A “SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH DAY” WITH JOSHUA WAYNE 

Prior to the pandemic, 1 in 5 adolescents already met the criteria for a mental health disorder, and suicide had become the 2nd leading cause of death in their age group. Then their world really turned upside down. 

In a 2020 study conducted by the Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 71% of parents said the pandemic had taken a toll on their child’s mental health, and mental health-related emergency department visits increased by 24% for children ages 5 to 11 and 31% for those ages 12 to 17 compared to the year before.

As we emerge from the pandemic, students – and their parents – need practical tools to help them rebound and leave these challenges in the rearview mirror. One tool in your arsenal is to give your school community A School Mental Health Day with Joshua Wayne. Joshua will come to your school and speak directly to your students during the day and will then stick around in the evening for a community town hall event.

I. THE TALK FOR MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 

Even Superheroes Get the Blues: An Honest Conversation about Mental Health

Using the inner struggles of superheroes as a conversation starter, Joshua discusses student mental health in a direct, powerful, and often humorous way your students will deeply relate to, which will challenge them and keep them talking about days to come.

Learning Outcomes: 

• Understanding they are not alone and there are solutions to every problem.
• Knowing when, how, and who to ask for help.
• Practical tools to handle stress and strengthen mental wellbeing.
• Managing tech & social media in a healthy, positive way.
• When appropriate, a frank discussion about suicide and self-harm.

II. THE TALK FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS & STAFF

Helping Kids Thrive, Even in Difficult Times: An Honest Conversation about Student Mental Health

As parents, teachers, and other caring adults in the lives of students, we all want the same thing: to see them happy, self-confident, and capable of thriving in the adult world. Using stories, practical advice, and wisdom gained from 20+ years in the field, Joshua will teach your parents & school community how to build powerful relationships with their kids that will be resilient even during the most challenging times. 

Learning Outcomes: 

• Recognizing When There’s a Problem
• Communication Tools to Get Them to both “Listen Up” and “Open up”
• Knowing How to Fight the Right Battles
• Helping Them Make Healthy Choices While Learning from Mistakes & Adversity
• Helpful Real-Time Q&A

Even Superheroes Get the Blues: An Honest Conversation about Mental Health

Using the inner struggles of superheroes as a conversation starter, Joshua discusses student mental health in a direct, powerful, and often humorous way your students will deeply relate to, which will challenge them and keep them talking about days to come.

Learning Outcomes: 

• Understanding they are not alone and there are solutions to every problem.
• Knowing when, how, and who to ask for help.
• Practical tools to handle stress and strengthen mental wellbeing.
• Managing tech & social media in a healthy, positive way.
• When appropriate, a frank discussion about suicide and self-harm.

Helping Kids Thrive, Even in Difficult Times: An Honest Conversation about Student Mental Health

As parents, teachers, and other caring adults in the lives of students, we all want the same thing: to see them happy, self-confident, and capable of thriving in the adult world. Using stories, practical advice, and wisdom gained from 20+ years in the field, Joshua will teach your parents & school community how to build powerful relationships with their kids that will be resilient even during the most challenging times. 

Learning Outcomes: 

• Recognizing When There’s a Problem
• Communication Tools to Get Them to both “Listen Up” and “Open up”
• Knowing How to Fight the Right Battles
• Helping Them Make Healthy Choices While Learning from Mistakes & Adversity
• Helpful Real-Time Q&A

On average, teens in the United States spend 7.5 hours per day in front of a screen. This amounts to 40% of their lives, and doesn’t even include time spent on school work! Research increasingly shows how this leads to increased anxiety and depression rates, mental health challenges, behavior problems, reduced social skills, and even obesity.

The problem isn’t technology, however; the problem is moderation and as the adults in their lives we have to help them set proper limits because most won’t do it for themselves. In this talk, Joshua provides practical tools for helping our kids benefit from all the good tech has to offer without getting derailed by the bad.

Learning Outcomes

• MENTAL HEALTH: Understanding the link between excessive device use and increased adolescent anxiety and depression rates.
• MODERATION: Learning practical tools to minimize excessive screen use.
• BEHAVIOR: Teaching them to use screens safely and appropriately.
• FAMILY HEALTH: Making sure we are setting the right example.
• BALANCE: How to keep them involved in healthy, non-digital activities.