This Mental Health Awareness Month, consider teaching portable mind-body coping skills as a proactive approach to student wellness.
Mental health education belongs in every classroom—not just for students who are visibly struggling, but for all young people navigating the everyday joys and challenges of life. This month, commit to helping students understand how they can use their own physiology to feel better in moments of stress. Here are two easy ways to begin:
Move a Muscle, Change a Thought
Key Message: Movement is powerful. It releases feel-good chemicals, reduces anxiety, and boosts energy. Even brief movement breaks can help students reset and refocus.
Try this: When students seem restless or tired, invite them to gently twist in their chairs while breathing slowly. Add mindfulness by asking them to notice:
- Three things they can see
- Two things they can hear
- One thing they can feel
This simple orienting practice supports self-regulation, increases focus, and helps students feel more grounded and connected.
Change What You’re Thinking About
Key Message: You can interrupt a negative thought loop—whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork or just having a tough day—by hitting the pause button and focusing on something that makes you feel good.
Try this: Pull up a beautiful nature scene, play a short animal video, or share an inspiring quote or poem. Shifting your focus to something positive can lift your mood and help you respond to challenges with greater flexibility.
After each activity, invite reflection:
How do you feel now? What’s different in the room after that break?
Remind students that their mind-body connection is always with them—a free, built-in resource for support. Affirm what they already know: Whether it’s playing sports, being in nature, listening to music, or talking with a friend, we all have ways we naturally regulate and reset. Once we understand how powerful the mind-body connection is, we can use it with intention.
Let’s normalize these conversations. Let’s make mental health part of the school day—not just in May, but every month.