Wouldn’t it be strange if schools required PE Class (aka: Physical Education or Gym Class) for students with physical health conditions such as asthma, allergies, and obesity? And what if PE was optional for the so-called healthy kids? Can you imagine the shame and stigma for the kids in Gym
In our new book, Mental Health 101 for Teens, all four authors talk about our personal mental health journeys, and there’s one thing we have in common: back when we were teens, we all felt some level of mental health stigma in the culture around us. Mental health stigma is
When I was 15, I was sent to a three-week intervention program for struggling teens… rebellious teens… teens who get in trouble. That was my life, full of negativity and bitterness. I had gone through a lot of hurtful events with my family and at school, and I was basically
Are bullying prevention assemblies worth it? Over the past five years I’ve done bullying prevention assemblies at over 800 schools, and sometimes people will ask me, “Are bullying prevention assemblies worth it?” And the most common way to respond is something like, “Ya know… if it helps even one person,
When I speak at school assemblies, people often ask, “What is the difference between bullying and teasing?” Bullying is a hot button issue for sure, and I can see why some people feel it is overplayed. If all we do is “raise awareness” about bullying (rather than teach kids how
A parent recently asked me, “Is it possible for a teacher to bully a student?” In essence she was saying, “My child is being bullied by a teacher, but I don’t know what to do about it.” As a parent myself, I know where she’s coming from. We’ve had a
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