Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshops for Schools

Helping children and young people understand their emotions, manage stress and develop healthier ways of coping.

Some stress is a natural part of growing up. When children face manageable challenges with the right support, they can develop confidence, resilience and new skills. However, when the pressures they experience repeatedly outweigh their ability to cope, stress can begin to affect their emotional wellbeing, relationships, behaviour and learning.

My mental health and wellbeing workshops help schools create opportunities for children and young people to understand their feelings, recognise signs of stress and discover practical ways to look after their mental health.

Drawing on my experience as an integrative counsellor, school counsellor and youth worker, I deliver engaging, age-appropriate workshops that combine mental health education with mindfulness, discussion and creative, hands-on activities.

Creative, interactive and practical learning

I believe that learning about mental health should be accessible, engaging and relevant to young people’s everyday lives. Not every child finds it easy to talk about their feelings, so my workshops offer different ways to participate and express themselves.

Alongside discussion and real-life scenarios, I use creative approaches such as African drumming, rhythm, storytelling, games, drawing, movement and mindfulness exercises. These activities can help pupils explore emotions, practise listening, build connections with others and reflect on healthy ways of managing everyday challenges.

My use of African drumming brings an additional dimension to wellbeing sessions, offering opportunities to explore teamwork, communication, self-expression and cultural appreciation through shared rhythm and participation.

Workshop themes

Workshops can be tailored to the needs of your school, pupils’ ages and your existing pastoral or wellbeing priorities. Topics may include:

• Understanding mental health and emotional wellbeing.
• Recognising and managing stress, anxiety and everyday worries.
• Mindfulness, relaxation and emotional regulation.
• Building self-esteem, confidence and resilience.
• Friendships, bullying, peer pressure and belonging.
• Recognising when someone may be struggling and how to seek help.
• Understanding self-harm and responding to concerns appropriately.
• Developing empathy, communication and supportive relationships.
• Managing change, transitions and other challenges in school and at home.

Sessions can be delivered as one-off workshops or as part of a planned programme, with activities adapted for primary or secondary school pupils.

Supporting teachers and school staff

I also offer practical, thought-provoking mental health and emotional wellbeing sessions for school staff. These aim to strengthen awareness, confidence and understanding when responding to the emotional needs of children and young people.

Drawing on my counselling and educational experience, sessions can explore early recognition of distress, the importance of supportive relationships, responding sensitively to emotional and behavioural difficulties, and the school’s role in promoting positive mental health and seeking appropriate support.

Staff workshops can include discussion of realistic scenarios, reflective exercises and practical approaches that can inform everyday pastoral care. Content can be adapted to the school’s needs and existing safeguarding and mental health policies.

Experience grounded in working with young people

I bring around nine years of post-qualification counselling experience, 15 years of previous youth work experience and seven years of experience working as a school counsellor. I hold a BA in Integrative Counselling from the University of Worcester and am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

My approach is warm, inclusive and non-judgemental. I recognise that children and young people have different experiences, strengths and ways of communicating. I aim to create supportive learning environments where pupils can explore wellbeing without feeling pressured to disclose personal experiences.

Let’s work together

I offer mental health and wellbeing workshops for primary and secondary schools across Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds.

Whether you are looking for a creative pupil workshop, a focused session on a particular mental health topic or practical wellbeing training for staff, I would welcome a conversation about your school’s needs.

Contact Acorn Therapy to discuss a workshop tailored to your pupils or staff.

Workshop Fees

• 1-hour workshop: £150
• 3-hour workshop: £250

School INSET Days: Emotional Wellbeing and Mindfulness

Supporting the wellbeing of teachers so they can better support the wellbeing of their pupils.

Teaching can be rewarding, but it can also be emotionally demanding. Teachers and school staff face pressures from workloads, competing responsibilities and the daily challenge of supporting children and young people with a wide range of emotional, social and educational needs.

When stress becomes persistent, it can affect our ability to concentrate, regulate emotions, respond calmly and maintain positive relationships. Understanding how stress affects the mind and body is an important step towards developing healthier ways of coping.

Through Acorn Therapy, I offer emotional wellbeing and mindfulness workshops for school INSET days, designed to help teachers and support staff explore practical ways to look after their own wellbeing and support the emotional needs of their pupils.

Moving beyond understanding to everyday practice

Knowing about stress and mindfulness is one thing; learning to put these approaches into practice is another. Mindfulness is not a quick fix, nor is it simply about sitting quietly or trying to empty the mind. It involves developing awareness of the present moment and learning to recognise our thoughts, feelings and physical responses with greater understanding.

My workshops introduce practical, accessible activities that staff can experience for themselves, including mindfulness exercises, breathing and grounding techniques, reflection and creative approaches to emotional awareness.

I also incorporate African drumming, rhythm and other interactive activities where appropriate. These offer opportunities to explore listening, connection, shared attention and self-expression in an engaging, experiential way.

Drawing on my background in integrative counselling, school counselling and youth work, I aim to create a supportive space where staff can reflect, participate and consider which approaches may be useful in their own lives and within their school communities.

Supporting teachers and pupils

When teachers have opportunities to recognise and manage their own stress, they may find it easier to respond thoughtfully to challenging situations and create supportive relationships with pupils. Staff can also explore simple, age-appropriate ways to introduce emotional awareness, mindfulness and healthy coping strategies into everyday school life.

INSET sessions can be tailored to your school’s needs and may explore:

• Understanding stress and its effects on the mind and body.
• Recognising personal signs of stress and emotional overload.
• Practising mindfulness, grounding and relaxation techniques.
• Developing greater emotional awareness and self-regulation.
• Building supportive relationships and responding calmly to difficult situations.
• Introducing practical wellbeing activities suitable for children and young people.
• Creating a school culture that values emotional wellbeing alongside learning and achievement.

A practical, experience-led approach

I bring around nine years of post-qualification counselling experience, 15 years of previous youth work experience and seven years of experience working as a school counsellor. I hold a BA in Integrative Counselling from the University of Worcester and am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

My approach combines professional knowledge with practical activities and reflection. The aim is not to add another demand to teachers’ workloads, but to offer useful experiences and approaches that staff can adapt to their everyday lives and work with pupils.

INSET workshop guide prices

• 1-hour workshop: £150
• 3-hour workshop: £250

Workshops can be tailored to the school’s priorities, the number of participants and the time available.

I offer school wellbeing workshops across Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds.

Contact Acorn Therapy to discuss an emotional wellbeing and mindfulness workshop for your next INSET day.

Why Should Your School Take Part?

Because children’s mental health matters — in the classroom, in the playground and beyond the school gates.

Mental health affects how children learn, build friendships, manage challenges and see themselves. Schools are uniquely placed to help pupils develop emotional awareness, learn healthy coping strategies and recognise when they or someone else may need support.

The need for early understanding and support is clear:

• Around 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8–16 in England had a probable mental health disorder in 2023. https://www.england.nhs.uk/ <Cite refs={[“turn793636search6”]}/>
• Half of mental health problems are estimated to be established by age 14, highlighting the importance of support during childhood and early adolescence. <Cite refs={[“turn793636search0″,”turn793636search2”]}/>
• Mental health difficulties can affect school attendance, relationships and learning, making early recognition and appropriate support important. <Cite refs={[“turn793636search4″,”turn793636search14”]}/>

These figures represent real children, families and school communities. Behind them are young people who may be struggling quietly, finding it difficult to express their feelings or unsure where to turn for help.

What can your pupils gain?

My workshops aim to help children and young people:

• Understand mental health and recognise that emotional wellbeing is an important part of everyday life.
• Talk about feelings more confidently and reduce stigma around asking for help.
• Recognise stress and anxiety and explore practical ways of managing difficult emotions.
• Develop resilience and self-awareness while learning that asking for support is a strength.
• Build positive relationships through empathy, communication, cooperation and respect.
• Know where to turn for help, whether they are struggling themselves or concerned about a friend.

Through discussion, real-life scenarios, mindfulness and creative activities, I make these subjects accessible and relevant to pupils’ everyday experiences.

Mindfulness: A Practical Skill for School Life

Mindfulness is not a cure-all, nor does it mean emptying the mind or making difficult feelings disappear. It involves learning to pay attention to the present moment, notice thoughts and feelings, and respond with greater awareness rather than automatically reacting.

When introduced appropriately and practised regularly, mindfulness may help children and young people develop skills in attention, emotional awareness and managing stress. Evidence and outcomes vary, so it is important to use mindfulness as one part of a wider approach to wellbeing rather than a replacement for individual support when needed. NICE guidance includes consideration of universal interventions informed by mindfulness and cognitive behavioural approaches in education. <Cite refs={[“turn793636search14”]}/>

How mindfulness can support pupils

With age-appropriate activities and supportive guidance, pupils can explore ways to:

• Recognise feelings and physical signs of stress.
• Pause and respond more thoughtfully to difficult situations.
• Develop awareness of attention and concentration.
• Explore simple techniques for relaxation and grounding.
• Strengthen self-awareness and understanding of others.
• Build practical habits that support everyday wellbeing.

Not every activity suits every child. My approach is flexible and inclusive, allowing pupils to engage in ways that feel comfortable for them.

Beyond Sitting Still: Creative Wellbeing Through African Drumming

Mindfulness and emotional wellbeing do not have to involve sitting quietly. Some children engage more readily through movement, rhythm, creative expression and shared activities.

This is where my workshops offer something distinctive.

Drawing on my counselling and youth work experience, I incorporate African drumming, rhythm, storytelling, games and other creative activities to create engaging opportunities for pupils to explore listening, cooperation, communication and self-expression.

Drumming can help bring a group together and provide a starting point for conversations about feelings, relationships and working as a team. Combined with reflection and practical wellbeing techniques, these activities offer a different way to approach mental health education.

Bring Emotional Wellbeing to Your School

I offer tailored workshops for primary and secondary schools across Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds. Sessions can be adapted to your pupils’ ages, your school’s priorities and the time available.

Whether you want to introduce mental health awareness, explore mindfulness, support emotional resilience or offer pupils a creative wellbeing experience, I would welcome a conversation about your needs.

Guide prices

• 1-hour workshop: £150
• 3-hour workshop: £250

Contact Acorn Therapy to discuss a workshop for your school.

Emotional wellbeing and mindfulness in schools is not just about children and students; it is also very much about those who care for them like the teachers in this case.

• Attention; Strengthens our “mental muscle” for bringing the focus back where we want it when we want it.
• Compassion; Awareness of our own thoughts, emotions, and senses grows our understanding of what other people are experiencing.
• Emotional Regulation; Observing our emotions helps us recognize when they occur, to see their transient nature, and to change how we respond to them.
• Calming; Breathing and other mindfulness practices relax the body and mind, giving access to peace independent of external circumstances.
• Adaptability; Becoming aware of our patterns enables us to gradually change habitual behaviours wisely.
• Resilience; Seeing things objectively reduces the amount of narrative we add to the world’s natural ups and downs, giving us greater balance.

Our workshops are designed for under-resourced public schools in the UK  facing high turnover rates and toxic stress. We offer teachers practical skills for self-care, facilitation, and connecting with students, providing simple, effective mindfulness practices that can be integrated into the classroom day and adapted for diverse environments.

Our creative mindfulness workshops use innovative techniques to provide Teachers and Students with the tools to practice mindfulness and breathing techniques both at school and at home. We encourage children to talk about their feelings and puts in place tools to help manage stress.

• Explore the concept of mindfulness
• Take part in basic mindfulness exercises that can be used in the classroom
• Explore resilience, and skills and strategies that will help to be resilient
• Explore how to communicate how they are feeling
• Hands-on Practical, inclusive mindful African drumming and music-making
• Have a fun day!

My Mindfulness workshops are designed to maximise participation. This workshop includes props and accessories to aid learning

Are you interested in bringing these benefits to your school community?
Please get in touch today by clicking here to fill in a contact form and take a step towards a happier school.