MENTAL

HEALTH INTERVENTIONS


LESSON 1


DEALING WITH A BREAKUP

ASCA Standards:
PS: A2 Acquire Interpersonal Skills
PS: A2.6: Use effective communication skills
PS: B1 Self-knowledge Application
PS: B1.1: Use a decision-making and problem solving model
PS: B1.4: Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS: C1 Acquire Personal Safety Skills
PS: C1.2: Learn about the relationship between rules, laws, safety and the
protection of rights of the individual
PS: C1.5: Differentiate between situations requiring peer support and
situations requiring adult professional help
PS: C1.7: Apply effective problem-solving and decision making skills to make
safe and healthy choices
PS: C1.11: Learn coping skills for managing life events

NYS Learning Standards:
Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Science:
Standard 2: A Safe and Healthy Environment Students will acquire the knowledge
and ability necessary to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment

Standard 3: Resource Management Students will understand and be able to
manage their personal and community resources

NOSCA Components:
4. College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes Provide early and
ongoing exposure to experiences and information necessary to make informed
decisions when selecting a college or career that connects to academic preparation
and future aspirations

Grade level: 9-12

Time needed: 40 minutes

Objective: To help prepare emotionally for ending a relationship. To plan safe and
healthy responses to a partners reactions and ones own feelings following a
breakup.


Materials:
Worksheets
Pens/pencils
Flipchart
Markers
Whiteboard or SMART Board

Activity: Group or individual
1. Introduce the activity by informing students that even when the decision is
clearly the right one, it is still often very difficult to deal with. The purpose of
todays activity is to prepare emotionally for the breakup.
2. On a flipchart or board, write the sentence, How will my partner react?
Engage students in brainstorming a list of possible ways a person might react
when their partner tells them they want to break up.
3. After generating the list, ask one or more students to circle the normal and
safe reactions on the list using a blue marker. Circle the reactions that are
unsafe, unhealthy, or abusive in red marker.
4. Distribute the Dealing with a Breakup worksheet and writing utensils to
each student. Read or have students read aloud the introductory paragraph
and ask students to start filling in the first section on their own. Review the
first section as a class to ensure everyone understands the activity and
instruct students to continue to fill out the remaining sections. Encourage
students to include any items on their brainstormed list that are not on this
worksheet in the space provided.
5. On the flipchart or board, prompt students to generate another list under the
heading How will I feel after the breakup? Encourage them to list both
positive and negative feelings, reminding them that it is normal to have a
mixture of both. Please remind students to be mindful and respectful of
others suggested emotions or reactions.
6. Upon completion, ask students to circle the healthy responses in blue and
unhealthy reactions in red. Review each item on the list and ask the class if
they can think of strategies for dealing with each of the feelings and reactions
listed.
7. Distribute the How Will I Feel After the Breakup worksheet and read aloud
the introductory paragraph. Instruct students to write in the spaces
provided for each prompt. Allow several minutes for students to work on
this.
8. Advise students to read the paragraph heading the list of more serious
reactions that would require a person to seek help. Allow time for students to
fill in the people or organizations they would go to for each problem. If
students are unsure, allow students to collaborate to explore these solutions.
The counselor or facilitator can contribute some suggestions as well if
students are feeling stuck.

9. Encourage students to record additional feelings and strategies on this

worksheet or on a separate piece of paper to attach to this one.

Assessment and Follow Up:
Upon completion of the activity, ask the group the following questions to gauge
what they have gained from participating in this activity.
1. What did you learn about yourself today?
2. What are some healthy and unhealthy reactions you can expect from a
breakup?
3. When is it necessary and important to ask for help? Include an example.
4. What are some ways you can ask for help if you experience unacceptable or
dangerous responses from your partner during a breakup?
5. What are some effective ways in which you can stay positive during a
breakup?
6. How will you use what you learned today in the future when dealing with a
breakup?

























Adapted from:
Moles, K. (2001). The Teen Relationship Workbook. Mellville, NY: Courage to
Change Publishing


Worksheets from:
Moles, K. (2001). The Teen Relationship Workbook. Mellville, NY: Courage to
Change Publishing

LESSON 2


WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS


ASCA Standards:
A: A1 Improve Academic Self-concept
A: A1.5: Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning
A: A2 Acquire Skills for Improving Learning
A: A2.1: Apply time-management and task management skills
A: A2.3: Use communication skills to know when and how to ask for help
when needed
A: A3 Achieve School success
A: A3.1: Take responsibility for their actions
A: B1 Improve Learning
A: B1.7: Become a self-directed and independent learner
PS: A1 Acquire Self-knowledge
PS: A1.5: Identify and express feelings
PS: A1.10: Identify personal strengths and assets
PS: B1 Self-Knowledge Application
PS: B1.1: Use a decision-making and problem solving model
PS: B1.3: Identify alternative solutions to a problem
PS: B1.12: Develop an action plan to set and achieve realistic goals
PS: C1 Acquire Personal Safety Skills
PS: C1.8: Apply effective problem-solving and decision-making skills to make
safe and healthy choices
PS: C1.10: Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict

NYS Learning Standards:
Career Development and Occupational Studies:
Standard 3a: Universal Foundation Skills Students will demonstrate mastery of
the foundation skills and competencies essential for success in the workplace

English Language Arts:
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation Students will listen,
speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers,
students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by
others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use
oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English
language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on
experiences, ideas, information and issues

NOSCA Components:
1. College Aspirations Build a college-going culture based on early college
awareness by nurturing in students the confidence to aspire to college and the
resilience to overcome challenges along the way. Maintain high expectations by
providing adequate supports, building social capital and conveying the conviction
that all students can succeed in college.

Grade level: 9-12

Time needed: 45 minutes

Objective: Students will be able to evaluate effective strategies for dealing with
stress, apply stress-management techniques to manage personal stressors, and
practice stress management techniques.

Materials:
Handouts and worksheets:
o Positive Ways to Cope with Stress
o Time to Talk: Skills for dealing with Stress
o Stressors & Responses
o How Do I Cope with Stress?
o Stress-Management Techniques
o My Stress-Management Plan
o Student Journal (optional)
Positive Ways to Cope with Stress slide for presentation
Pens/pencils
Whiteboard or SMART Board
Projector

Overview: This lesson focuses on stress management with an emphasis on
equipping students with the necessary techniques to cope and distinguish between
positive and negative reactions. Key coping mechanisms are reviewed and students
are encouraged to practice some specific stress management techniques to identify
those that could work best for them.

Introduction:
Students will be introduced to todays lesson plan of stress management. Teach
students that they wont always have control over a situation but they may be able
to take action or change the circumstances to help reduce the stress. Students can
adjust their attitude, shift how they feel, or alter the way they think about the
situation to help manage stress. Inform students that today we will review some of
the techniques that can help you deal with stress from situations in which you have
no control as well as those you do. Reiterate that students always have control over
how they choose to respond to stressful changes.

Questions that can elicit class discussion include:

How did the stress make you feel?
What did you think about this stressful situation?
What did you do as a result of the stress? What actions were taken?
What are some examples of situations youve had control over that
caused you stress?
What are some examples of situations youve had no control over that
caused you stress?
Is there a difference in how you handle the stress in these different types
of situations?

Students will explore positive and negative reactions to stressors. As a class, discuss
if all people react to stress situations in the same way. Why or why not? Summarize
that stress is not the same for everyone and the reaction often depends on how the
person views the situation or event. Reactions can also be influenced by a persons
past experiences and skills in handling stress.

Activity #1:
Distribute the Stressors and Responses activity sheet to students. Explain that this
is a list of some different stressors students might experience. Ask students to
break down into groups again to review both positive and negative ways in which a
person might respond to each stressor.
A positive response is one that would be effective and help the person handle
the stress
A negative response would be one that could make the stress worse or cause
more problems

Ask each group to share their responses. Record their group responses on the
board in two columns, one labeled negative and the second labeled positive.
Negative examples may include: becoming angry or upset, blaming others, acting
out with physical violence, denial, lying, substance abuse, and sleeping too much.
Positive examples may include: gather information, discussing the situation, writing
feelings in a journal, exercise, take a break, etc.

Discussion: Conclude this activity by reviewing that some people react to stress by
becoming angry or upset, or by blaming someone else for the situation. They may
feel so overwhelmed that they avoid and ignore the situation (unhealthy responses).
On the other hand, stress may push or motivate people to gather more information,
ask for help, take action and discuss the situation to work towards a solution
(healthy responses).

Activity #2:
Display the Positive Ways to Cope with Stress slide. Ask students to compare the
list on the slide to the one on the board (completed in prior activity). Foster in-class
discussion by reviewing examples for each bullet point.

Make healthy choices Doing something thats healthy for your body or mind
when youre feeling stressed such as exercising
Get support Talk with a friend or trusted adult to help you figure out
potential solutions
Understand your feelings Writing, drawing, or some other creative way of
expressing what you feel can often help a person work through difficult
feelings
Find ways to relax Mindful breathing is a great way to relax tense muscles
and a busy mind
Keep a sense of humor Humor may not always apply to the situation, but
laughing at a lighthearted joke during a difficult situation may provide
temporary release. Laughing at others is always inappropriate
Resolve or eliminate the source of stress If you can figure out the source of
stress, you may be able to identify ways to make it better
Identify how to prevent stress in the future Learning how to manage your
time or thinking in advance may assist in staying on task and remaining
focused and organized

Activity #3:
Students evaluate ways they cope with stress. Distribute the How Do I Cope with
Stress activity sheet to students. Students should circle at least 2 coping strategies
theyve used before and give an example of when theyve used each one, explain
what they did, and rate its effectiveness. If they havent used any of these strategies,
choose at least 2 and describe when they might use each strategy in the future, what
they could do, and how well they think it would work.

Activity #4:
Distribute the Stress-Management Techniques activity sheet. Proceed to model a
few techniques to help guide students. Inform students that they are going to learn
about and then practice some techniques that can help manage stress. Students are
encouraged to decide which techniques work best for them.

Advise students to break down into small groups of 3-4. Group members should
choose 1 of the 3 techniques, i.e. deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or
guided imagery. Read about these techniques, review instructions on how to
conduct these techniques, and practice with group members (allow several minutes
of practice). Students will share their experience with practicing these techniques
by considering the below questions:
What worked well?
What didnt work?
How did practicing this make you feel?

Proceed to part two of this handout and review the ways to reduce or prevent
stress. Ask students to share which prevention techniques they believe may be

helpful and why it is important to know how to respond to stressors in positive

ways.

Discussion: Encourage students to use these techniques moving forward to help
relieve and prevent stress. These techniques will help relieve stress while
experiencing stressful situations and reduce or help prevent stress from happening.
Discuss the importance of identifying which preventative techniques can be
implemented in the near future.

Assessment:
Distribute the My Stress-Management Plan activity sheet to students. Instruct
students to describe 3 stressors theyve faced in their life and evaluate using the
below questions:
Suggest at least 1 negative response you might have to each stressor and
explain why it would not be a good way to handle the stress
Describe at least 2 positive responses that would help you manage each
stressors and provide specific examples
Identify which of the stress-management techniques you learned today
would be most effective with each of these stressors and why
Circle a positive response or stress-management technique you intend to try
in response to these stressors

Collect this activity sheet at the end of the lesson to evaluate their understanding of
this lessons material. Students completing the My Stress-Management Plan
activity sheet as well as practicing the techniques during group work satisfy all
objectives. Follow-up is required for students who may have struggled to complete
the aforementioned activity sheet.

Additional Resources:
Send students home with a copy of the Positive Ways to Cope with Stress slide and
the Time to Talk: Skills for Dealing with Stress sheet and reiterate that students
can review with their parent(s)/guardian(s) or trusted adults to assist in dealing
with stress.








Adapted from: http://www.etr.org/healthsmart/about-healthsmart/sample-lessons/highschool-ways-to-manage-stress-emh-lesson-6/

Stressors & Responses

Directions: Give an example of how a person might respond positively
and negatively to each stressor. A positive response would help the person
handle the stress, and a negative response could make the stress worse or
cause other problems for the person.

Stressor

Positive Response

Negative Response

Having too much

homework

Hearing a mean rumor

about a friend

Being unprepared for a

big exam

Getting stuck in traffic

Losing your wallet

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Being assigned a task

you dont know how to do

Breaking up with a
boyfriend or girlfriend

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Being bullied at school

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Positive Ways to
Cope with Stress
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in the future.

Emotional & Mental Health

How Do I Cope with Stress?

Directions: Circle at least 2 coping strategies youve used when you were
stressed. Give an example of when you used the strategy, explain what you
did, and rate how well it worked for you in that situation. If you havent used
any of these strategies, choose at least 2 and describe when you might use the
strategy in the future, what you could do, and how well you think it might work.

Make healthy choices.

Get support.

When I used this:

When I used this:

What I did:

What I did:

How it worked:

very well

fairly well

not very well

How it worked:

Understand your feelings.

Find ways to relax.

When I used this:

When I used this:

What I did:

What I did:

How it worked:

very well

fairly well

not very well

How it worked:

very well

fairly well

not very well

fairly well

not very well

Keep a sense of humor.

Take action when you can.

When I used this:

When I used this:

What I did:

What I did:

How it worked:

very well

fairly well

not very well

How it worked:

very well

fairly well

not very well

Resolve or eliminate the source of stress.

Identify how to prevent stress in the future.

When I used this:

When I used this:

What I did:

What I did:

How it worked:

very well

fairly well

not very well

How it worked:

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Stress-Management Techniques
Part 1 Techniques to Relieve Stress
Deep Breathing
When youre under stress, muscles tense and breathing becomes shallow and rapid. When you breathe
slowly and deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down. The brain then sends this message to
your body. Deep breathing increases the oxygen available to your body and produces a relaxed feeling.
Practice this technique a few times each day, and deep breathing will become a tool you can use to help
you relax whenever you feel stressed.
Heres how to do it:
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fill with air, and how it naturally goes back in as the air leaves your lungs.
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Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This is a good technique to use any time youre tense. Progressive means something that happens a little
bit at a time. In this technique, you tense different muscle groups one at a time and then let them relax.
The tension helps the muscles relax more deeply when you let go.
Heres how to do it:
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then relax.
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relaxing. Do this with your thighs, hips, abdomen, back, shoulders, elbows, hands, neck and face.
Notice how your body feels as you tighten and relax the different muscles.
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should now be more relaxed.

Guided Imagery
Deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation reduce stress by helping your body relax and calm
down. Guided imagery is a way to help your mind do the same thing. In guided imagery, you picture a
calm place and imagine a restful experience.
Heres how to do it:
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picture a deserted beach, a green meadow or a quiet place in your home.
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safe place youve chosen.
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details. Really imagine what youd see, hear, smell and feel on your skin in that place.
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coming back to where you actually are, knowing that you can return any time you want to relax.

(continued)
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Stress-Management Techniques (continued)

Part 2 Ways to Reduce or Prevent Stress
Physical Activity
Being physically active is a good way to help manage the stress in your life. Heres why:
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your heart and lungs for about 30 minutes causes your brain to release endorphins. Endorphins are
natural chemicals that help people feel good and balance the effects of stress.
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continues to feel good after working out and moving the body.
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Time Management
A lot of daily stress can be reduced or even prevented if you learn how to make the best use of your time
and be organized. Here are some things you can try:
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most to least important.
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phone or the TV.
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Talking About It
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describing or sharing your feelings about a stressful situation to a friend or trusted adult can help you
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youd like help thinking of things you could do to relieve the stress. Talking to others can also help you
get more information or come up with ways to help prevent stress in the future.
Some ways you could start:
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My Stress-Management Plan
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would not be an effective way to handle the stress.
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effective with each of these stressors and explain why you chose it.
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response to one of these stressors in the future.

Stressor 1:

Stressor 2:

Stressor 3:

Negative response:

Negative response:

Negative response:

Why its not effective:

Why its not effective:

Why its not effective:

Positive responses:

Positive responses:

Positive responses:

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Why it would be effective:

Why it would be effective:

Why it would be effective:

Self-Check
I described 3 stressors in my life, suggested 1 negative response to each,
and explained why this would not be an effective way to manage the stress.
I described 2 positive responses to each stressor.
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helping me deal with each stressor and explained why.

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Student Journal

Lesson 6: Ways to Manage Stress

Health terms

Journal entry

deep breathing

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recently, or one you anticipate facing in the future, and describe your
response. How did/might you feel? What did/might you think? What
did/might you do as a result of the stress?

effective
endorphins
guided imagery
progressive
muscle relaxation
resilient
stressor
time management

Positive Ways to Cope with Stress

Make healthy choices.

Get support.

Understand your feelings.

(continued)

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Student Journal
Lesson 6: Ways to Manage Stress (continued)
Positive Ways to Cope with Stress (continued)
Find ways to relax.

Keep a sense of humor.

Take action when you can.

Resolve or eliminate the source of stress.

Identify how to prevent stress in the future.

Class discussion notes

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Handouts and worksheets from: http://www.etr.org/healthsmart/abouthealthsmart/sample-lessons/high-school-ways-to-manage-stress-emh-lesson-6/

LESSON 3


ANALYZING SLEEP HABITS


ASCA Standards:
A: B1 Improve Learning
A: B1.3: Seek information and support from faculty, staff, family and peers
A: A1 Improve Academic Self-concept
A: A1.5: Identify attitude and behaviors that lead to successful learning
PS: C1 Acquire Personal Safety Skills
PS: C1.10: Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict
PS: C1.11: Learn coping skills for managing life events

NYS Learning Standards:
Career Development and Occupational Studies:
Standard 3a: Universal Foundation Skills Students will demonstrate mastery of
the foundation skills and competencies essential for success in the workplace

English Language Arts:
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation Students will listen,
speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers,
students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by
others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use
oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English
language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on
experiences, ideas, information and issues

NOSCA Components:
3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement Ensure equitable exposure to a
wide range of extracurricular and enrichment opportunities that build leadership,
nurture talents and interests, and increase engagement with school

Grade level: 9-12

Time needed: 30minutes

Objective: Students will learn about the importance of sleep and the effect it has on
brain processing, time management, and overall academic performance.

Materials:
Computer
Internet access
SMART Board or whiteboard

Projector
Sleep: Facts, Consequences, and Solutions Worksheet

Introduction:
Ask the students some basics about sleep:
How many hours of sleep do you get on a weeknight?
How many hours of sleep do you get on a weekend night?
How many hours of sleep do you think the adolescent brain needs to refresh
and function to its best ability?

Activity:
Tell the students they are going to watch a video on sleep. This activity utilizes a
YouTube video that is easily accessible to help the students learn and understand
the importance as well as reference if needed. As a class, have the students watch
the following 7-minute video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Nd6u39yD0

Reflection:
As a class, discuss the below questions to explore how detrimental lack of sleep can
be. Encourage students to be open and honest about what may contribute to getting
to bed late, i.e. texting, homework, etc. The counselor or facilitator can use the
Sleep: Facts, Consequences, and Solutions worksheet to help guide this
conversation in addition to the below questions.
What did you find most surprising about the video?
Did you learn something new?
What are some of the effects of lack of sleep?
What are some current sleep challenges?
How do the natural sleep rhythms of most adolescents sometimes conflict
with the typical high school schedule?
What do you envision will be some sleep challenges in college?
How could living in a dorm effect sleep?
How can a college student fit in 9 hours of sleep during a typical college day?
How can lack of sleep affect your high school and college experience?
o Possible answers: mood swings, academic performance, internal clock
thrown off, on a different schedule than others
What are some ways you can make sleep easier for yourself?
o Turn off electronics, make bed a quiet space, ear plugs, eye mask

Assessments:
Upon completion of the activity, ask the group the following questions to gauge
what they have gained from participating in this activity. Students should record
their answers on a piece of paper and hand it in once finished.
Write down three things they learned about the importance of sleep

Have students commit to changing something about their behavior to

improve their sleep and have them write a SMART goal that is specific,
measurable, achievable, results focused, and time-bound

Additional Resources:
Hand out the Facts, Consequences, and Solution hand out so students can
reference proper sleeping habits. Additionally, students should be encouraged to
record a sleep log to keep track of their sleeping habits.
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-diary/SleepDiaryv6.pdf
































Lesson adapted from: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/25/no-rest-for-theweary-analyzing-sleep-habits/?_r=0; Howell, M. (2015). NYU Upward Bound Program. New
York, NY; and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Nd6u39yD0

Sleep: Facts, Consequences, and Solutions

FACTS:
Sleep is vital to your well-being assists in managing stress
Biological sleep patterns shift during adolescents so its natural to not be able
to fall asleep before 11:00 pm
Teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best
Teens tend to have irregular sleep patterns across the week they typically
stay up late and sleep in late on the weekends, which can affect their
biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep

CONSEQUENCES: Not getting enough sleep or having sleep difficulties can:
Limit your ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems. You may
even forget important information like names, numbers, your homework or a
date with a special person in your life
Lack of sleep can contribute to acne and other skin problems
Lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior
Cause you to eat too much or eat unhealthy foods like sweets and fried foods
that lead to weight gain
Heighten the effects of alcohol and possibly increase use of caffeine and
nicotine
Contribute to illness, not using equipment safely or driving drowsy

SOLUTIONS:
Make sleep a priority
Naps can help pick you up and make you work more efficiently ensure
theyre not too long or too close to bedtime
Keep your room cool, quiet and dark. Let in bright light in the morning to
signal your body to wake up
Consuming caffeine close to bedtime can hurt your sleep, so avoid coffee, tea,
soda/pop and chocolate late in the day
Drowsy driving causes over 100,000 crashes each year call someone for a
ride
Establish a bed and wake-time and stick to it - A consistent sleep schedule
will help you feel less tired
Dont eat, drink, or exercise within a few hours of your bedtime.
Dont leave your homework for the last minute
Try to avoid the TV, computer and telephone in the hour before you go to
bed. Stick to quiet, calm activities, and youll fall asleep much more easily!
Try keeping a diary or to-do lists. If you jot notes down before you go to
sleep, youll be less likely to stay awake worrying or stressing



Handout adapted from: https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep