Blogs
At Balanced Schools we believe in being open about what we do. As part of that we publish regular, helpful Blog posts about looking after your mental wellbeing, CBT and counselling, and anything else we can think of that might be useful!
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Techniques: A Powerful Tool for Promoting Positive Mental Health in Educational Settings
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has gained significant traction in recent years as effective strategies for addressing mental health challenges. Their focus on the interconnectedness of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours makes them particularly well-suited for...
5 mistakes teachers make when beginning a new academic year
I have had the pleasure of being a speaker at many new academic year INSET days. Enthusiastic staff refreshed by the summer holidays (mostly), ready to welcome the eager faces of students (mostly). Often, the last thing on their mind is their own mental health.” I’m...
Promoting exercise for positive mental health? Here’s why it’s not inclusive, and it may also be wrong.
Promoting exercise for positive mental health? Here's why it's not inclusive, and it may also be wrong. Let’s be clear. I’m not saying that exercise isn’t good for mental health. I’m saying that when talking about exercise for mental health, it needs to be clear that...
5 ways teachers and support staff make a difference to the world
Working in education can be incredibly demoralising. Everyone seems to have an opinion of how ‘education’ should be done properly and it can feel like you’re constantly criticised. So I just wanted to help remind us why teachers and support staff are amazing. ...
Reasons why therapy/counselling may not work
Therapy can be a very effective way to improve mental health and wellbeing but it’s not instant. It takes time and commitment. Additionally, there are barriers to it working. There are a number of reasons why therapy may not work for everyone. Here are some of the...
Being physically strong doesn’t mean you’re mentally strong
Let’s be clear, I’m not sporty. Anyone who knows me knows that. I have no desire to complete any physical challenges to prove myself. To be physically active I undertake activities I enjoy - swimming, dancing, badminton. I don’t have any targets, I just do it. I have...
No time to relax? Here’s what you’re missing out on…
When I talk about the importance of relaxing for positive mental wellbeing I often hear cynical laughter. Time to relax? What planet are you on Garner? I don’t have time for that.
Five common mistakes teachers (and other educational staff) make when it comes to their mental health.
Teaching and working with students can be incredibly rewarding and fabulous. However, we know that anyone in education is frequently faced with challenges to their own mental health. Working with continued change, high work loads, constant demands throughout the day,...
Mental Health – the 3 worst things you can say to yourself
How often do we find that our worst critic is ourselves? I don’t know about you but I say some horrible stuff to myself at times. Quite frankly, I’m surprised I haven’t punched myself. Ironic really, because if someone else said it to us we would stop seeing them. But...
Can CBT be harmful?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a generally safe and effective form of therapy, it’s very unlikely to have caused you any emotional damage. However, no therapy is perfect and there are some potential drawbacks to CBT. CBT is about challenging your negative...