In this video, Leona talks about ways we can navigate the family conflict that can arise.
Category: Stress
Minding mental health for teachers during Covid-19
Few teachers could have anticipated that they would have to work from home. This worldwide pandemic has made us change the way we live, interact and work.
Online limitations
For obvious reasons, teaching young people does not easily transition to the ‘working from home’ model. It’s impossible to recreate the conditions of the classroom online. Naturally, teaching is most effective when we can pick up an atmosphere, or notice the body language of a disinterested student.
While we expect young people to be comfortable with technology, online learning is new for many. We also cannot assume that students have the physical space and tech available for online learning all day long.
Recognise the limitations of online teaching and know that it’s not on you.
Webinar: Self-care for teachers
Jigsaw Connect: Self-care for teachers
We recently ran two webinar for teachers, who have taken our online courses. The focus was how post-primary and primary school teachers can support their own mental health.
Managing anxiety
Josh, our Jigsaw volunteer, talks to Jen, a Jigsaw clinician, about effective ways to manage anxiety.
Ask Jigsaw: Supporting my friends
All of my close friend have been through bad mental health. Some just took time off school to reboot, some to therapists , and some to cahms/st.pats. I’ve been there for all of them throughout the years. First one was age 9 to now. Some are doing good and some are going down the wrong path into drugs. One in particular who I’ve known for my whole life is now known as the ‘popular pretty girl who was in a mental hospital’. She’s now heavy on drugs and can’t go a few days without going out and taking more. I don’t know what to do it’s starting to eat me up inside and now I can see myself going down the same path as the others in terms of mental health.
I was the strong happy funny kind girl who everyone counted on and vented to but now it’s all getting too much and I can’t separate myself because they all need my help but I also can’t continue doing this because I’m slowly losing my mind. I’m going into 6th year now so I want school to be my number one concern but my friends are all good in a bad place and I need to be there for them so I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I’m making sense there’s so much more to it and my minds going crazy.
I just need advice on how to balance helping my friends , school , social life and my own mental health and prepare myself for 6th year.
-Butterfly
Hi Butterfly,
It’s sounds like you are a really compassionate person and have been there for a lot of your friends over the years. While it is a nice to be able to support others, without a doubt it can take a toll on us. You may have heard the flight attendant on an airplane telling you to ‘look after your own mask first’. This is because, unless we prioritise looking after ourselves, we won’t have the capacity to be there for someone else. Looking after your own mental health is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
Brain drain exercise
Eimear, Jigsaw clinician, walks us through a ‘brain drain’ exercise that can help us when we start to overthink.
Ask Jigsaw: Preparing for the future
How do I face a future I cannot predict? What can I do to prepare for a future I may never be ready for? What are important skills for independent living? What can I do now, during this pandemic to prepare for the future? How do I make myself believe in things that are common sense, but yet I somehow refuse to accept?
-Beepbeepimasheep
Hi Beepbeepimasheep,
During times of unprecedented change, it’s not surprising to ask ourselves important questions as you have. It can be useful to ask questions about the future, so that we can feel prepared for what’s to come. However, the only certainty about the future is that it is uncertain, regardless of whether Covid-19 happened or not. It’s understandable if this makes us feel anxious, but giving ourselves the permission to accept this can be very calming.
Listen: ACE tool for grounding
Leona, Jigsaw clinician, walks through a grounding tool called “ACE” to assist in stressful situations.
We developed an animation to illustrate.
‘A’ refers to accept how you are feeling
‘C’ refers to come back into your body
‘E’ refers to engage fully with what you are doing.
Ask Jigsaw: My boyfriend of 5 years broke up with me
My boyfriend of 5 years broke up with me 6 weeks ago on impulse. Since then we have remained in contact and has told me he doesn’t know if we’ll get back together. He’s been telling mutual friends and his counsellor that he wants to get back together, however he hasn’t shown or said that to me. I don’t know if he just wants time alone for now. I don’t know what to think. I’m spiraling as the days go by.
-HappyFace
Hello HappyFace,
Relationships can be tricky to navigate, as they are made up of two people, however, we only have control over the actions and behaviours of one of those (ourselves). Yet the actions and behaviours of the other person can have such an influence on us. The uncertainty regarding your future together sounds very difficult and it sounds like you are waiting for your boyfriend to make decisions. Rather than focusing on what your boyfriend wants, perhaps you can take some time to think about what it is that you want. Although it might not be your choice to split up, you do have a say in what happens next in terms of whether you want to remain in contact or not.
Ask Jigsaw: I ruin everything
How do I accept to love myself when I hate everything about me and want to change everything about me and feel I ruin everything I just want to be normal. Anon1.
Hi Anon1,
I’m sorry to hear that nothing feels right for you at the moment. Sometimes, it can feel like everyone else is doing well, and we are the only one struggling.