Parents attended a free workshop on anxiety and stress management, hosted by Bridgnorth Endowed’s PTA, BES Friends, last Thursday.
Delivered by Oliver Welsby, a wellbeing and mental health expert from Brightcore Consultancy, the introductory session explored the pressures that young people face in today’s challenging world.
To give some context to the issue, Oliver highlighted the latest statistics on the rising rate of mental health concerns and examined reasons why this is happening.
He covered how society has changed over the past few decades, especially with the advent of the internet, and the impact this is having on mental health.
Key areas included social media habits, changes in lifestyles, anxiety disorders, and stressful situations such as preparing for exams.
From there, the focus was firmly on practical ways that parents can understand and help their children, using simple but effective techniques to alleviate negative thinking patterns and improve general wellbeing.
The event feedback was very positive and BES Friends hopes to put on more workshops in the near future, as part of its mission to support pupils, teachers, parents and carers.
