lenny

Healthy Minds

user image

Slide Deck

Healthy Minds: Youth Mental Health Awareness

Building understanding, sharing strategies, and supporting each other for better mental well-being.

Welcome students and introduce the session. Explain that today’s lesson, “Healthy Minds,” will explore mental health basics, common challenges, coping strategies, and peer support activities. Mention the calming green gradient theme on each slide (#B8FFC4 → #C6FFD1 → #D4FFDE) to set a positive tone.

What Is Mental Health?

• State of our emotional, psychological, and social well-being
• Affects how we think, feel, and act
• Influences our stress management, relationships, and decisions

Define mental health and emphasize that it’s as important as physical health. Use simple graphics of a brain and heart connected by arrows matching the slide gradient.

Why Mental Health Matters

• Impacts focus and learning
• Shapes our relationships
• Guides our everyday choices
• Builds resilience for life’s ups and downs

Share why mental health matters for high schoolers: academic performance, friendships, and family life. Show an infographic of a student juggling books, friends, and phone.

Common Mental Health Challenges

• Stress & Anxiety
• Low Mood & Depression
• Social Isolation & Peer Pressure
• Sleep Problems & Burnout

Introduce common challenges teens face. Use icons for stress, anxiety, mood swings, social pressure, and online comparisons.

Coping Strategies

• Deep breathing & mindfulness exercises
• Regular exercise & healthy eating
• Journaling & creative expression
• Talking with trusted friends/family

List practical coping strategies. Encourage students to think which ones they already use. Use checkmark icons.

Case Study: Alex

Alex sleeps only 4 hours, avoids friends, and feels too anxious to study effectively.

Present a brief scenario: "Alex feels overwhelmed before exams and stops socializing." Ask students: What signs did Alex show? What could help?

Case Study: Jordan

Jordan spends hours scrolling, then feels inadequate and refuses to join sports practice.

Present a second scenario: "Jordan compares themselves to others on social media and feels low." Ask: How might this impact Jordan’s mental health?

Group Discussion Prompts

  1. Which coping strategies would you try? Why?
  2. How can peers support someone feeling like Alex or Jordan?
  3. What barriers stop us from asking for help?

Divide students into small groups. Provide these prompts. Circulate and guide discussions.

Interactive Activity

  1. In pairs, design a 3-point support plan for a friend in need.
  2. Individually, write your own 3 self-care commitments.
  3. Share highlights with the class.

Explain the activity: "Create a Peer Support Plan." Students list three supportive actions they can take for a friend and three self-care steps for themselves.

Resources & Next Steps

• School counselor & peer support groups
• Mental health hotlines & apps
• Practice mindfulness 5 min/day
• Check in with a friend

Wrap up by summarizing key takeaways and sharing resources. Encourage students to practice one new strategy this week.

lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Activity

Activity: Peer Support Plan

Objective:

  • Identify actionable ways to support a friend experiencing mental health challenges.
  • Develop personal self-care commitments.

Time Estimate: 30 minutes

Materials:

  • Peer Support Plan Worksheet (one per student)
  • Paper and pens
  • Markers (optional for group posters)

Instructions:

  1. Introduction (5 min)

    • Discuss why peer support and self-care matter. Refer back to Healthy Minds Slides.
    • Explain the two parts of today’s activity.

  2. Pair Work: Peer Support Plan (10 min)

    • In pairs, choose a scenario (e.g., Alex or Jordan) or create a new one.
    • Complete Section A of the worksheet: list three specific support actions and explain how each helps your friend.

  3. Individual Work: Self-Care Commitments (10 min)

    • On your own, fill out Section B of the worksheet.
    • Write three SMART self-care commitments (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).

  4. Sharing & Reflection (5 min)

    • Invite volunteers to share one peer support action and one self-care commitment.
    • Facilitate brief discussion: What insights emerged? What challenges might you face?

Worksheet Template:

Section A: Peer Support Plan

  1. Briefly describe a friend’s challenge:


  2. Support Action 1 (What will you do?):



    Why this helps:


  3. Support Action 2 (What will you do?):



    Why this helps:


  4. Support Action 3 (What will you do?):



    Why this helps:


Section B: My Self-Care Commitments

  1. Self-Care Commitment 1:



    When/how I will do it:


  2. Self-Care Commitment 2:



    When/how I will do it:


  3. Self-Care Commitment 3:



    When/how I will do it:


Reflection Questions:

  • Which support action do you think will make the biggest difference? Why?


  • What obstacles might you face in offering support or practicing self-care? How can you overcome them?


  • How did setting SMART goals help you plan for real life?





lenny
lenny

Discussion

Mental Health Discussion Guide

Session Overview (20–25 minutes)

This guided discussion helps students deepen their understanding of mental health, connect with peers, and practice empathy and support.

Roles & Setup

  • Facilitator (Teacher or Student Leader): Keeps conversation on track, invites quieter voices.
  • Timekeeper: Monitors segment timings and gives 1-minute warnings.
  • Note-Taker: Jots down key ideas, questions, and action items.
  • Participants: Engage actively, listen respectfully, and share honestly.

Arrange seats in a circle or U-shape to promote eye contact. Post ground rules: confidentiality, respect, “one mic” (one speaker at a time), and no judgment.

Discussion Structure & Timing

  1. Warm-Up & Icebreaker (3–4 minutes)

    • Quick “Check-In”: Each student names one emotion they’re feeling right now (e.g., “Hopeful,” “Anxious,” “Excited”).
    • Purpose: Build empathy and model that sharing feelings is safe.

  2. Prompt 1: Defining & Valuing Mental Health (5 minutes)

    • Question: “How would you describe ‘mental health’ in your own words, and why might it matter as much as physical health?”
    • Follow-Ups:
      • “Can someone share an example of when good mental health helped you perform better in school or life?”
      • “What challenges do teens face that adults sometimes overlook?”
    • Reference: Healthy Minds Slides (slides 2–3)

  3. Prompt 2: Case Studies & Peer Support (7–8 minutes)

    • Divide into pairs or trios briefly. Assign one case: Alex or Jordan.
    • Questions in small groups:
      1. “What warning signs did Alex/Jordan show?”
      2. “Which coping strategies from slide 5 might help? Why?”
      3. “What could you do as a friend or peer to support them?”
    • Regroup (3 minutes): Each group shares one insight.
    • Reference: Healthy Minds Slides (slides 6–7)

  4. Prompt 3: Barriers & Solutions (5 minutes)

    • Full-class question: “What stops students from asking for help or sharing struggles?”
    • Probe deeper:
      • “How do stigma, cultural expectations, or social media play a role?”
      • “What can we do as a class to make it easier to speak up?”

  5. Action Planning & Reflection (3–4 minutes)

    • Introduce the next activity: Peer Support Plan.
    • Quick write-down: “Name one supportive action you will commit to this week and one self-care step you will practice.”
    • Share volunteers’ commitments.

Potential Follow-Up Points

  • Encourage ongoing check-ins: weekly mood check or peer-support check.
  • Remind students of school counseling resources and mental health hotlines.
  • Suggest forming a peer support club or “wellness buddy” system.

End with a positive affirmation: “Remember, taking care of your mind is a strength, not a weakness.”

lenny
lenny
Healthy Minds • Lenny Learning