For Families and Youths
Parents and loved ones are first and foremost teachers to their children. Healthy Mind Healthy Body Resources will help families and caregivers introduce age appropriate mental health concepts gradually over the years. Available in both official languages, English and French, resources are an authorized teaching resource by several Department of Education Canadian provinces and American states for use with the Healthy Living Education Curriculum. Healthy Mind Health Body includes practical intuitive step by step guides lessons and age-appropriate activities caregivers can enjoy with their children.
One such tool is the Mental Health Continuum Model introduced in Healthy Mind Healthy Body Resource 2, Lesson 2.1, Haoyu’s Story. The lesson makes the distinction between good, declining or poor mental health, and a possible diagnosable mental health disorder. Good mental health is not just the absence of a mental health disorder. It reflects a positive state of well-being, satisfaction, approach to life, where stressful events are challenges, not difficulties. The following guide illustrates more detailed signs and indicators from wellness to possible disorder. Parents can use this tool as a guide (only) to observe if their child (or themselves) are moving to the right of the continuum.
Each person will present differently when they move down the continuum. Therefore the terminology used is “observed changes” and/or “warning signs” and not “identification or diagnosis.” This is a crucial message to prevent self-diagnosis and self-labelling. It is difficult, even for a trained professional, to diagnose certain mental health disorders, and, therefore, we strongly discourage this practice, as it is not the purpose of the tool or the program.
Signs and indicators of declining mental health do not necessarily all change together as per the column colours of the tool. However, children can use the model to see where they may be on the spectrum. If they are moving to the right of the continuum compared to their usual state, it may be a warning sign to engage in a conversation or time to seek help.
Although this tool is a simple representation of common symptoms related to common mental health challenges, the the key message here is to note any observed changes which could be affecting a child from thriving.