“I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:13
Mental health consists of a person’s psychological, emotional, and social well-being. It shapes the way they think, feel, and act. Mental health also influences how we handle anxiety, tension, stress and how we form relationships with others. Good mental health is essential at every stage of life, from early childhood through adulthood. If a person experiences a mental health problem, their ability to make wise choices could be affected. Various factors contribute to mental health problems, including biological factors, trauma or abuse, and family history.
Mental health problems are common, but they can improve over time with the proper treatment and support. The key is taking the necessary steps to get help. The mental health concerns of children and youth in our schools increase the complexity of the teacher’s role in assisting students and maintaining a standard of learning for the entire class.
Teachers are an essential part of our Adventist Education system to facilitate their students’ learning and identify the mental health challenges that your students face. Although we have stressed this point throughout this website, it’s worth mentioning again: educators are not trained healthcare professionals; your job does not include diagnosing or treating mental health illness. At the same time, as caring human beings, we all have a responsibility to reach out if we have concerns about a student or witness troubling behaviors.
With the rising concern of mental health challenges among our most vulnerable population, we want to ensure that you have the necessary resources to support and help you through this journey. In this section of the mental health toolkit, we have collected mental health resources, such as videos, books, websites, and names of mental health organizations that will assist along the way. You can purchase most of the recommended and suggested resources on Amazon for reasonable prices. However, feel free to find the best deals by shopping around. One last thing, take the time to enroll in the North American Division (NAD) Mental Health Training Course and Strategies for Educators, which is on the landing page of this website.
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These resource links are being provided for informational purposes only. The North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
