The Self-Care and Gratitude Programme is a 6-week programme designed to support young people in looking after their emotional and mental health.

Self-care and gratitude practices are vital to young people's mental, emotional, and social development. In today’s fast-paced, increasingly connected world, adolescents face immense pressures, from academic expectations to social media influences and peer comparisons. Often, due to pressures emotional wellbeing can take a back seat. By supporting students to implement self-care and gratitude into their daily lives they can be equipped to manage these challenges and build a resilient mindset.

Whilst at Forge Valley our students will be finding their identities and discovering their place in the world. It is a stressful time period with lots of change, shifting social dynamics as well as the mounting pressures that everyone faces when growing up. This is why self-care is vital. Self-care is essential for personal growth, emotional stability, and maintaining a healthy balance between obligations and personal wellbeing. Many of these students may not have yet developed the skills to handle stress in a healthy manner. Therefore, promoting self-care is not only beneficial for their current wellbeing but also equips them with tools for adult life.

Gratitude has been scientifically proven to improve mood, increase life satisfaction, and reduce anxiety and depression. Adolescents, like all individuals, sometimes fall into patterns of negativity, focusing on what they lack rather than what they have. Through gratitude, we can help shift this perspective with teaching how to appreciate the everyday small moment that bring us joy such as a smile from a friend or an accomplishment. It encourages young people to see the good in their relationships, to foster positive social interactions, and to focus on their personal strengths rather than compare themselves to others.

Session 1:

• Introducing the themes of self-care and gratitude.
• Examining the importance of looking after your mental, emotional and physical health.
• What is a gratitude journal and making your own gratitude journal.

Session 2:

• Self-care that you already practice and how this makes you feel.
• How daily habits can benefit your self-care and how to build daily habits.

Session 3:

• Negative self-talk and how this can impact on your mental health.
• Changing negative talk into neutral/positive talk.
• How gratitude can lead to a positive mindset.

Session 4:

• What causes us stress and the impact of stress.
• Managing stress and overwhelming emotions.

Session 5:

• How gratitude improves your relationship with others.
• How to show gratitude to others.

Session 6:

• Reflection on what you have learnt and self-care skills you will be implementing.
• Develop a self-care and gratitude plan to support yourself in the future.