Wellness Club Raises Awareness for Mental Health

May 7, 2021

Academics

GNS

From May 3 to 9, the Senior School Wellness Club worked to raise awareness and promote various wellness initiatives for Mental Health Week. The Wellness Club was out and about throughout the week to promote mental health awareness across the Pemberton Woods Campus. On Tuesday, the students held a Tech Free Tuesday where students could trade in their phone for the day to participate in a free mufti and on Wednesday the club gave out popsicles. On Friday there was a green mufit, to symbolize mental health, and students handed out strings and beads to their peers to make friendship bracelets.

“It’s especially important right now during exam season and when we are getting a lot of schoolwork with heavy course loads to recognize there should be time to relax and take care of your personal well being. The activities that we were running this week, we are trying to implement that during a stressful time for students,”said Taya Lee ’23, Wellness Club member.

This is the 70th year that the Canadina Mental Health Association has hosted the annual week, and it offers an opportunity for people and communities to join together to raise awareness for mental health, destigmatize mental illness and collaborate on how we can protect our own mental health.

“This year we worked with our students to help them recognize that good mental health means feeling a range of emotions, including the difficult ones,” said Ms. Dawn Nordin, Counsellor. “Although many of us have been conditioned to avoid difficult emotions such as sadness, we know that naming sadness allows it to be heard and regulates our nervous system. This allows us to learn, connect and find meaning and joy in our lives.”

Ms. Nordin invites parents and caregivers to revisit the movie Inside Out with their children and teens so we can all be reminded that holding space for all emotions, sadness, anger and joy is essential for resiliency and positive mental health. For more information check out CMHA Mental Health Week or contact Ms. Dawn Nordin dnordin@mygns.ca with any questions or concerns you may have about your child’s mental health.