Students in Claire Drexler’s health class learned several effective skills that they can use when they are feeling stressed or anxious. As part of their mental health unit, the students looked to the National Institute of Mental Health to find facts on stressors and coping skills, then identified a skill that they can use to reduce their own stress.
Each student then created a presentation that they shared with their classmates. Sophie Meagher said that she found holding an ice cube helps when she can’t get her mind off something stressful. She learned that holding something cold forces her out of her head (stops ruminative, racing thoughts that are anxiety-driven) and into the moment where her entire attention is on her hands, giving her brain a break from whatever stress she is swept up in.
Ava O’Brien uses pet therapy to reduce her body’s cortisol levels, the body’s main stress hormone. “When I ride my horse, Lilah, I have to stop overthinking or focusing on any drama because my main focus is her and my riding,” said Ava.
Jayleigh Esposito and Jha’Zae Dessources both rely on running when they are feeling stressed. “When I’m mad, running helps me get over it,” said Jha’Zae. Among the other coping skills the students are using include listening to music, power napping, deep breathing, positive self-talk, reading, and taking a walk.
The class also included health triangles in their presentations – a helpful tool in visualizing the physical, social, and mental balance that is important for overall health. At the end of every class, students can request a “Walk, Talk and Water pass” that supports all three sides of the health triangle.
“The health teachers created the pass during COVID so that students can request to use the last four or five minutes of class to walk, talk with a classmate about whatever is on their mind, and get a drink of water,” said Drexel. “It’s built on a foundation of trust and our administration is totally supportive of this time that we are giving our students to address their physical, social, and mental health.”
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