that they observe?

Am I unbiased to the rituals and traditions that they practice?

Finally, am I attuned to the community and the environment that they live in?

As a teacher in order to build relationships with your students, it is important to find culturally responsive literature that features racially and ethnically diverse main characters with references to different ethnic and cultural traditions, languages, music, and clothing. When teachers share these ideals within their classrooms, they build full authenticity and respect for other cultures.

Shallow Culture

The shallow culture is the level just underneath the surface. It deals more with norms, emotions, assumptions, as well as familial social interactions. This culture builds more on the mores developed from family and generational bonds. The impact on emotions is strong.

Within this cultural level, rapport can be created or destroyed and trust can be eased or elevated to duress. Social friction is a constant factor if common ground is not met by the teacher. It is essential to focus on developing a meaningful and true understanding of each student's individual shallow culture.

During shallow culture the nature of friendships are developed, level of respect for elders, boundaries for physical space, communication styles with elders, and how to respond to the emotions in certain situations such as funerals, weddings, etc. It is important for teachers to become aware of this culture and to respect the morals and values developed by the students through their families.

Deep Culture

The deep culture focuses on who we are innately as human beings. The contributions of our self-identity, consciousness, and subconscious. It is our tacit knowledge that governs our worldview and forms the foundations that support how we approach problem-solving and decision-making. Within this cultural level notions of fairness, concepts of relationships, knowing right from wrong, and spirituality. Focuses on fellowship, companionship, and competitiveness are present within deep culture.

Emotions during deep culture are intense, astute, and protective of the individual. During this phase the conceptualization of who you are to your family, community, and globally has a major impact on your beliefs and values. Deep culture focuses on the collective of all cultures and development through family beliefs, a person's socio-economic status, religion, familial views of the family's contribution to society, and more. The deep culture specifically determines who the student is currently, who they will become, and how they will respond to other human beings in society. It is the determinant of how culture will influence society.

In the coming years of educating today's youth, we must embrace an understanding of cultural competence in the classroom. It is important that we as educators embrace our culture by recognizing the varying cultural norms that our students possess. In order for educators to build culturally responsive relationships, we must implement culturally responsive norms in our classrooms and be cognizant of the impact this will have on our student's psyche, well-being, and overall academic success.

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Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin.

Sheree Turner, Ph.D. is a Master Teacher Leader in an Urban School district in Atlanta. She is certified in Middle Grades Social Studies, Gifted Learner Endorsed and Reading Endorsed. Her area of interest is ensuring Social Studies does not become extinct in the 21 st century classroom.

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Developing Culturally Responsive Relationships with Your Students - Social Studies

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Social Studies Developing Culturally Responsive Relationships with Your Students

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Amanda: "The mark of an educated mind is to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it". This video discusses how to make a space somewhere where people can have productive discussions

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Miles: Physical fitness has an impact on learning and cognitive functions. This article can provide students how it can improve learning and mental health.

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Nancy Barile, Award-Winning Teacher, M.A.Ed.

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Exercise and the Brain: How Fitness Impacts Learning

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What happens when you combine exercise and the brain? Learn about the science that shows how fitness can improve students’ ability to learn.

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Miles: Implementing mental health activites in a classroom setting is important for many reasons. Students face different challenges in and out of school that impact their overall well being. This article provides 6 mental health activites for high school students.

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6 Mental Health Activities for High School Students

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Six mental health activities for students you can use to embed mental wellness into your high school classroom culture.

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Making Science Instruction Compelling for All Students: Using Cultural Formative Assessment to Build on Learner Interest and Experience

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Making Science Instruction Compelling for All Students: Using Cultural Formative Assessment to Build on Learner Interest and Experience

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Amanda: This is an online page with modules for professional development geared towards helping science teachers be culturally responsive in order to help their students feel motivated and successful in science

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ACESSE Resource C: Making Science Instruction Compelling for All Students: Using Cultural Formative Assessment to Build on Learner Interest and Experience

How can science instruction be meaningfullyconnected to the out-of-school lives of students? What role do students' cultures play in science learning? How might teachers use formative assessments to root science learning in students' cultural contexts, interests, and identities? This open educational resource is designed to help educators develop cultural formative assessments that build on students' pre-existing interests, identities, and experiences.

This session highlights cultural dimensions of science learning and showcases a general instructional technique for formative assessment called "self-documentation"-where students collect information related to a particular theme in their everyday lives. It describes an example use case of a self-documentation activity and how it was incorporated into a culturally diverse classroom. The session also highlights different assessment approaches and guides educators in thinking about particular goals for incorporating cultural formative assessment into their own practice.

This resource is designed to be used as a 2 to 2.5 hour professional development session for educators. The module includes all of the resources that PD facilitators need to adapt and run the sessions-including slides, speaker notes, facilitator guide, embedded resources, and sample student work. It may be more useful for educators after they have already participated in the following professional development session: ACESSE A: Introduction to Formative Assessment to Support Equitable 3D Instruction.

The professional development module supports the following specific goals for educators:

Learn how to promote equity and social justice as the focal point of NGSS implementation work by focusing on learning and teaching as an inherently cultural process.

Develop a shared understanding of how cultural formative assessment can reveal the interests, experiences, and identities of students.

Understand how and when to use different kinds of cultural formative assessment to guide instruction - and 'overlap' the curriculum with the lives of youth.

Link to Open Educational Resource Version (on OER Commons)Link to PowerPoint File Version Link to Facilitator's Guide for this Resource Link to Sample Student Work
Link to Sample Student Work as an Accessible PDF and Accessible Word Doc One-Page Description of this Resource (PDF)Recording of this Professional Development Session This resource is an open educational resource (OER) and can be freely shared, modified, and used. This resource is brought to you by the Advancing Coherent and Equitable Systems of Science Education (ACESSE, or "access") project. It has been developed with guidance from science education experts from across 13 states to make it as broadly useful as possible. You can follow the work of the ACESSE project on Twitter.
Bell, P., Stromholt, S., Neill, T & Shaw, S. (2017). Making Science Instruction Compelling for All Students: Using Cultural Formative Assessment to Build on Learner Interest and Experience. [OER Professional Development Session from the ACESSE Project] Retrieved from http://stemteachingtools.org/p...

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ACESSE Resource C: Making Science Instruction Compelling for All Students: Using Cultural Formative Assessment to Build on Learner Interest and Experience : StemTeachingTools (en-US)

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How can science instruction be meaningfullyconnected to the out-of-school lives of students? What role do students' cultures play in science learning? How might teachers use formative assessments to root science learning in students' cultural contexts, interests, and identities? This open educational resource is designed to help educators develop cultural formative assessments that build on students' pre-existing interests, identities, and experiences.

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Inequities in Embedded in Measures of Engagement in Science Education for African American Learners from a Culturally Relevant Science Pedagogy Lens

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Inequities in Embedded in Measures of Engagement in Science Education for African American Learners from a Culturally Relevant Science Pedagogy Lens

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Amanda: “Science educators must reframe the purpose of science education toward social change and engage in professional development toward culturally relevant pedagogy. The 5 types of mastery for engagement in science being: Content, Currency (connecting science and social issues), context (personalizing learning), Critique Mastery (science as a medium to analyze oppression through analysis), and conduct mastery (Sets expectations for activist outcomes to improve social engagement).

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Inequities Embedded in Measures of Engagement in Science Seducation 

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What Educators Could do and Should Know in regards to Mental Health in the classroom

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What Educators Could do and Should Know in regards to Mental Health in the classroom

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Anthony: This source does a good job in talking about what exactly educators should know in their classroom about mental health, such as watching out for warning signs for any mental health problems. This source gives tips and insight as to what they should look for in terms of student behavior and what they could do in their classrooms and schools on the matter. It also talks about how to develop effective school mental health programs and gives resources to help support as much as they can.

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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

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Educators are often the first to notice mental health problems in children and young adults. Here are some ways you can help your students and their families.

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How to talk to Students about Mental Health

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How to talk to Students about Mental Health

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Anthony: This article discusses how an educator can talk to her student(s) about the topic of mental health. The article talks about how you as an educator must conduct research into the topic and find resources that could help in any way. It also shows how to ask if the students are okay and it gives 5 steps to help discuss mental health in a 1 on 1 setting with a student.

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Providing opportunities for students to talk about mental health issues assists in breaking down stigma. Here we provide you with practical ideas to do so.

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Jeff: The way we check-in with students helps build relationships, fosters positivity within the classroom, and can improve student well-being. Here are 7 tips for improving check-ins with students.

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Carefully crafted check-ins can bring middle and high school classes closer together and improve student well-being.

When the pandemic began, more teachers started using check-ins so that students could engage with one another before engaging with the content. Students might fill out a form rating their current mood, or choose an emoji that captures how they're feeling, or select a picture from a three-by-three grid that best represents their mood: "Which hedgehog are you?"

Such activities can be a playful way for students to start class, a ritual through which they establish community, and an assessment tool that helps teachers know how well students are faring. Community and wellness have always been important, but they've become a higher priority than ever during the third year of pandemic teaching. How can we make check-ins a greater source of community and wellness for our students?

7 Ways to Improve Check-Ins

Which three emojis tell the story of your day so far?

Thinking back on the past week, when was a time when you felt each of the following emotions?

1. Ask for multiple emotions instead of just one. We're capable of feeling many different emotions-sometimes simultaneously or in rapid succession. Students might feel angry about something their sibling did, excited about that afternoon's basketball game, and worried about tomorrow's math test. They might even feel multiple emotions about the same thing, such as feeling happy and scared to attend school in person. But asking students for just one emotion means they'll disregard or silence everything else they might be feeling. Instead, we can ask questions that elicit multiple emotions.

Questions like these prompt students to honor the complexity of their emotional experiences. When students notice and name multiple emotions, all emotions become a healthy, expected, and respected part of their everyday experience.

2. Vary the tone. Some check-in questions can be playful, such as "Do school subjects have colors?" or the internet-famous "If a tomato is a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie?" Other prompts can be serious, such as questions about students' homes, responsibilities, identities, and beliefs.

After a traumatic event-and there have been many amid Covid, racist attacks, and climate change-the check-in can make space for students to bear witness, grieve, and plan a justice-oriented response. Still other check-ins can invite celebration: "What was your proudest moment this week?" or "Who in this class inspired you this week?" Varying the tone of check-ins means that students will experience a range of emotions together.

3. Make it culturally responsive. This doesn't simply mean using more inclusive language, such as by asking how students are celebrating December holidays instead of Christmas. While Christmas is a major holiday, many Jews don't consider Hanukkah as holy as, for example, Sukkot and Shavuot, which are less well-known because they don't coincide with major Christian holidays. To be more inclusive, try asking about family and seasonal traditions at various points in the year-not just in December.

When designing check-in questions, take care not to explicitly or implicitly recenter historically dominant sociocultural groups-white, cisgender, heterosexual, Christian, affluent, able-bodied, and neurotypical folks. Use prompts that apply to all students and that don't assume knowledge of or participation in a dominant culture.

4. Involve students in creating check-in prompts. Once students are familiar with check-in structures and the sorts of prompts you use, invite them to create their own. You'll need to vet student-created prompts first, but most students will take the responsibility seriously and offer prompts that reflect their diverse personalities, histories, and interests.

You might find that a student who says very little during check-ins creates prompts that lead to meaningful discussions among their peers. That becomes its own way for students to contribute to a healthy community and a sense of wellness.

5. Build emotion-noticing into academic routines. Check-ins at the beginning of class honor experiences that students bring into the room before we ask them to think about something else. Some teachers also do a check-out, asking students to share insights, questions, or feelings about that day's work. These rituals orient students within the class period, but if students only share their emotions before and after academic learning, they might get the message that their feelings exist outside the main business of school-the academics-and matter less.

Students need opportunities to observe their own psychological experiences of the content, connect with one another through the content, and develop the willingness to struggle with challenging content in the service of their larger goals. Protocols like the emotions and values audit in Two-for-One Teaching, a book I cowrote with Jonathan Weinstein, embed emotion noticing into academic lessons, enabling students to bring more of themselves to their learning and more of their learning to themselves.

6. Connect emotions to values and values to actions. Emotions signal that something important is at stake. When we feel sad, it means something important is gone. When we feel angry, it means something important was taken away-from us or someone important to us. When we feel afraid, it means something important is being threatened.

When students share their emotions, they need time to stay inside those emotions instead of then folding them up into a neat package that they set aside during class. They also need opportunities to discover the values their emotions point toward as well as opportunities to choose actions consistent with those values. Classrooms are ideal spaces for students to discover their values and to bring those values to their learning, work, and relationships.

7. Use a pedagogy of belonging. If check-ins are the only opportunities for students to share their emotions, values, stories, observations, and dreams, they have no reason to go especially deep. If students are going to open up about themselves, those conversations need to be part of a larger culture in which students feel seen, heard, respected, and supported. Protocols ensuring that every student makes meaningful contributions and that all contributions are listened to and appreciated help create a safe and affirming environment where students can open up about the content-and themselves.

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Carefully crafted check-ins can bring middle and high school classes closer together and improve student well-being. When the pandemic began, more teachers started using check-ins so that students could engage with one another before engaging with the content.

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Jeff: In a fast pace world, it is vital for students to be reminded that what they do today matters. This article provides knowledge and resources on students’ development of Futures literacy to foster whole child/youth development.

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These engaging resources can help students learn that the future isn't set in stone-so what they do today matters.

Students don't always feel very optimistic about the future. From artificial intelligence to climate change to polarization, they might feel stressed, helpless, or hopeless about what's to come. Change can be a frightening thing, and with so much happening in the world, it's normal to feel a bit apprehensive. This is especially true when changes can feel heavy or are presented in a negative light.

We want students to own their future and be optimistic about what's to come. This can mean having language to help students think about the future, navigate change, and understand how what we do today shapes tomorrow. We don't know for certain what the future holds, but when we talk about what we want the future to look like, it opens up our minds about what we could do today to achieve that future.

Understanding futures literacy

Futures literacy is defined as the ability to better understand the role of the future in what we see and do. To sum up UNESCO's description, futures literacy encourages us to use our imagination and agency to prepare, recover, and invent as changes occur. It can be a tool to help students take ownership over their future and develop strategies so they might build the future they want.

Foresight-methodologies we can employ to help us uncover what the future might look like

Signals-insights (e.g., a change, idea, or innovation) that point to an alternative way of doing things in the future

Scenarios-stories we create to describe different alternative futures

One of the easiest ways to get started with futures literacy is to engage in some basic futures language. The concepts naturally help us to start reimagining our world. Here are a few introductory terms to get started:

For instance, we might ask students to engage in foresight by asking them to imagine what they think the world will look like in 2050 (e.g., they might draw, sketch, write, or discuss this in a group). Once they've finished, ask them how they came to their conclusions.

Students will naturally describe various signals -new technologies, current happenings, etc.-they observed that helped lead them to this specific future they've created. From there, ask them if that's the future they want or if there would be a way to make that future better.

This will encourage them to create new scenarios- or alternative futures. Have them discuss what might need to be done differently today to achieve that new future. And voilà-you're already engaging in futures literacy.

When students understand that the future isn't set in stone and that our actions now determine tomorrow, it helps them to create a North Star to the future they want to work toward and to better understand the steps they (or society) might need to take to achieve that future. This understanding offers them a useful lens to think differently about the possible futures in store and how we play an active role in creating our futures. Students learn that the future shouldn't be explored passively as something that is inevitable.

Futures literacy also benefits students by enabling them to flex a wide range of skills. Beyond facilitating the four Cs (critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration), UNESCO highlights the many skills that students gain from developing their futures literacy. From confidence to agility to resilience, these important skills help students to thrive amid change and to be optimistic about the future. They help build agency and strategic thinking so that young people can work toward their vision.

In addition to using futures language, there are a variety of other methodologies, tools, and games that might engage students (across the grades) to more holistically think about our world and what it might look like going forward.

For example, The Thing From the Future is a free and downloadable print and play that helps students think differently and deeply about what the future might hold. The cards help students use their imagination to describe objects that could come from different types of futures. Don't be deterred if some futures turn out to be negative. Most students want to avoid those as well, and it leads to a great dialogue to ensure that we have a future that's bright.

Change is a constant of life. Futures literacy equips students with skills to embrace change rather than resist it. The future is now. Our actions today will contribute to the type of future we want tomorrow. It's important that we give students an opportunity to think about the type of world they want to live in-and that we take strides today to ensure we materialize that world.

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Guiding Students to Develop Futures Literacy

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Teachers can use these entertaining, engaging resources to help students develop futures literacy, so they can adapt to change more readily.

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The colors represent the person who contributed the resource. The topics present in this padlet are science, social studies, and art.

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Jayson: Ice breaker activities that invite students to interact with each other and create bonds and friendships in class. Ice breaker activates allow for students to embrace their vulnerability and find common ground with other students.

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During your first group session, do your students have that awkward silence where everyone is looking around waiting for someone else to speak? I tend to be very directive in the first session as we set norms but some students still feel a little uncomfortable with the process (maybe not during a self-control group!). Below you'll find 10 get to know you activities or counselor icebreakers for group counseling to help students break the ice and get comfortable with each other!

Counseling Icebreakers: 10 Get to Know You Activities for Group Counseling

1. Common Ground

This is an activity that I use in a changing families group (divorce, separation, and other family changes). In this activity, students are paired with one person and they have a given amount of time (3-5 minutes) to find at least 4 things they have in common. Then, they move to a new partner and have a little less time to find at least 3 things they have in common. This continues until students have been paired with 3-4 others (depending on your group size). This is one of my favorite get to know you activities for group counseling because students are always so surprised by how much they have in common with others in the group! I find it's a good starting point for building connections and developing entry-level trust for group.

EduKate & Inspire shared this photo on Instagram of her students finding common ground!

2 .Glyphs

Glyphs are such a fun activity for students who enjoy crafts or want to use their hands! To make a glyph, students all build the same craft, but each craft looks different depending on individual student responses. Your differentiation can simply be by color or students can actually build something unique to represent their responses.

And if you're into digital activities or have access to computers or tablets, this penguin get to know you glyph is a fun way for students to introduce themselves to their group mates!

3. Find Someone Who...

This is probably a familiar activity if you've ever attended any kind of staff training! In Find Someone Who... students are completing a list or bingo card by interviewing their group mates to find someone who fits each category. This is a simple and pretty non-threatening way to get your group talking and learning more about each other in that initial session.

4. Roll to Respond

All you need for this activity is a die or dice! Assign each number a different prompt and let students take turns responding. You can theme the questions around your group so this activity can double as a get-to-know-you and an informal pre-assessment or just make it fun!

5. Pick a Card, Any Card

For this activity, students draw a card from a deck and respond based on the color, number, or suit of the card, depending on your deck. Draw a blue card? Tell us about a time when you felt sad. Draw a queen? Tell us what you'd do if you were queen for a day.

6. Weave a Web

This is one of my favorite activities to do with a class or group. Start with a ball of yarn or large ball of twine. Make a statement about yourself. If someone shares this in common, they say, "Me too!" Hold on to the end of the yarn and toss the ball of yarn to that person. That person then makes another statement about him/herself. If someone else shares this in common, they will say, "Me too," as well. The person holding the ball of yarn will hold on to the string and toss the ball to that person.

Students continue doing this until everyone has at least one piece of the yarn. Students can then observe the literal we of connections between them! This is a fun activity to repeat at the end of group - students are great about recognizing and honoring deeper connections they discovered during group.

7. I Can Help You to... I Would Like Help...

This activity is great to learn more about students' strengths from the start. I have students begin by sharing something they can teach others to do. I get students sharing things like Fortnite skills or surfing skills, but I also will get a student who shares something really unexpected (like solving a Rubik's cube!). After we have a list of what each student can teach us, we allow time during each session for one student to share a bit of his or her special skill! It takes about 5 minutes but goes a long way in building self-esteem. I like to do this in my resiliency skills group to build agency and efficacy.

On the flip side, I also like to have students share something they'd like help with. It could be related to the group topic or not related at all. But it gives students the opportunity to be vulnerable with others and also step up to help others with something that they're good at!

8. Candy Response

If your school allows candy, a quick and easy get-to-know-you activity is to use candy responses! Give students a personal size bag of M&Ms or Skittles and assign a response to each candy color. As students pull a candy from the bag, they will respond to a prompt - it's that simple! Students love this and the tension melts away (in your mouth, not in your hand of course).

9. My Superpowers

For this activity, students name a "superpower" they have (like jumping over high things or reading fast) and a superpower they'd like to have if they could have any kind of power.

10. Story Cubes

Rory's Story Cubes are a great tool for any group! For an icebreaker, have students roll the dice and choose 2-3 that represent themselves in some way and then explain.

Planning groups now?

Get printable counseling icebreakers to start your groups on the right foot now!

Get More Counseling Ideas in Your Inbox:

What about you?

What are your favorite counseling icebreakers for your small groups? Fill me in below in the comments section. Need group counseling curriculum? Click here to find ready to implement groups! Find more group counseling activities on my blog here.

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Counseling Icebreakers: 10 Get to Know You Activities for Groups

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During your first group session, do your students have that awkward silence where everyone is looking around waiting for someone else to speak? I tend to be very directive in the first session as we set norms but some students still feel a little uncomfortable with the process (maybe not during a self-control group!).

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Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and the 5E Lesson Plan

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Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and the 5E Lesson Plan

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Amanda: "When students’ experiences go unrecognized, they are more likely to become disengaged and/or alienated from learning experiences" This resource discusses how CRSP can improve the mental health of students, as well as how to use the NGSS and 5E model to do so

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Adapt conservation biology teaching to address eco-anxiety in students

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Adapt conservation biology teaching to address eco-anxiety in students

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Amanda: This article discusses the issue of Eco-anxiety and how it affects the mental health of students. This explains the causes as well as lists recommendations for how to help your students who struggle with this, such as purposing assignments where students find practical solutions for environmental issues.

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The next generation of conservation biologists faces a new danger in the form of threats to their mental health. Problems like anxiety, depression, psychosis, panic disorder, and suicide affect an increasing portion of the population, and young people seem to be especially vulnerable [ 1]. Mental disorders in young adults are so prevalent and severe that the World Health Organization has recently created a Mental Health International College Student Initiative [ 2]. At this stage of life, the typical stressors of attending college (such as homesickness, new responsibilities, academic pressure, and career concerns) can cause or exacerbate mental health disorders.

The academic environment and the content and methods addressed in the teaching-learning process can positively or negatively affect students' mental health. In this context, we can expect that recurring coverage of tragic or devastating subjects during classes could potentially increase preexisting mental health conditions. For example, in the teaching of conservation biology and related areas, the constant mention of environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, and natural resource depletion can generate a picture of unsolvable global catastrophe that could obscure young people's perspectives or even undermine their hopes.

To investigate this possibility, we undertook a mental health survey of undergraduate students studying biological sciences during March 2022. A total of 250 students from 6 Brazilian public universities (UFSC, UFSCar, UFPE, UFJF, UFPI, and UENF) replied to the questionnaire anonymously [ 3]. Most of the respondents considered their recent mental health to be poor and stated that environmental problems affect it to some degree (). As expected, most of the respondents said that studying and understanding environmental problems worsened their mental health to some degree. However, despite the overall pessimism, many respondents still felt optimistic about working as biologists and the majority were excited to seek solutions to environmental problems. Importantly, the vast majority of students stated that their professors' personal opinion influences their prospects for the future to some degree.

The students' replies to the questionnaire suggest that a possible underlying reason for at least part of the poor mental health that the majority reported could be so-called "eco-anxiety" or "ecological grief" [ 4, 5]. Such feelings of apprehension about anticipated threats to ecosystems and grief in relation to ecological loss are increasing rapidly among the population and demand urgent actions from public health professionals, policy makers, and educators [ 4]. In this respect, it is worth considering if we may be being negligent when teaching courses with a focus on conservation biology, which, not by chance, is called the "crisis discipline." So how can we teach conservation biology without risking worsening the mental health of our students? Trying to answer this question, and based on our own classroom experiences and conversations with undergraduate students, we suggest a few strategies and actions that could be taken by environmental sciences professors and lecturers.

Avoid being too negative. Try to use a balanced approach when dealing with critical topics, pointing to solutions among the negative findings inherent to the discipline. Try to highlight achievements from the past few years. Even if your own perspective is pessimistic, give students a chance to choose their own point of view.

Whenever possible, try to highlight positive examples and case studies, preferably at the end of a class, to leave a positive final message.

When there are no positive examples, try to finish the lesson by pointing out theoretical solutions to that problem. Strive to show students that those can be exciting issues for future research or engagement. Remember that many students choose a career in sciences in order to help solve environmental problems.

Listen to the students. Create opportunities for them to express their opinions and thoughts about the topic being taught. Signs of extreme pessimism or recurring hopelessness may indicate the need for more cautious approaches. When in doubt, seek advice from mental health experts.

Try to propose assignments and activities in which the students have to find practical solutions for environmental issues. Problem-based learning can help to improve self-confidence in future professionals [ 6] while making the prospect of solutions more reachable.

Conservation biology can mix with other fields, including the arts. As a complement or alternative to assessments and teaching material, consider using literary texts, poetry, music, or paintings. Creative arts can be a valuable tool for reducing stress in students and educators [ 7].

Try not to put excessive weight on students' shoulders. Avoid passing on the message that the future of humankind rests solely upon their generation. Instead of saying things like "The burden of the environmental crisis is all yours," try to show that "We, environmental professionals, can help change this scenario."

Consider if presenting certain upsetting information is really necessary. Depending on the general mood of the students at any given time, consider softening or omitting catastrophic data. In this case, do not forget to assess and mitigate possible losses of omission to educational goals.

Choose your words carefully. Avoid using words, expressions, or figures of speech that suggest the end of the line for certain conservation issues.

As an educator, if these suggestions seem exaggerated or unreasonable to you, we recommend that you look more closely into eco-anxiety [ 4, 5] and the current mental health epidemic among young people [ 8]. If you are affected by eco-anxiety yourself or feel hopeless, consider whether this is an appropriate time for you to teach this kind of discipline, particularly to undergraduate students. Talk to department colleagues and heads to find out the best solutions in such cases. If you feel that your classes may seem discouraging or depressing in some way, consider that you may also need mental health support. In this case, do not be negligent and seek help.

Young people's mental health is a serious and urgent issue. We encourage colleagues to think about the above suggestions for teaching conservation biology and raise a discussion within their institutions and departments.

The ecological crisis might be a known source of mental health problems [ 5], but we also know that dispositional optimism is positively related to health and motivation [ 9]. Hope is an important factor in environmental engagement among young people, and educators have a vital role in activating this feeling [ 10]. We believe that being more emphatic and cautious in the classroom is a simple way to not only help keep our students healthy but also to ensure the necessary enthusiasm for the future protagonists of conservation biology.

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Adapt conservation biology teaching to address eco-anxiety in students

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The fear of environmental doom (eco-anxiety) is a new and growing source of mental distress that could particularly affect the next generation of conservation biologists. With care and empathy, educators can help to prevent worsening the mental health ...

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Miles: Mental health theories provide a structure for students to understand the different aspects of mental health conditions. Educating students about the scientific basis of mental health issues can reduce stigma and promote a better understanding for those who are dealing with mental health challenges.

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Have you ever met with a counselor or therapist and thought, " This is not a good fit? "

It might have had something to do with the theories they use to inform their practice.

Counselors and therapists worldwide receive training about the theoretical underpinnings of mental health. They learn how to use those theories to support their work with clients. These professionals use diagnostic tools based on old and new theories of well-being.

What are these theories, and who created them? That is what you will learn as you continue reading.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our 3 Positive Psychology Exercises for free. These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values and self-compassion and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students or employees.

What are Mental Health Theories?

In the sciences, a theory is more than a simple guess. It is a "coherent group of propositions formulated to explain a group of facts or phenomena in the natural world and repeatedly confirmed through experiment or observation" (Dictionary.com, n.d.).

One could create theories about almost anything, but it is rigorous testing that distinguishes simple theories from scientific ones. Not all theories will survive this type of testing. In fact, the acceptance or rejection of parts of theories is not unusual.

Theories developed 50-100 years ago fall into six broad categories. They still influence us today. You might recognize them as:

Analytical/developmental (Freud, Jung, Erickson, Kohlberg)

Behavioral (Watson, Skinner, Pavlov)

Cognitive (Tolman, Piaget, Chomsky)

Social (Bandura, Lewin, Festinger)

Humanistic (Rogers and Maslow)

Personality (Erickson's psychosocial development theory)

From these, many contemporary theories followed. Some are specific to a domain like development. Others make use of neuroimaging to explain why we do the things we do.

Mental health theories strive to explain human development behaviorally, psychologically, and socially. For many years, researchers focused on alleviating pain or suffering. The approach centered on what was wrong with a person and how to fix it. There was no assumption that a person could strengthen their well-being.

A Look at the Models and Methods

Mental health and well-being experts draw from other areas to inform their perspective. They also review a person's mental health within context. An act could be psychopathological in one cultural context but not in another.

The main areas from which counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists gain understanding about mental health are (Dasgupta, 2013):

Biopsychosocial - The interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors explains mental illness. This depends on the person and their environment.

Methods

The diagnosis and treatment of mental illness vary, but many therapists use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This tool provides clear definitions of and criteria for more than 265 disorders. Diagnosis usually includes a physical exam, including lab tests, and a psychological evaluation (Mayo Clinic, n.d.).

There are approximately 20 classes of mental illness covering everything from neurodevelopmental to paraphilic disorders.

Some treatment methods are medications, psychotherapy, brain-stimulation, hospital and residential treatment programs, and substance misuse treatment.

There are three ways to experience therapeutic intervention. Sometimes therapists use a combination of these. Each environment stresses confidentiality and creating a safe space for people to share.

Individual counseling - This is a one-one session with a trained counselor. Depending on the type of therapy used, these sessions can continue for months or years.

Group Counseling - People with similar challenges work together with a trained counselor. The goals are to talk about issues, share knowledge, and solutions.

Family therapy - This method involves helping a family improve their communication. Through the guidance of a licensed therapist, they learn conflict resolution techniques. Not every family member necessarily participates, and it is often short term.

Mental Health Counseling Theories

There are five schools of thought that attempt to explain mental health. Many therapists and counselors operate from one or two of these.

Theories guide the services and interactions therapists have with their clients. This is important to know because it can affect how well you and your therapist "click."

The five schools of thought are:

Humanistic - Three different therapies can help people achieve their highest potential. Client-centered therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, allows the client to investigate who they are at their core. The therapist creates an environment of empathy, acceptance, and genuineness. This encourages the client in their self-exploration. Gestalt Therapy, created by Frederick Perls, is present-focused and involves role-playing. Existential therapy is about ownership of one's life, including all its mishaps. The responsibility of one's life is one's own.

It is easy to understand how a therapist influenced by one of these theories might interact with a client. Positive psychology practitioners, for example, primarily follow humanistic theories. One would expect this therapist to be empathetic and stress ownership and responsibility. The sessions would include a healthy dose of self-exploration, especially related to developing strengths.

A List of Popular Mental Health Theories

Every theory of mental health comes from one of the above five areas or a combination of them. Here is a brief overview of theories derived from those broader categories.

Network theory explains that "mental disorders arise from direct interactions between symptoms" (Borsboom, 2017). The biological, psychological, and societal influences facilitate the connection between Psychopathological symptoms.

Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on assisting the person in changing destructive thoughts and behaviors. It is a type of psychotherapy that helps a client to quickly identify and manage problems. The approach is goal-oriented and often involves homework. The homework helps to reinforce the in-person sessions. It is the "gold standard in the psychotherapy field" (David, Cristea, & Hofmann, 2018).

Operant conditioning still is a popular approach. Whether used by therapists or physical trainers, it involves identifying the cue-routine-reward pattern. The goal is to change the person's behavior by changing the routine and sometimes the reward. It is often used in the treatment of OCD through exposure therapy.

Exposure therapy allows the person to engage with the source of their anxiety in a safe space. The goal is to slowly, and incrementally, increase the person's exposure to their fear. There are several variations of exposure therapy (APA, n.d.).

It is useful in the treatment of:

Phobias

Panic Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Classical conditioning also remains a popular treatment for phobias through the use of systematic desensitization. This is a variant of exposure therapy (Grace College, 2016).

Popular Mental Health Theories on Well-Being

The Self-determination Theory of motivation (SDT), and more specifically, the Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT) posit that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are the primary supports for well-being and optimal functioning (SDT, n.d.) If anyone of these is faulty, then the person's well-being decreases. Intrinsic motivation increases through the satisfaction of having these needs met (read more about intrinsic coaching here).

The Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions (Fredrickson, 1998, 2000) changed the discussion around emotions. Many of the psychological theories and research before this dealt with negative affect. These are emotions like anger, fear, sadness, guilt, and shame (Stringer, 2013).

Fredrickson argued that negative emotions create a sort of tunnel vision. Positive affect widens one's perspective. Positive emotions like awe, joy, and gratitude expand one's experience within the environment. The theory doesn't advocate ignoring negative emotions. Instead, it discusses the ramifications of continuing to ignore positive ones.

The focus of the PERMA Theory of well-being (Seligman, 2011) is helping people to thrive. It promotes building skills that allow one to flourish (Positive Psychology Center, n.d.). Many contemporary theories attempt to help a person reduce suffering. PERMA theory of well-being states that well-being consists of five elements:

1. Positive emotion - These emotions increase our hedonic happiness.

2. Engagement - This is the flow that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discusses. Being engrossed in one's pursuit is the reward.

3. Relationships - Support is critical to our survival and emotional well-being.

4. Meaning - Serving or working in a capacity that contributes to something larger than ourselves gives us a sense of purpose and meaning.

5. Achievement - We enjoy pursuing accomplishments for the sake of doing so.

Each of these contributes in varying degrees to a person's ability to flourish. Positive psychology therapists and coaches often use this as a backdrop for their sessions.

A Take-Home Message

There are several mental health theories, but they all come from one of five schools of thought. They are behaviorism, biological, psychodynamic, cognitive, and humanistic.

In recent years, there has been a move toward studying how people flourish. This is positive psychology. Unlike previous years, this field of research explores what humans already do well. Doing this type of research helps others to increase their opportunities to thrive.

If you seek the help of a therapist or counselor, it is important to know the basis for their approach. You do not want to see a behavioral psychologist to flesh out how you can find meaning in your life. They are better suited for helping you change, develop, or extinguish a habit.

The continued study of mental health, including the more positive aspects, is critical to each person's well-being.

What are you doing today to flourish in your life?

If you enjoyed reading about mental health theories, why not head on over to mental health books for even more reading material.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our 3 Positive Psychology Exercises for free.

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What are Mental Health Theories? (Incl. List)

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Have you ever met with a counselor or therapist and thought, " This is not a good fit? " It might have had something to do with the theories they use to inform their practice. Counselors and therapists worldwide receive training about the theoretical underpinnings of mental health.

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The influence of genetics, psychology, and biology

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The influence of genetics, psychology, and biology

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Miles: Teaching the biological aspects of mental health can help students critically analyze how brain chemistry can change into mental health conditions. "This article focuses on many of the nature- or person-related aspects; meaning the genetic, psychological, and biological factors that can influence mental health." This article will provide scientific principles for students to better understand and have group discussions around mental health.

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For some people, mental health may just be a passing thought, whereas for others it can be a daily challenge. Ever wonder why we are all so different, why some of us seem to coast through life while others struggle? Whether coasting or struggling, the more you are aware of "who you are in your world," the more empowered - and hopefully even emboldened - you will be to optimize your mental health and live the life to which you aspire.

When we think of mental health, we tend to think of mental illness, problems, and disorders - the pathological side of it - but mental health also refers to states of mental wellness, emotional resilience, and psychosocial well-being; the side of the continuum we aim to strive towards. Mental disorders are often caused by a combination of, and interaction between, genetic, psychological, biological, and environmental factors ( 1). The first 3 refer to the personal factors that influence mental health - the nature part. The latter refers to the contextual factors - the nurture part.

This is the first of a 3-part series delving into the influence of nature and nurture on mental health. This article focuses on many of the nature- or person-related aspects; meaning the genetic, psychological, and biological factors that can influence mental health. The next article will focus on a range of nurture- or environment-related aspects, meaning the exposures and experiences from conception onwards that can influence mental health. The final article will offer a range of strategies to improve mental health, including those aimed to counter the nature and nurture aspects that increase the risk of mental illness. Ultimately, it is through awareness, acceptance, and then action - taking the right steps - that each of us can optimize our mental health.

Mental illness: A brief overview

Nearly 1 in 5 people live with a mental illness or will experience a mental illness in any given year ( 2). It affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures ( 2). The prevalence is higher in women (22.3%) than men (15.1%), and by age 40, about 50% will have, or have had, a mental illness ( 2). Those in the veterinary profession appear to have an increased susceptibility to mental illness ( 3). Several studies cite that veterinarians have higher rates of serious psychological distress, depression, and suicidal ideation than those in the general public ( 3- 5). The concern about veterinary mental health, related to work-related stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout, has steadily grown in recent years.

Although mental illness and mental disorder can be used interchangeably, mental illness, as a term, is more general because mental disorder is defined by a unique set of symptoms and causes. There are 3 common classes of mental disorders:

anxiety disorders [which include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), specific phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and separation anxiety disorder];

depressive disorders [which include major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar I-II disorders, and dysthymic disorder]; and

substance abuse disorders (which include alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, drug abuse, and drug dependence) ( 6).

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent, followed by depressive disorders and substance abuse disorders, respectively. Of those people having a disorder, 55% have a single diagnosis, 22% have 2 diagnoses, and 23% have 3 or more, meaning that about 45% of people with disorders struggle with comorbidity ( 6).

Since mental disorders are often caused by a combination of, and interaction between, various factors, it is helpful to understand these factors and how they may influence mental health. This article focuses on the genetic, psychological, and biological factors - the nature side of things, noting that nature and nurture (the person and environment) are rarely separable, but rather, mutually dependent.

Hereditary predisposition to mental disorders

Most mental disorders are due to some combination of inheritance and exposure, meaning genes and environment ( 7). Although no simple genetic cause has been determined ( 7), certain genes and gene variations are associated with certain mental disorders ( 2). Disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression tend to run in families, posing an increased risk if a person has a relative with a diagnosis ( 7). Even for those who don't inherit risk genes, genes can change after birth and contribute to mental illness through a process called de novo genetic change ( 7). In other words, how a person interacts with their environment, and their life choices, can influence their risk for mental illness.

Neurodiversity

There are several neurodevelopmental conditions that can influence mental health. These include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, developmental language disorder and tic disorders ( 8). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder (traditionally understood as separate conditions) are now increasingly diagnosed together due to a better understanding of the common underlying genetics. Highly genetic, ADHD is a brain-based syndrome that has to do with the regulation of a particular set of brain functions and related behaviors ( 8). Some people have never been diagnosed, despite the presence of neurodiverse traits. Those with ADHD are 3 times more prone to depression and are at increased risk of an anxiety disorder and substance abuse.

Sensitivity

Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a personality trait regarded as "an increased sensitivity of the central nervous system and a deeper cognitive processing of physical, social and emotional stimuli" ( 9). Sensory processing sensitivity is moderately inheritable, with 47% attributable to genetic factors ( 10). It is characterized by low sensory threshold (i.e., sensitivity to subtle external stimuli), ease of excitation (i.e., being easily over-whelmed by internal and external stimuli), and aesthetic sensitivity (i.e., openness for, and pleasure of, aesthetic experiences and positive stimuli) ( 9). Roughly 20% of the population is thought to be highly sensitive ( 9).

Highly sensitive people tend to be empathetic, artistically creative, intuitive, and highly aware of the needs of others, but they can easily become overwhelmed, exhausted, and burned out, especially with sensing (i.e., "absorbing") the emotional cues of those around them. Loud, crowded, or visually busy spaces can overwhelm sensitive people. Sensory processing sensitivity is associated with higher levels of stress, physical symptoms of ill-health, poor stress management, greater work displeasure (and need for recovery), anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and traits of autism spectrum disorders ( 9, 10).

High IQ and giftedness

Gifted people have traits that set them apart from their average peers, such as complex intellectual ability, divergent thinking, high creativity, excitability, sensitivity, introversion, perceptivity, strong moral convictions, concern for justice, need for truth, and entelechy (i.e., having a goal) ( 11). Thus, many who are gifted lead their lives feeling different (nearly aberrant) from others, feel they must hide who they really are to be accepted, and engage in social coping strategies to avoid standing out, all of which, as stressors, can place them at risk for mental disorders ( 12). Research, however, has identified little difference in the incidence of mental disorders between the gifted and non-gifted, apart from creatively gifted people ( 12). Creatively gifted people are at an increased risk for depression and suicide.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism is a personality style characterized by excessively high personal standards and overly critical self-evaluations. It can be self-oriented (expecting perfection of oneself), other-oriented (expecting perfection in others), and socially prescribed (expecting perfection of oneself in response to perceived expectations of society) ( 13). Although high achievers are driven by intrinsic motivation or a passion for what they're doing, perfectionists are driven by anxiety - by a fear of failure and the sense of never being good enough, of somehow being flawed. Perfectionists thus suffer rather than take joy in the pursuit of excellence ( 12).

Perfectionism can severely impact mental health. It can not only rob someone of peace of mind and enjoyment of life, but it's also linked to feelings of failure, guilt, indecisiveness, procrastination, shame, and low self-esteem; workaholism; and many mental disorders, including anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, personality disorders, eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, substance abuse, self-harm, and even suicide ( 13, 14). Perfectionism is estimated to be 25 to 40% hereditary.

Self-esteem

Self-esteem is a person's subjective evaluation of their own worth. It's related to the ability to hold a favorable attitude towards the self, and to retain it in situations that are challenging, especially those that include being evaluated by others ( 15). It is moderately inheritable, with approximately 50% attributable to genetic factors. Self-esteem is an important part of psychological health. The beliefs people hold about themselves determine who they are, what they can do, and what they can become ( 16).

Those with high self-esteem are more likely to have higher well-being and quality of life, better social relations, greater job satisfaction, and more success in life than their counterparts ( 15, 16). Those with low self-esteem are at risk of an array of social problems (notably poor relationships) and mental disorders, including anxiety disorders, depression, dysthymia, substance abuse, eating disorders, violence, high-risk behaviors, and suicide ( 15, 16). Unfortunately, just as low self-esteem increases the susceptibility for a mental disorder, the presence of a mental disorder, in turn, lowers self-esteem, creating a vicious downward spiral. When more than one disorder is present, the effects on self-esteem are additive.

Personality (the Big Five)

The five-factor model of personality, commonly known as "the Big Five," includes 5 broad personality domains:

conscientiousness (work ethic, organization);

agreeableness (kindness, empathy);

emotional stability (i.e., commonly referred to as neuroticism) (composure, flexibility);

openness (curiosity, analytical thinking); and

extroversion (sociability, assertiveness).

Each domain represents a range between 2 extremes. For example, extroversion represents a continuum between extreme extroversion and extreme introversion, with ambiversion in the middle. Most people lie somewhere between the polar ends of each domain ( 17). The Big Five are not only universal, characterizing people across the world, they are also inheritable ( 17). Genetics influences 40 to 55% of personality.

Personality significantly determines the existence, nature, and outcomes of mental disorders. Neuroticism is the strongest correlate with mental disorders ( 18). High neuroticism is associated with the development of anxiety disorders, depression, substance abuse, psychosis, and schizophrenia, as well as general mental distress. Low extroversion (i.e., introversion) is associated with all common mental disorders, but most especially with social phobia, dysthymic disorder, depression, and suicidality ( 18). Low conscientiousness is associated with most of the common mental disorders ( 18). Agreeableness is negatively associated with substance abuse disorder ( 18). Openness is not associated with mental disorders ( 18).

Optimism

Optimism, which is also a personality trait ( 19), is the tendency to anticipate favorable outcomes ( 20). Optimistic people tend to have more positive thoughts, be more hopeful, and view the future in a positive light. When a situation is neutral, an optimist will likely see it as positive, whereas a pessimist will likely see it as negative. Optimists are people who expect good things to happen to them; pessimists are people who expect bad things to happen to them. Genetics accounts for about 25% of a person's likelihood of being an optimist or pessimist ( 19).

The ways in which optimists and pessimists differ in their approach to the world have substantial impact on their lives. Those who hold positive expectations for the future respond to difficulties in more adaptive ways than those who hold negative expectations. Because optimists expect good things to happen, they take active steps to make sure good things do happen. In fact, optimism is associated with taking proactive steps to protect health and well-being, whereas pessimism is associated with behaviors that damage health and well-being. As such, pessimists are more at risk for reduced quality of life and life satisfaction, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and suicide ( 19, 20).

Minority group membership

A minority group is a category of people who experience relative disadvantage compared to that of a majority group. Minority group membership is typically based on differences in observable characteristics or practices, such as ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, and ability. Minority group members often face discrimination, especially in housing, employment, healthcare, and education. Discrimination may be experienced through interpersonal interactions, but also through structural inequalities, wherein rights and opportunities are not equally accessible to all.

Minority group members are at risk for mental health problems because they face unique, chronic stressors as a result of their disadvantaged status in society ( 21). These stressors are experienced in addition to the usual stressors encountered by nonminority individuals. They may also be at risk because of a lack of awareness about mental health, cultural stigma surrounding health care, and inaccessibility of high-quality health care services. Mental health is a particular concern for members of sexual minority groups. Those belonging to a sexual minority are more likely to experience anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidality ( 21).

Physical health

A clear distinction is often made between mental health and physical health, but the mind and body are inextricably entwined. Physical health problems can lead to mental health problems and vice versa. Those with chronic physical conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and asthma) are especially at risk of developing mental disorders ( 22). They experience anxiety and depression at twice the rate of the general population. Co-existing conditions, whether mental illness secondary to physical illness or physical illness on top of mental illness, can reduce quality of life and lead to longer illness duration and worse health outcomes.

Learning about yourself

It's the interplay of one's genetic, psychological, and biological constitution along with the environmental conditions to which one is exposed that gives rise to the unique mental attributes that make each human being different from another. You, meaning your make-up and your life experiences, are one of a kind. The awareness of "who you are in your world" is the first step to be able to optimize your mental health. Optimizing your mental health will better enable you to live your best life.

In the past, debates over the relative contributions of nature and nurture often took a very one-sided approach, with one side arguing that nature was the most important while the other that nurture was the most important. Today, both are recognized to play critical roles in mental health, interacting in important ways throughout life. This article focused on the nature-related factors that can influence mental health. These are aspects intrinsically connected to the person, yet also, more often than not, influenced by the environment. The next article will focus on a range of nurture-related factors, meaning the exposures and experiences from conception onwards, that can influence mental health.

Footnotes

Use of this article is limited to a single copy for personal study. Anyone interested in obtaining reprints should contact the CVMA office ( gro.vmca-amvc@nothguorbh) for additional copies or permission to use this material elsewhere.

References

6. Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demier O, et al. Prevalence, Severity, and Comorbidity of Twelve-month DSM-IV Disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCSR) Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62:617-627. [[ PMC free article] [ PubMed] Google Scholar]

15. Henriksen IO, Ranoyen I, Indredavik MS, Stenseng F. The role of self-esteem in the development of psychiatric problems: A three-year prospective study in a clinical sample of adolescents. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2017;11:68. [[ PMC free article] [ PubMed] Google Scholar]

Articles from The Canadian Veterinary Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

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Nature, nurture, and mental health Part 1: The influence of genetics, psychology, and biology

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For some people, mental health may just be a passing thought, whereas for others it can be a daily challenge. Ever wonder why we are all so different, why some of us seem to coast through life while others struggle?

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Science: What investigating neural pathways can reveal about mental health 

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Science: What investigating neural pathways can reveal about mental health 

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Miles: Studying neural pathways provides crucial information about understanding mental health. Students can investigate neural pathways to help see the different areas of the brain function. Neural pathways research can reveal how stress and trauma can lead to PTSD.

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Kay M. Tye: What investigating neural pathways can reveal about mental health

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Neuroscientist Kay M. Tye investigates how your brain gives rise to complex emotional states like depression, anxiety or loneliness. From the cutting edge of science, she shares her latest findings -- including the development of a tool that uses light to activate specific neurons and create dramatic behavioral changes in mice.

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Miles: This article can help students learn the physiological aspects of emotions and stress responses. This can also encourage students to critically think how stress affects their overall mental health. "Our bodies are well equipped to handle stress in small doses, but when that stress becomes long-term or chronic, it can have serious effects on your body."

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Stress affects all systems of the body including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous, and reproductive systems.

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Anthony: It is necessary to be reminded of the "dark periods" of topics so we know how far people have gotten into the "dark side." It is important to know these things to set boundaries and lines that are meant to not be crossed. It is important for students to be shown this due to the lack of knowledge and insight that is shown about it. It is easy to cover and get into in regards to U.S. History and would be a reminder to those that we have the priviledge to live in a time where these are very uncommon and we had the proper resources to seek the necessary help.

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The history of psychiatric hospitals was once tied tightly to that of all American hospitals. Those who supported the creation of the first early-eighteenth-century public and private hospitals recognized that one important mission would be the care and treatment of those with severe symptoms of mental illnesses. Like most physically sick men and women, such individuals remained with their families and received treatment in their homes. Their communities showed significant tolerance for what they saw as strange thoughts and behaviors. But some such individuals seemed too violent or disruptive to remain at home or in their communities. In East Coast cities, both public almshouses and private hospitals set aside separate wards for the mentally ill. Private hospitals, in fact, depended on the money paid by wealthier families to care for their mentally ill husbands, wives, sons, and daughters to support their main charitable mission of caring for the physically sick poor.

But the opening decades of the nineteenth-century brought to the United States new European ideas about the care and treatment of the mentally ill. These ideas, soon to be called "moral treatment," promised a cure for mental illnesses to those who sought treatment in a very new kind of institution-an "asylum." The moral treatment of the insane was built on the assumption that those suffering from mental illness could find their way to recovery and an eventual cure if treated kindly and in ways that appealed to the parts of their minds that remained rational. It repudiated the use of harsh restraints and long periods of isolation that had been used to manage the most destructive behaviors of mentally ill individuals. It depended instead on specially constructed hospitals that provided quiet, secluded, and peaceful country settings; opportunities for meaningful work and recreation; a system of privileges and rewards for rational behaviors; and gentler kinds of restraints used for shorter periods.

Many of the more prestigious private hospitals tried to implement some parts of moral treatment on the wards that held mentally ill patients. But the Friends Asylum, established by Philadelphia's Quaker community in 1814, was the first institution specially built to implement the full program of moral treatment. The Friends Asylum remained unique in that it was run by a lay staff rather than by medical men and women. The private institutions that quickly followed, by contrast, chose physicians as administrators. But they all chose quiet and secluded sites for these new hospitals to which they would transfer their insane patients. Massachusetts General Hospital built the McLean Hospital outside of Boston in 1811; the New York Hospital built the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum in Morningside Heights in upper Manhattan in 1816; and the Pennsylvania Hospital established the Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital across the river from the city in 1841. Thomas Kirkbride, the influential medical superintendent of the Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital, developed what quickly became known as the "Kirkbride Plan" for how hospitals devoted to moral treatment should be built and organized. This plan, the prototype for many future private and public insane asylums, called for no more than 250 patients living in a building with a central core and long, rambling wings arranged to provide sunshine and fresh air as well as privacy and comfort.

With both the ideas and the structures established, reformers throughout the United States urged that the treatment available to those who could afford private care now be provided to poorer insane men and women. Dorothea Dix, a New England school teacher, became the most prominent voice and the most visible presence in this campaign. Dix travelled throughout the country in the 1850s and 1860s testifying in state after state about the plight of their mentally ill citizens and the cures that a newly created state asylum, built along the Kirkbride plan and practicing moral treatment, promised. By the 1870s virtually all states had one or more such asylums funded by state tax dollars.

By the 1890s, however, these institutions were all under siege. Economic considerations played a substantial role in this assault. Local governments could avoid the costs of caring for the elderly residents in almshouses or public hospitals by redefining what was then termed "senility" as a psychiatric problem and sending these men and women to state-supported asylums. Not surprisingly, the numbers of patients in the asylums grew exponentially, well beyond both available capacity and the willingness of states to provide the financial resources necessary to provide acceptable care. But therapeutic considerations also played a role. The promise of moral treatment confronted the reality that many patients, particularly if they experienced some form of dementia, either could not or did not respond when placed in an asylum environment.

The medical superintendents of asylums took such critiques seriously. Their most significant effort to improve the quality of the care of their patients was the establishment of nurses' training schools within their institutions. Nurses' training schools, first established in American general hospitals in the 1860s and 1870s, had already proved critical to the success of these particular hospitals, and asylum superintendents hoped they would do the same for their institutions. These administrators took an unusual step. Rather than following an accepted European model in which those who trained as nurses in psychiatric institutions sat for a separate credentialing exam and carried a different title, they insisted that all nurses who trained in their psychiatric institutions sit for the same exam as those who trained in general hospitals and carry the same title of "registered nurse." Leaders of the nascent American Nurses Association fought hard to prevent this, arguing that those who trained in asylums lacked the necessary medical, surgical, and obstetric experiences common to general-hospital-trained nurses. But they could not prevail politically. It would be decades before American nursing leaders had the necessary social and political weight to ensure that all training school graduates-irrespective of the site of their training-had comparable clinical and classroom experiences.

It is, at present, hard to assess the impact of nurses' training schools on the actual care of patients in psychiatric institutions. In some larger public institutions, the students worked only on particular wards. It does seem that they had a more substantive impact on the care of patients in much smaller and private psychiatric hospitals where they had more contact with more patients. Still, it may be that their most enduring contribution was opening the practice of professional nursing to men. Training schools in asylums, unlike those in general hospitals, actively welcomed men. Male students found places either in schools that also accepted women or in separate schools formed just for them.

Training schools for nurses, however, could not stop the assault on psychiatric asylums. The economic crisis of the 1930s drastically cut state appropriations, and World War II created acute shortages of personnel. Psychiatrists, themselves, began looking for other practice opportunities by more closely identifying with general, more reductionistic, medicine. Some established separate programs-often called "psychopathic hospitals"-within general hospitals to treat patients suffering from acute mental illnesses. Others turned to the early-twentieth-century's new Mental Hygiene Movement and created outpatient clinics and new forms of private practice focused on actively preventing the disorders that might result in a psychiatric hospitalization. And still others experimented with new forms of therapies that posited brain pathology as a cause of mental illness in the same way that medical doctors posited pathology in other body organs as the cause of physical symptoms: they tried insulin and electric shock therapies, psychosurgery, and different kinds of medications.

By the 1950s, the death knell for psychiatric asylums had sounded. A new system of nursing homes would meet the needs of vulnerable elders. A new medication, chlorpromazine, offered hopes of curing the most persistent and severe psychiatric symptoms. And a new system of mental health care, the community mental health system, would return those suffering from mental illnesses to their families and their communities.

Today, only a small number of the historic public and private psychiatric hospitals exist. Psychiatric care and treatment are now delivered through a web of services including crisis services, short-term and general-hospital-based acute psychiatric care units, and outpatient services ranging from twenty-four-hour assisted living environments to clinics and clinicians' offices offering a range of psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments. The quality and availability of these outpatient services vary widely, leading some historians and policy experts to wonder if "asylums," in the true sense of the word, might be still needed for the most vulnerable individuals who need supportive living environments.

Patricia D'Antonio is Carol E. Ware Professor in Mental Health Nursing, Chair, Department of Family and Community Health, Director, Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, and Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics.

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The history of psychiatric hospitals was once tied tightly to that of all American hospitals. Those who supported the creation of the first early-eighteenth-century public and private hospitals recognized that one important mission would be the care and treatment of those with severe symptoms of mental illnesses.

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Lesson of How to teach Mental Health in History with a Packed Curriculum

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Lesson of How to teach Mental Health in History with a Packed Curriculum

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Anthony: This article has been chosen due to how it helps to add in a lesson about Mental Health in a class with an already packed curriculum. It adds a bunch of knowledge, such as teachers notes, on how to do this instruction and even some sources about journal entries of people with mental health issues in the past. It gives the class first person perspectives or retellings of how people in the past discussed their issues and the amount of mental stress they had and what they had done in result of it.

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Following on from our work that featured in TH 173 about teaching a history of people with disabilities, we have focused our recent development work on resources for teaching about mental health in the past. Here are the resources that we presented in our session at the HA conference in Chester in May 2019. This work is ongoing and we are also working with colleagues in the Netherlands. It would be great if other people would like to get involved.

Resources are provided here for a single lesson with the EQ: How differently have people viewed mental health?

We have a moral duty to reflect the diverse past in our classrooms and the Equality Duty Act of 2010 requires us to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimization, advance equality of opportunity between different groups and foster good relations between different groups. Respecting the past of everyone is part of fostering this.

From this lesson we want students to learn that:
* Mental health has a past and therefore a history
* Ideas of what constitutes mental illness and health have changed over time
* Ideas of what causes and the treatments for mental illness have changed over time due to these changing ideas, but also other cultural and societal changes.

It could be taught at the start of GCSE or as a KS3 study to encourage conceptual understanding of change over time (thematic).

The resources you need are here:

There are also a selection of slot-ins on the YorkClio slot-in page.

The starter images are here:

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Teaching a history of mental health to improve thematic understanding in a packed curriculum

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Following on from our work that featured in TH 173 about teaching a history of people with disabilities, we have focused our recent development work on resources for teaching about mental health in the past. Here are the resources that we presented in our session at the HA conference in Chester in May 2019.

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Transforming Health: History of Mental Illness Video

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Transforming Health: History of Mental Illness Video

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Anthony: This is a video that goes over the history of mental illnesses and how much they have been discussed over time. It is a necessary inclusion due to how it talks about how mental illness can affect every single person in any sort of way. This is a video that can be used to share awareness for mental health and could be used in U.S. History.

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Transforming Health
Season 2019 Episode 1401 | 26m 46s |

Mental illness affects every one of us in some way - whether it's you, your child or a friend. We have come a long way in our understanding of mental health, but there's still so much we don' t know. Join us as we take a look at the history of mental health treatment in the United States and the stigma that is still sometimes connected to mental illness today.

Aired: 04/22/19

Rating: NR

Problems Playing Video? Report a Problem |

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Transforming Health | A History of Mental Illness | Season 2019 | Episode 1401

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Transforming Health Season 2019 Episode 1401 | 26m 46s | Mental illness affects every one of us in some way - whether it's you, your child or a friend. We have come a long way in our understanding of mental health, but there's still so much we don' t know.

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Including Mental Health enquiries in the History curriculum

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Including Mental Health enquiries in the History curriculum

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Anthony: Mental health is an important factor not only in the current modern times, but throughout history as well. In this article, Jess Ripper helps give insight on the matters of mental health and how it could be used throughout multiple topics in History. Not only this, but she also discusses the possible concerns about teaching Mental Health in the classroom with concerns such as students feeling uncomfortable sharing their thoughts on mental health. She gives examples as to how to include Mental health in History, such as discussing wars and how mental health ties in with that topic.

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Including mental health enquiries in the history curriculum
Jess Ripper, history teacher and Head of Politics at St Francis' College in Hertfordshire
Mental Health Awareness Week has raised the profile of discussing mental health in schools, which got me thinking, is there a place for this in the history curriculum? When considering this, I have encountered three main problems: the concerns around discussing mental health, tokenism, and timetable constraints. However, I believe that these three concerns are exactly the reasons why mental health deserves a place in the history curriculum.

Dealing with the concerns

The first issue to consider is that many people are uncomfortable talking about mental health. As part of the Time to Talk campaign, an article by Mind stated that almost 20 million adults never talk about their mental health. If we are hoping for a more open discourse around this topic, this is an important issue to overcome. Furthermore, research conducted by the NHS in 2020 shows that 17% of children between the ages of six and sixteen had a probable mental disorder. Surely, something of this prevalence needs to be addressed?

The second problem is the very real concern of the inclusion of mental health becoming tokenistic. Unfortunately, when new or difficult topics are dealt with in schools, there is the chance of it feeling forced or becoming an annual add-on to the curricula framework. Therefore we need to overcome this by embedding mental health into the curriculum rather than just adding it on.

The final problem, and potentially the biggest one, is the fact that the history curriculum is already congested with a multitude of fascinating and important topics. In a subject where we are grappling over which narratives to include and whose story to tell, where can the history of mental health come into this? That said, if the growing incorporation of diverse histories has taught us anything, surely it is the importance of recognising diversity and for students to see a reflection of themselves in the topics that are taught in school.

Therefore, rather than perceiving the inclusion of mental health as additional content, perhaps it should be viewed as a lens to explore a particular theme. Arguably, the easiest way to examine the history of mental health would be within a Health and the People style unit. As discussed in my previous post, this could follow the perception of mental health, from the ancient Greeks all the way through to the modern day. However, below I have discussed two additional ways of exploring the history of mental health through a thematic examination of topics that are likely to be included in a curriculum already.

War and mental health

The first lens that we could use to examine the perception of mental health problems could be war. As far back as ancient Greece, history reveals the psychological toll of war on soldiers. For example, the Greek historian Herodotus described an Athenian warrior who became blind when watching a fellow soldier die. After the relative silence of the medieval period, in the early modern era, it was claimed that soldiers suffered from 'nostalgia' characterised as being taciturn, solitary and sad.

Then as mentioned in my previous blog, in the 19th century, soldiers in the American Civil War were given opium to relieve 'irritable heart syndrome'. This misdiagnosis of mental health disorders continued to the First World War and the rise of 'shellshock'. By the time of the Second World War, a clinician named Kardiner rethought combat trauma in a more empathetic light, arguing that the symptoms stemmed from psychological injury. Further developments in our understanding were made as a result of the Cold War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

A suggested scheme of work

Enquiry question: How did warfare develop our understanding of mental health?

Lesson 1: What can the ancient Greeks show us about mental health and warfare?

Lesson 2: Did the development of warfare change our perception of mental health?

Lesson 3: How did twentieth-century warfare change ideas about mental health?

Lesson 4: What can modern warfare reveal to us about the perception of mental health problems?

The historical perception of women

The second lens to explore this theme could be the historical perception of women. To begin with, in ancient Greece and Egypt, people believed that if a woman was unbalanced then her uterus would wander to other parts of the body causing a host of mental health problems. This school of thought was advocated by philosophers such as Plato. Eventually, this led to the mainstream use of the word 'hysteria' as a diagnosis for a multitude of women's psychological and physical health issues.

As we move into the early modern period, people came to fear women's mental health problems, associating them with witchcraft. For example, being vocal about your anxiety, or having physical symptoms that others could not explain any other way, led to the condemnation and execution of thousands of women for being 'witches'.

Sadly, practices founded in these misconceptions continued, and in the Victorian era, women who were prone to panic attacks were often sent to insane asylums or even lobotomised. Even in recent history, we can sometimes see these erroneous assumptions continue with the stereotypes surrounding women and mental health problems.

A suggested scheme of work

Enquiry question: What can the treatment of women's mental health problems tell us about society?

Lesson 1: What can 'hysteria' show us about attitudes towards women?

Lesson 2: How could your mental health make you a 'witch' in early modern England?

Lesson 3: Did our understanding of women's mental health regress in the Victorian era?

Lesson 4: How has our perception of women changed over time?

Stay connected

Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you have any questions, you can email us at OCRHistory@ocr.org.uk, call us on 01223 553998 or tweet us @OCR_History. You can also sign up to receive subject updates to keep up-to-date with the latest news, updates and resources.

About the author

Jess Ripper is a History teacher and Head of Politics at St Francis' College in Hertfordshire. She has been teaching for 4 years. Before teaching, she worked as an Executive Assistant at the University of Cambridge and for an MEP in the European Parliament.

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Including mental health enquiries in the history curriculum

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Including mental health enquiries in the history curriculum Jess Ripper, history teacher and Head of Politics at St Francis' College in Hertfordshire Mental Health Awareness Week has raised the profile of discussing mental health in schools, which got me thinking, is there a place for this in the history curriculum?

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The Process of Activism Through Artist Statements. 

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This self assessment allows students to reflect on their art (preferably after making art on a cause/issue of interest), and how they used their art as their voice to advocate for a cause (mental health & wellness or other) that matters to them.

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Jeff: The Benefits of Neurographic Art and it’s ability to reduce levels of anxiety and stress from every day life struggles through an expressive lense that can make learning more effective.

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How teens can understand their mental health through art. 

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How teens can understand their mental health through art. 

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Jeff: A deep dive into art’s connection to mental health through the promotion of identity and celebrating individuality which includes 3 art activities.

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For example, students may create "mood mandalas" by drawing and coloring symbols to convey their inner worlds. They can also paint their worries on small "comfort" boxes and fill the container with personal items that bring solace. Others list their insecurities in "place book" journals, including healing words, like "Learn to accept your flaws and learn to accept beauty." All group members receive "place books" where they privately record their thoughts and feelings.

During each gathering, Wardrip shares phrases like, "Remember, you don't feel better by feeling less" and "Your thoughts are always valid." Using these prompts, she invites students to begin a discussion. Although they're not required to participate, most of them do. For many students, being surrounded by a community of nonjudgmental listeners helps them open up, and kids who once felt afraid begin to feel brave, according to Wardrip.
Mental Health is Personal
Mental illness is a topic Wardrip knows intimately. For nearly a decade, she silently battled depression, hiding her psychological pain from family and friends.

"My depression never made sense to me," she says. "I didn't understand why I felt hopeless when I had a good life. I stayed quiet because I didn't want people to think less of me."

It wasn't until Wardrip began a graduate school program, Creative Pulse at the University of Montana, that she began to heal from her depression. Creative Pulse is a master's program, teaching educators how to integrate art, creativity, movement and mindfulness into the classroom.

"In my program, I was challenged to do the most important thing I could do for myself, which helped me open up about my depression and suicidal tendencies. I firmly believe the program saved my life," says Wardrip.

During her graduate studies, she relied on art and mindfulness to help her access and express emotions she had kept bottled up for years. Eventually, Wardrip opened up to close family and friends. Her journey taught her that shame often prevents people from seeking psychological care.

Unfortunately, Wardrip's experience is not unusual. Although depression and anxiety are the most common mental health concerns, surveys have found that 80 percent of adolescents with a diagnosable anxiety disorder and 60 percent of depressed kids do not receive treatment. In fact, a recent survey conducted by Kaiser Permanente found 55 percent of people view depression as a personal weakness, and 24 percent of millennials believe most people can recover without professional services, like psychotherapy.*

"I realize how stigma is silencing, especially for adolescents. I want to be a role model for our students, which is why I began Creative Courage," says Wardrip.

Many of the kids in Wardrip's 10-week group struggle with depression, anxiety and gender dysphoria. Others feel lonely and out of place. All of these students are searching for someone who can understand their suffering.

To help create a safe space, Wardrip begins each meeting with a wellness check-in, followed by a guided meditation and an art-related activity. Her group combines creative process with psychological theory.
Art Equity
According to the American Art Therapy Association, artistic expression may decrease anxiety, feelings of anger and depression. This creative process can also enhance cognitive abilities, foster greater self-awareness and help students regulate their emotions.

Despite these findings, there's an equity gap in arts education. A survey conducted in 2012 by the Department of Education discovered students in low-poverty schools were more likely to receive art instruction than kids attending high-poverty schools. While proposed federal cuts could eliminate art education in many schools, teachers like Wardrip advocate for art inclusion.

"Art teaches kids problem-solving and decision-making skills," says Wardrip. "Creativity also promotes identity development, helping students find their 'place' in the world."

Wardrip finds that by the end of the 10-week course, students begin to heal. Her data from last year's group suggest participants' symptoms of anxiety and depression lessened by 40 percent. To measure this change, each group member completed an anxiety and depression questionnaire: one before the group began, and another after completing the course.

For many of these kids, art becomes a tool, helping them to share their authentic selves in a community that understands.
Juli Fraga is a psychologist and writer in San Francisco. You can find her on Twitter @dr_fraga *This post has been updated to more accurately reflect the results of the survey.

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How Making Art Helps Teens Better Understand Their Mental Health | KQED

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For example, students may create "mood mandalas" by drawing and coloring symbols to convey their inner worlds. They can also paint their worries on small "comfort" boxes and fill the container with personal items that bring solace. Others list their insecurities in "place book" journals, including healing words, like "Learn to accept your flaws and learn to accept beauty."

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Kazuki Takizawa using glass to explore mental health

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Using Art to Challenge the Stigma of Mental Illness

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subscribe to Life Kit podcast

subscribe to Life Kit podcast

Whether it's woodworking, sewing or sculpting teeny cupcakes out of bright purple clay, making art is good for your mind and body.

The act of creation can reduce stress and anxiety and improve your mood, says Girija Kaimal, a professor at Drexel University and a leading researcher in art therapy. And flexing our creative side can give us a stronger sense of agency - the ability to solve problems by imagining possible solutions.
Listen to Life Kit
Making art can also feel pretty awesome, she says. Engaging in any act of visual expression activates the reward pathway in your brain, "which is perceived as a pleasurable experience."

Artists say they often feel those positive vibes when they work. Trinidad Escobar, a Filipino American graphic novelist and poet based in Oakland, Calif., says that drawing "feels like a superpower." And Liana Finck, a cartoonist for The New Yorker, says sharing her art with an audience is "the most cathartic thing in the world."

But you don't have to be a full-time artist to get in on those health benefits, says Kaimal. All you need to do is just make art. And the more you do it, the better. Here are six things you need to know to kick-start your creative art habit.

1. You don't need to be an artist with a capital "A"

We tend to think that only people who are very skilled at art can call themselves artists, but really, anyone can be an artist, says Kaimal.

"Everyone is capable of creative expression," she says. In fact, her own research has shown that there are no differences in health outcomes between those who identify as experienced artists and those who don't. So that means that no matter your skill level, you'll be able to feel all the good things that come with making art.

Christianne Strang, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, promises that if you stick with it, you'll enjoy it. In her 30-year career as an art therapist, she has found that "99% of the time, people find that if they give up the idea that they're not good enough, if they give up the judgment, making art actually feels good."

2. Figure out your mode of creative expression

Start with what you enjoy - maybe something you've done before, maybe something you loved as a kid. But keep an open mind.

"Anything that engages your creative mind - the ability to make connections between unrelated things and imagine new ways to communicate - is good for you," says Kaimal.

You can do that through myriad activities: finger painting, cooking, baking, collaging, oil painting, weaving, knitting, crocheting, writing screenplays, scrapbooking - the sky's the limit. And don't feel like you have to stick to one thing, say the art therapists. Mix it up - do whatever you're in the mood for.

3. Focus on the making, and let go of expectations

Once you have your art materials, here comes the fun part. Mess around! Let yourself get lost in the process and just play. Because it's the physical act of making art, says Kaimal, that induces those feelings of stress relief and positive energy - not what you make or how you make it.

Kaimal says you don't even need to complete a project or like what you're making to feel those health benefits.

In fact, says Strang, that can be a positive thing. In her free time, she likes doodling, watercoloring and glass fusing. "Sometimes, when I don't like what I'm making, it frees me up to play and explore new ideas, because I've let go of expectations," she says.

Make This: "How To Start An Art Habit" Zine

4. Think about making art like any healthy habit, such as eating well or exercising

Just as you make time to work, exercise and hang out with family and friends, you should make time for your artistic endeavors, says Strang. "Creativity in and of itself is important for remaining healthy - remaining connected to yourself and remaining connected to the world," she says.

While there are no hard and fast rules for how much time you should devote to engaging in art, Strang has a suggestion: "as much as you can get away with."

Try to designate a special time in your week to devote to your practice, says Kaimal. She likes to set aside time on the weekends to work on her own art projects: mixed-media pieces inspired by nature. She calls it her "TGIS." "Thank God it's Saturday," she says. "It's my few hours of time to develop something I'm working on and really take that time for myself."

You don't even need a few hours. Escobar, the Oakland-based artist, teaches community art classes to people of color and members of the LGBT community. She says that doing just 10 minutes of art each day can do wonders.

Whatever you do, don't wait for creative inspiration to strike. "That's a myth that you'll create because you're in this altered state of mind and feeling free and loose," she says.

In addition to carving out time, carve out a physical space in your home for art, says Kaimal. She suggests setting up a corner table for your sketchbook and art supplies. If space is an issue, put it all in a basket or a plastic container that's easily accessible.

Your creative corner is "kind of like a reminder," she says. "It reinforces your commitment to invest in yourself and your well-being."

5. Ride those waves of emotion

The more you're able to make art a regular habit, the more you're likely to get this great reward: this wonderful thing that happens when you're in the zone. Kaimal says that scientists have a word for it. It's called "flow."

"It's that sense of losing yourself, losing all awareness. You're so in the moment and fully present that you forget all sense of time and space," she says.

Escobar says she feels that flow when she's filling in lines with color, inking - which in the world of cartooning means tracing over pencil marks with ink - and when she's drawing aesthetically pleasing backgrounds, such as jungle or garden scenes.

"It feels meditative," she says, like things are "going well, smoothly, like the process is nourishing me."

6. Get yourself in the mood

Some days, you won't feel like making art. And that's OK, says Finck. As the author of several graphic novels, most recently Excuse Me: Cartoons, Complaints, and Notes to Self, she's used to juggling multiple projects.

"I get a lot of writer's block," she says. "It feels like stage fright when I sit down with a blank page."

To trick herself into drawing, Finck tells herself to think "that I'm just doodling," she says. "Then it flows freely."

If the block persists, she checks in with herself. What's stopping her from drawing? Is she anxious? Depressed? Worried?

"If you're too anxious to draw, address the anxiety. Go take a walk. Stand up from the couch. Go for a run. See a person," says Finck.

You can also try a breathing exercise, says Escobar. "Inhale for four seconds and hold for a second. Repeat that for about three minutes."

She does this with students in her art classes to help them reset and refocus after a long day at work - and it works, she says, like a charm.

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Making Art Is Good For Your Health. Here's How To Start A Habit

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subscribe to Life Kit podcast subscribe to Life Kit podcast Whether it's woodworking, sewing or sculpting teeny cupcakes out of bright purple clay, making art is good for your mind and body. The act of creation can reduce stress and anxiety and improve your mood, says Girija Kaimal, a professor at Drexel University and a leading researcher in art therapy.

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Amanda: This is a great resource for understanding CRSP and its components. The video includes an overview as well as books they recommend on the topic (including our textbook!) and is part of a playlist that dives deeper into the subject

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Jayson: This article provides instructors with a toolkit that can help them lead a class that encourages mental wellness and grows academic success. These strategies are adaptable and can be capable of being implemented in asynchronous classes.

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3 Tips to Make Any Lesson More Culturally Responsive According to Zaretta Hammond

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Last month, I reviewed Zaretta Hammond's fantastic book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. Now I'm proud to have Zaretta here as a guest writer to share some specific strategies with us.

Culturally responsive teaching. Everybody is talking about it. The big question is: How do you actually make lessons culturally responsive? That comes up regularly when I am working with groups of teachers to improve outcomes for diverse students who are struggling. I remember working with a group of sixth grade teachers on improving learning for their at-risk students. These teachers were frustrated that their students, 95 percent of them students of color and English language learners, were not applying themselves to learning.

I suggested that we explore making lessons more culturally relevant in order to accelerate student learning. I remember the reaction of Janice, the science teacher. "I am not going to be rappin' about the periodic table," she said defiantly as she crossed her arms and sat back in her chair.

I couldn't blame her. Google "culturally responsive teaching" and you can find a dozen videos of well-meaning teachers leading some call-and-response chant about exponents or rapping about the Boston Tea Party while students sit back and giggle. That's because we usually talk about culturally responsive teaching only as an engagement strategy designed to motivate at-risk students to take learning seriously. Or we try to find a race-based connection to the content to make it "relevant" to minority students.

One of the biggest misconceptions about culturally responsive teaching is thinking you have to tie the lesson's content to African American or Latino students' racial background. The common belief is if you mention Africa, Mexico, or famous black and brown high achievers, it will spark students' attention. Then they will be motivated to participate.

In reality, culturally responsive teaching is less about using racial pride as a motivator and more about mimicking students' cultural learning styles and tools. These are the strategies their moms, dads, grandmas, and other community folks use to teach them life skills and basic concepts long before they come to school and during out-of-school time.

Culturally responsive teaching leverages the brain's memory systems and information processing structures. Why? Many diverse students come from oral cultural traditions. This means their primary ways of knowledge transfer and meaning-making are oral and active. It's a common cultural tradition that cuts across racial groups: African American, Latino, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander communities all have strong oral cultures. Each of these cultural groups uses the brain's memory systems for turning inert information into useable knowledge. They use memory strategies to make learning sticky, like connecting what needs to be remembered to a rhythm or music (that's why we still know the ABC song) or by reciting it in fun ways like a poem, riddle, or limerick.

I asked Janice what area of learning she wanted to help her kids improve. She said science vocabulary; they weren't learning the weekly words and it was getting in the way of their understanding of key concepts. She was frustrated and at the end of her rope. I asked how she was teaching it. She used the typical approach: On Monday, she listed the words on the board. Students copied them down and were required to look each word up and use it in a sentence. On Wednesday, there was a vocabulary test.

I suggested that we design word study to be more culturally responsive by making it more like the students' own cultural learning process. She was open for trying something different.

I offered her these three tips for transforming any lesson into something that looked and felt more culturally responsive to diverse students, something that would allow them to engage more and process the content effectively.

Games are the power strategy for culturally-grounded learning because they get the brain's attention and require active processing. Attention is the first step in learning. We cannot learn, remember, or understand what we don't first pay attention to. Call and response is just a way to get the brain's attention. Most games employ a lot of the cultural tools you'd find in oral traditions - repetition, solving a puzzle, making connections between things that don't seem to be related (Ever play Taboo or Apples to Apples?).

Organizing learning so that students rely on each other will build on diverse students' communal orientation. This communal orientation can be summed up in the African proverb, "I am because we are." Even making learning slightly competitive in a good-natured way increases students' level of attention and engagement. It's why the T.V. show Survivor has been around for so many years; it's a social-based game.

The brain is wired to remember stories and to use the story structure to make sense of the world. That's why every culture has creation stories. In oral traditions, stories play a bigger role in teaching lessons about manners, morality, or simply what plants to eat or not eat in the wilderness because it's the way content is remembered. Diverse students (and all students, really) learn content more effectively if they can create a coherent narrative about the topic or process presented. That's the brain's way of weaving it all together. (Bonus: It also offers a great way to check for understanding and correct misconceptions.)

So Janice took her weekly list of science vocabulary and created a variety of sorting and matching games for students. She built a set of simple card games based on Go Fish or Old Maid. In addition she created some team games. Each week students had different active ways to learn the vocabulary. For 10-15 minutes a couple of times during the week, students got to play these learning games rather than look up words in a dictionary. She gave them instructions for making the games at home if they wanted to.

Instead of the traditional weekly vocab test, she asked them to "storify" their understanding of key concept words like metamorphosis, using vocabulary from past weeks.

When I checked in with the group a few weeks later, she was the first one to share. She said student engagement was like night and day. Now all students were participating. She said she knew they were learning the vocabulary at a deeper level because they were actually using the new science terms during discussions and in their writing with no prompting from her.

The big A-ha's for the group that day were that (1) Culturally responsive teaching doesn't have to be some performance the teacher does to entertain students and (2) It doesn't have to mention race or reference culture at all. Instead, what makes a practice culturally responsive is that it mimics students' own cultural learning tools. They all realized that these practices are helpful for all students, not targeted at minority students.

The real trick is to use these strategies regularly as part of your instructional routine rather than doing them randomly every now and then. Consistency is the key. ♦

Learn more about how to improve diverse students' information processing skills and actually grow their brains in Zaretta Hammond's book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students .

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3 Tips to Make Any Lesson More Culturally Responsive

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Google "culturally responsive teaching" and you can find a dozen videos of well-meaning teachers leading some call-and-response chant about exponents or rapping about the Boston Tea Party while students sit back and giggle.

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Four Ways Teachers Can Support Students of Color

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Four Ways Teachers Can Support Students of Color

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Listen to my interview with Dena Simmons (or read the transcript):
The difference between teachers and their students has never been so stark. A recent report from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that since 2014, white students no longer make up the majority in American schools. Future projections show the white population shrinking to a smaller and smaller proportion of the whole, and the combined populations of of students from other ethnic groups increasing so that together, they make up a steadily growing majority.

By contrast, teachers in the U.S. are overwhelmingly white.

What this tells me is that the life experiences of most of the people in charge of our classrooms have been pretty different from the experiences of most of their students.

And that matters.

It matters because our work is not strictly academic. Not by a long shot. In order for our students to perform well academically, they need to feel safe, both physically and psychologically. They need to feel a sense of belonging. They need to feel seen and valued for who they are. For our students of color, finding this safe, accepting place is rare, especially if most of their teachers have a dramatically different background from their own. This problem can be even more pronounced for students of color who attend schools where their peers are also mostly white.

This does not mean that all white teachers are racists or that they are deliberately doing things to hurt their students of color. But what IS happening, far too often, is that teachers are doing things that harm these students' self-perception without even realizing it.

Dena Simmons, the director of education at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, understands this problem far too well.

In her 2015 TED talk, "How Students of Color Confront Impostor Syndrome," she tells the story of how, as a young black girl, she left the Bronx neighborhood where she lived with her single mother and two sisters to attend a prestigious boarding school in Connecticut. Although she got an excellent education there and followed that up with a series of impressive academic and professional accomplishments, she always felt out of place, torn between the world she'd grown up in and her identity as an accomplished scholar. "Eternal impostor syndrome," she calls it.

This struggle was made much harder by many of her teachers, in the things they said to her and the messages they sent, messages that basically told Dena that who she was was not okay.

Later in life Dena returned to the Bronx to teach middle school, and she was determined to create the kind of atmosphere she wished she'd had, one that values each student's unique identity and history. In her TED talk, she gives us a glimpse of how that worked.

Now, we pick up where that TED talk left off, with some specific advice about what teachers can do to help their students of color not just survive, but thrive in the classroom, with a fully developed, strong sense of pride in who they are, where they came from, and what they're capable of.

1. Teach Students of Color to Love Themselves

"There's nothing more revolutionary than teaching our young people in general to love themselves," Simmons says, "and particularly young people of color, because they don't have to look too far to see negative images of themselves displayed throughout the media. We can teach our young people to love themselves by centering our instruction on their lives, their realities and their experiences, and using their lives as cultural reference to our instruction."

Here are some things teachers can do to nurture this self-love and pride in their students:

Really get to know your students. This is the first step toward helping students love themselves. This should be done in both formal and informal ways: A simple survey can help you gather information quickly, and spending time with students outside of class can help you see them in a different light. In her school, Simmons occasionally attended gym class with her students and invited them to have lunch with her off-campus.

Create ways for students to bring pieces of their lives into the classroom. By allowing students to share in school the things they value outside of school, we demonstrate that every aspect of who they are is important. One way Simmons did this was to have students create personalized playlists of their favorite (school-appropriate) music that could be played during certain class activities.

Honor their language. When teachers attempt to "fix" students' language to make it more standardized, they often communicate to students that their way of speaking is wrong. Instead, we could explain that students need to become bilingual, that using academically standard language will open doors for them in some contexts. This approach honors where students come from and acknowledges the value of their home vernacular. Simmons advises teachers to have an honest conversation with students: "How we speak when we are outside is how we speak. It's totally fine. Then there's a way we speak in the classroom, and that just makes us bilingual as opposed to right and wrong. When you say to someone, 'Cut it out,' you're saying, 'Cut out who you are,' and we don't want to do that."

Tell them you love them. "When I was in the classroom," Simmons says, "I actually had posters that would say, 'Ms. Simmons loves you,' and it wasn't uncommon to walk into my classroom and for me and a student to share I love you's with each other. When we do that, we create a space for our students of color to know that their schooling values their experiences, and it values who they are."

2. Invite Families and Community Members to Become Partners in Educating Students

"When you partner with communities, when you partner with families," Simmons explains, "students really internalize that they matter. They internalize that their communities matter, and they also begin to understand that they have a role in developing and engaging in their communities. What I learned when I had to leave the Bronx to go to boarding school was that the Bronx had nothing to offer me. How painful it was to think of the place that raised me, the place that I called home was actually not good. And so I had to spend some time reshifting and reframing how I thought about the Bronx, that the Bronx was something to return to as opposed to something to leave. And I think educators, in the process of seeing their communities and their families as assets, begin to shift from deficit-based mindset to an asset-based mindset."

Take inventory. Using a community development approach called asset mapping, build a list of all the various resources you could take advantage of, partnerships you could form with parents and community members to enrich the education of your students.

Use community resources as curriculum. Find ways to tie local resources to the things you're teaching in class. You can invite community members in as guest speakers or take students on field trips to local establishments. Doing this gives students a sense of pride in their neighborhood and helps them see home as an abundant place.

Keep parents involved through multiple channels. Invite parents to attend classroom events, use digital and non-digital means to let parents know what's going on in class and what they can do to help. If what you're doing now isn't working, try something else. Ask families what would work for them until you find an effective approach.

3. Expose Students to Role Models of Color

Growing up, Simmons says most of the role models she saw in the media were white. "So in many ways, I would say implicitly I learned to favor whiteness. I learned to think that everything white was better ... I think that is true for many people of color." By making sure all of our students-not just students of color-are exposed to a variety of diverse role models, we help them broaden their own goals and see what's possible for everyone.

Invite guest speakers and mentors of color into the classroom. Find ways to arrange visits or guest presentations people of color who work in all sorts of industries. These guests can come from your local area or, with the help of video conferencing, anywhere else in the world.

Make sure your classroom or school library has a variety of texts that include positive, diverse characters. The site We Need Diverse Books maintains a growing list of books that meet this need. Canerow is also building a similar list, and their blog expands the definition of "text" to other forms of media like music and film.

Support efforts to improve teacher diversity. Currently, there is a shortage of teachers of color in the U.S., which further limits our students' interactions with professional role models of color. This report by the Center for Amercian Progress outlines steps that can be taken by states, districts, school leaders, and universities to attract, train, and retain teachers of color. If you are a classroom teacher and have no direct impact in this area, what you can do is learn more about the problem and support efforts in your own school to improve it.

4. Disrupt the Single Narrative of Students of Color

"I think a lot of times when teachers go back home, and they talk to their friends, the stories they tell about their students only perpetuate the status quo, what it means to be a kid of color," says Simmons. "These single narratives are perpetuated, and in many ways, I think are problematic because they're incomplete, they flatten the wholeness of our students." The concept of the single narrative is illustrated beautifully by Chimamanda Adichie in her TED talk, The Danger of a Single Story, which I strongly recommend you watch to fully understand this idea.

We are all part of this conversation, with many of us only perpetuating the existing narrative about our students of color in the anecdotes we share about them. So how do we disrupt that? How do we work to change that narrative so society at large begins to see our students of color with more complexity, and so the students see themselves differently?

Empower students to tell their own stories. Look for ways to let students share their own diverse experiences, whether it's through spoken word, in conversations, or in more finished products like written pieces, podcasts, videos, or other multimedia.

Pay attention to your own storytelling, your own language. When you are retelling a story of something one of your students did, ask yourself if the story is contributing to a negative narrative, if it perpetuates a stereotype about a particular group of students. And check your language: When you talk about certain groups of students, do you say "these kids," or "our kids"? A subtle shift in language represents a major change in thinking.

Challenge others. When your colleagues tell these kinds of single-narrative stories, dig for context. Ask about the strengths of the students being described. Push for the full picture.

Small Changes Make a Difference

None of the actions outlined here are simple, and none of them offer a quick fix. But implementing them consistently, with the belief that this work is important, will make your classroom a place where students of color will flourish.

You can find Dena Simmons on Twitter at @denasimmons. If you enjoyed her TED talk above, check out her other two, It's 10pm. Do you know where your children are? and What to do if your student comes at you with scissors?

Learn something new every week.
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Four Ways Teachers Can Support Students of Color

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By taking a few specific actions, teachers could be doing an incredible job of helping students of color reach their full potential.

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Q&A With Zaretta Hammond: Ready for Rigor

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Q&A With Zaretta Hammond: Ready for Rigor

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5 Art Therapy-Inspired activities to help students navigate language barriers, trauma, and psychological distress while building resilience along the way.

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Updated: 5 days ago

This is a guest blog post by Erica Curtis, author of the books Art Therapy Activities for Kids: 75 Evidence Based Art Projects to Improve Behavior, Build Social Skills, and Boost Emotional Resilience who is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board-Certified Art Therapist with a private practice in San Juan Capistrano, California. Learn more about Erica below.

Use art to build internal resources like coping skills, resilience, positive self-esteem, and problem-solving skills, not to resolve persistent symptoms of psychological distress or trauma.

Art is an accessible, stigma-free, and fun avenue to improve self-awareness, emotional regulation, problem solving skills, and connections. What's more, art gives us a way to connect with and express our internal world when words are inadequate or inaccessible due to stress, big feelings, shut down responses, trauma, language barriers, developmental delays, and more.

Asking a child to talk when they're upset is often unproductive. There's good scientific reason why. When we feel hurt, stressed, or upset, our brain's problem-solving capabilities decrease. So does its ability to process and use language. In these moments, our brain and body are reserving resources to survive. Add to that the fact that children's "thinking brain" region (the cortex) is still underdeveloped, as are the neural connections that allow the "thinking brain" region and "feeling brain" region (the amygdala) to effectively communicate. Asking an upset or shut down child to verbally problem solve isn't working with how the brain works.

While heightened emotions impair problem solving, learning, and language - sensory perception is enhanced during these times. Art provides a non-verbal, visual, and kinesthetic language that permits access and gives form to emotions even when stressed or upset.

How We Talk About Art Matters.

Start by paying attention to how you talk about art. Even well-meaning remarks like "good job", "I like it", or "that's wonderful" unintentionally shift the focus toward aesthetics and away from potentially rich, personal meaning.

If a child insists on knowing whether you like their art or not, ask if they'd be willing to tell you what they think of it, first. Encourage them to be specific. What about it, specifically, do they like or not like? When it is your turn to share, also be specific such as "These colors get my attention and make me smile" or "I like that you took risks and tried something new."

Invite children to talk about the process of creating in addition to sharing about their art product. Reassure them it's okay if it felt fun, relaxing, frustrating, or disappointing. Help them be curious about how they welcomed or coped with whatever feelings arose.

7 Tips on Guiding Resilience-Building Art Experiences.

Making art invites a present-focused mindset which can be a rich opportunity for stress reduction. The process also allows ample opportunities to problem solve, make choices, slow down, and work with mistakes. These are all valuable skills necessary for navigating life. Art is a relatively carefree arena in which to rehearse them.

1. Let a skill or goal guide activity directions and remarks. If you hope to teach stress reduction, suggest scribbling out stressful emotions. If you hope to increase tolerance of imperfections, suggest making the messiest scribble possible.

2. Capitalize on the present-focused quality of art making by inviting children to focus on one part of the process they find pleasing, such as a color or repetitive motion.

3. Get curious about worries and frustrations. Ask if similar thoughts arise during other parts of their day. How do they cope with those thoughts and feelings?

4. Encourage slowing down to think through problems that arise. Model taking a deep breath or using helpful self-talk like, "Let's take it one step at a time."

5. Point out strengths you see like stick-to-it-ness, trying something new, or self-control.

6. Keep material type and size in mind. Some kids need the containment of smaller paper and structured materials like pencils or markers, so they don't feel overwhelmed. Other kids benefit from more expressivity and can both tolerate and maintain the self-control needed with larger paper and loose materials like paint.

7. Remember, there is no one right approach and blunders happen. Simply by being a positive presence and inviting creative expression, you are building resilience.

5 Art Therapy Activities You Can Use This Week

Below are five socially-emotionally rich activities from the book Art Therapy Activities for Kids: 75 Evidence Based Art Projects to Improve Behavior, Build Social Skills, and Boost Emotional Resilience that you can use immediately. They pull from creative arts domains

1. Show your child a selection of emojis for inspiration. Search online for "emoji chart" or access an emoji menu on a phone app. (Skip this step if you don't have access to a device).

2. Explain how we can feel many emotions at the same time. Give an example. Point to the emoji chart, showing two, three, or four emotions you've experienced simultaneously (if using). Invite your child to do the same.

3. Invite your child to draw a circle (or many circles for many emoji mash-ups).

4. Guide them to add emoji-inspired details and feature from two of more different emojis to create an original emoji.

5. Discuss unique names for each emoji mash-up. Combine feeling words based on its features, such as sad + mad = smad.

Favorite Stuff Still Life

1. Explain that a still life is a drawing or photograph of everyday objects. Your child will gather special and soothing items for their still life.

2. Together, write a scavenger hunt list. Add items related to the senses, e.g., things that sound nice, smell good, feel soft, taste yummy, look beautiful.

3. Add items that evoke pleasant feelings, e.g., things that make your child smile and feel relaxed, playful, comfy.

4. Challenge your child to collect all items. Some delight at racing a timer. Others prefer to take their time.

5. Invite your child to arrange the items artistically for photographing. Optionally, use blocks or boxes to create levels, shelves, or frames for items.

6. Provide a camera for your child to photograph their still life composition.

1. Tape two or three pieces of paper together to create one longer piece of paper.

2. Explain that your child will draw a mountain range, using their breath to guide how tall each mountain becomes.

3. When they breathe in, they will move their drawing utensil up diagonally, creating one side of a mountain. As they breathe out, they will move it down diagonally, drawing the other side of the mountain. The longer the breath, the taller the mountain.

4. The next inhale begins the next mountain's incline. Continue the up-and-down process until the drawing reaches the end of the page.

5. Guide your child to notice how long or short each inhale and exhale is naturally and to notice if their breath changes. Experiment with different breath lengths.

6. Optionally, invite your child to add a second row of Mindful Mountains lower down.

7. Finally, ask them to add details to complete their mountain scene.

8. Explain that we can draw mindful mountains in our imagination, too. When feeling stressed or preparing for sleep, they can imagine mountains forming in their mind with each breath.

What did you notice during this activity?

Was it easy or difficult to let your breath decide how big or small your mountains would be?

I wonder, were you able to stay focused on what your breath was doing? Or did your mind get distracted?

How did your body feel after the activity? Did you feel more relaxed, energized, or the same?

1. Initiate this activity with your child (or between siblings), instead of talking about the problem straightaway. To lower defenses say, "Let's do something together." Or say, "I'd like to show you something."

2. Invite children to cut long strips of construction paper about 1 to 2 inches wide.

3. Ask children to write what they like about the other person, with one like for each paper strip. Challenge children to make at least five. Assist with writing or brainstorming.

4. Demonstrate looping a strip into a circle, taping the ends together. Insert the next strip through the circle. Tape it into a circle. Now two strips are linked.

5. After linking all strips, take turns reading what's likeable about the other person.

6. Connect both children's paper chains with a final, joining link.

1. Admit that your pep talks might not always be helpful. Share that you've learned an activity to make encouraging words more meaningful.

2. Explain that you'll say some encouraging phrases. After each, your child will move their body in ways that represent the phrase or how the phrase feels to them.

3. Remind your child there's no wrong way. Movements can be big, small, seated, or standing.

4. Say these phrases or make up your own: "Keep it up." "We're in it together." "You've got this."

5. Give time after each phrase for your child to express the phrase and its feeling through creative movement. Join in with your own movements.

6. Discuss which movement was most pleasant. Were any unpleasant?

7. Repeat the most pleasant movement along with its phrase.

Excerpt from Art Therapy Activities for Kids, by Erica Curtis, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2022 by Callisto Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Curtis, Erica. Art Therapy Activities for Kids: 75 Evidence-Based Art Projects to Improve Behavior, Build Social Skills, and Boost Emotional Resilience. Oakland, California: Rockridge Press, 2022.

Curtis, Erica and Ping Ho. The Innovative Parent: Raising Connected, Happy, Successful Kids through Art. Ohio: Ohio University Press / Swallow Press, 2019.

Social Emotional Arts Programming & Events: www.UCLArtsAndHealing.org

Art Therapy Information & Resources: www.ArtTherapy.org

Erica Curtis is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board-Certified Art Therapist with a private practice in San Juan Capistrano, California. For over twenty years, Erica has specialized in the integration of cutting edge, creative, and compassionate approaches to improving lives of others. She is an award-winning author, internationally sought speaker, and has been cited in over 100 media outlets including PBS, The Boston Globe, USA Today, and Elle. Erica serves as core faculty and curriculum developer for UCLArts & Healing and is the admissions consultant for the Loyola Marymount University Department of Marital and Family Therapy with specialized training in art therapy. Erica has served multiple terms on the board of directors of the American Art Therapy Association and is a past president of the Southern California Art Therapy Association, from which she received the highest recognition: Honorary Life Member. Erica serves as an expert consultant for organizations like The Foundation for Art and Healing and has collaborated with industry giants like L'Oréal on creative mental health initiatives. She is a subject expert for the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences, for whom she consults on standard of care in disciplinary cases brought against therapists. Her books, and can be found anywhere books are sold. For more information or to connect with Erica visit www.TherapyWithErica.com or IG @ericakcurtis.

This is a guest blog post by Erica Curtis, author of the books Art Therapy Activities for Kids: 75 Evidence Based Art Projects to Improve Behavior, Build Social Skills, and Boost Emotional Resilience who is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board-Certified Art Therapist with a private practice in San Juan Capistrano, California. Learn more about Erica below.

Use art to build internal resources like coping skills, resilience, positive self-esteem, and problem-solving skills, not to resolve persistent symptoms of psychological distress or trauma.

Art is an accessible, stigma-free, and fun avenue to improve self-awareness, emotional regulation, problem solving skills, and connections. What's more, art gives us a way to connect with and express our internal world when words are inadequate or inaccessible due to stress, big feelings, shut down responses, trauma, language barriers, developmental delays, and more.

Asking a child to talk when they're upset is often unproductive. There's good scientific reason why. When we feel hurt, stressed, or upset, our brain's problem-solving capabilities decrease. So does its ability to process and use language. In these moments, our brain and body are reserving resources to survive. Add to that the fact that children's "thinking brain" region (the cortex) is still underdeveloped, as are the neural connections that allow the "thinking brain" region and "feeling brain" region (the amygdala) to effectively communicate. Asking an upset or shut down child to verbally problem solve isn't working with how the brain works.

While heightened emotions impair problem solving, learning, and language - sensory perception is enhanced during these times. Art provides a non-verbal, visual, and kinesthetic language that permits access and gives form to emotions even when stressed or upset.

How We Talk About Art Matters.

Start by paying attention to how you talk about art. Even well-meaning remarks like "good job", "I like it", or "that's wonderful" unintentionally shift the focus toward aesthetics and away from potentially rich, personal meaning.

If a child insists on knowing whether you like their art or not, ask if they'd be willing to tell you what they think of it, first. Encourage them to be specific. What about it, specifically, do they like or not like? When it is your turn to share, also be specific such as "These colors get my attention and make me smile" or "I like that you took risks and tried something new."

Invite children to talk about the process of creating in addition to sharing about their art product. Reassure them it's okay if it felt fun, relaxing, frustrating, or disappointing. Help them be curious about how they welcomed or coped with whatever feelings arose.

7 Tips on Guiding Resilience-Building Art Experiences.

Making art invites a present-focused mindset which can be a rich opportunity for stress reduction. The process also allows ample opportunities to problem solve, make choices, slow down, and work with mistakes. These are all valuable skills necessary for navigating life. Art is a relatively carefree arena in which to rehearse them.

1. Let a skill or goal guide activity directions and remarks. If you hope to teach stress reduction, suggest scribbling out stressful emotions. If you hope to increase tolerance of imperfections, suggest making the messiest scribble possible.

2. Capitalize on the present-focused quality of art making by inviting children to focus on one part of the process they find pleasing, such as a color or repetitive motion.

3. Get curious about worries and frustrations. Ask if similar thoughts arise during other parts of their day. How do they cope with those thoughts and feelings?

4. Encourage slowing down to think through problems that arise. Model taking a deep breath or using helpful self-talk like, "Let's take it one step at a time."

5. Point out strengths you see like stick-to-it-ness, trying something new, or self-control.

6. Keep material type and size in mind. Some kids need the containment of smaller paper and structured materials like pencils or markers, so they don't feel overwhelmed. Other kids benefit from more expressivity and can both tolerate and maintain the self-control needed with larger paper and loose materials like paint.

7. Remember, there is no one right approach and blunders happen. Simply by being a positive presence and inviting creative expression, you are building resilience.

5 Art Therapy Activities You Can Use This Week

Below are five socially-emotionally rich activities from the book Art Therapy Activities for Kids: 75 Evidence Based Art Projects to Improve Behavior, Build Social Skills, and Boost Emotional Resilience that you can use immediately. They pull from creative arts domains

1. Show your child a selection of emojis for inspiration. Search online for "emoji chart" or access an emoji menu on a phone app. (Skip this step if you don't have access to a device).

2. Explain how we can feel many emotions at the same time. Give an example. Point to the emoji chart, showing two, three, or four emotions you've experienced simultaneously (if using). Invite your child to do the same.

3. Invite your child to draw a circle (or many circles for many emoji mash-ups).

4. Guide them to add emoji-inspired details and feature from two of more different emojis to create an original emoji.

5. Discuss unique names for each emoji mash-up. Combine feeling words based on its features, such as sad + mad = smad.

Favorite Stuff Still Life

1. Explain that a still life is a drawing or photograph of everyday objects. Your child will gather special and soothing items for their still life.

2. Together, write a scavenger hunt list. Add items related to the senses, e.g., things that sound nice, smell good, feel soft, taste yummy, look beautiful.

3. Add items that evoke pleasant feelings, e.g., things that make your child smile and feel relaxed, playful, comfy.

4. Challenge your child to collect all items. Some delight at racing a timer. Others prefer to take their time.

5. Invite your child to arrange the items artistically for photographing. Optionally, use blocks or boxes to create levels, shelves, or frames for items.

6. Provide a camera for your child to photograph their still life composition.

1. Tape two or three pieces of paper together to create one longer piece of paper.

2. Explain that your child will draw a mountain range, using their breath to guide how tall each mountain becomes.

3. When they breathe in, they will move their drawing utensil up diagonally, creating one side of a mountain. As they breathe out, they will move it down diagonally, drawing the other side of the mountain. The longer the breath, the taller the mountain.

4. The next inhale begins the next mountain's incline. Continue the up-and-down process until the drawing reaches the end of the page.

5. Guide your child to notice how long or short each inhale and exhale is naturally and to notice if their breath changes. Experiment with different breath lengths.

6. Optionally, invite your child to add a second row of Mindful Mountains lower down.

7. Finally, ask them to add details to complete their mountain scene.

8. Explain that we can draw mindful mountains in our imagination, too. When feeling stressed or preparing for sleep, they can imagine mountains forming in their mind with each breath.

What did you notice during this activity?

Was it easy or difficult to let your breath decide how big or small your mountains would be?

I wonder, were you able to stay focused on what your breath was doing? Or did your mind get distracted?

How did your body feel after the activity? Did you feel more relaxed, energized, or the same?

1. Initiate this activity with your child (or between siblings), instead of talking about the problem straightaway. To lower defenses say, "Let's do something together." Or say, "I'd like to show you something."

2. Invite children to cut long strips of construction paper about 1 to 2 inches wide.

3. Ask children to write what they like about the other person, with one like for each paper strip. Challenge children to make at least five. Assist with writing or brainstorming.

4. Demonstrate looping a strip into a circle, taping the ends together. Insert the next strip through the circle. Tape it into a circle. Now two strips are linked.

5. After linking all strips, take turns reading what's likeable about the other person.

6. Connect both children's paper chains with a final, joining link.

1. Admit that your pep talks might not always be helpful. Share that you've learned an activity to make encouraging words more meaningful.

2. Explain that you'll say some encouraging phrases. After each, your child will move their body in ways that represent the phrase or how the phrase feels to them.

3. Remind your child there's no wrong way. Movements can be big, small, seated, or standing.

4. Say these phrases or make up your own: "Keep it up." "We're in it together." "You've got this."

5. Give time after each phrase for your child to express the phrase and its feeling through creative movement. Join in with your own movements.

6. Discuss which movement was most pleasant. Were any unpleasant?

7. Repeat the most pleasant movement along with its phrase.

Excerpt from Art Therapy Activities for Kids, by Erica Curtis, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2022 by Callisto Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Curtis, Erica. Art Therapy Activities for Kids: 75 Evidence-Based Art Projects to Improve Behavior, Build Social Skills, and Boost Emotional Resilience. Oakland, California: Rockridge Press, 2022.

Curtis, Erica and Ping Ho. The Innovative Parent: Raising Connected, Happy, Successful Kids through Art. Ohio: Ohio University Press / Swallow Press, 2019.

Social Emotional Arts Programming & Events: www.UCLArtsAndHealing.org

Art Therapy Information & Resources: www.ArtTherapy.org

Erica Curtis is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board-Certified Art Therapist with a private practice in San Juan Capistrano, California. For over twenty years, Erica has specialized in the integration of cutting edge, creative, and compassionate approaches to improving lives of others. She is an award-winning author, internationally sought speaker, and has been cited in over 100 media outlets including PBS, The Boston Globe, USA Today, and Elle. Erica serves as core faculty and curriculum developer for UCLArts & Healing and is the admissions consultant for the Loyola Marymount University Department of Marital and Family Therapy with specialized training in art therapy. Erica has served multiple terms on the board of directors of the American Art Therapy Association and is a past president of the Southern California Art Therapy Association, from which she received the highest recognition: Honorary Life Member. Erica serves as an expert consultant for organizations like The Foundation for Art and Healing and has collaborated with industry giants like L'Oréal on creative mental health initiatives. She is a subject expert for the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences, for whom she consults on standard of care in disciplinary cases brought against therapists. Her books, and can be found anywhere books are sold. For more information or to connect with Erica visit www.TherapyWithErica.com or IG @ericakcurtis.

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5 Art Therapy-Inspired Activities for Calming Behaviors and Building Resilience by Erica Curtis

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Asking a child to talk about a problem, explain their behavior, or come up with solutions when they feel disconnected or upset is often ineffective. Art provides an accessible, nonverbal alternative when words don't work. In this article, you will learn 5 art therapy-inspired activities for calming behaviors and building resilience.

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Neurographic Art Tutorial : Mindfulness In Art