Family Wellbeing
The NHS website has lots of useful information about mental wellbeing and steps you can take to improve this.
We all need good mental health and wellbeing, it is essential to us living a happy life. Often people think you should only look after you mental health if you are struggling, or feeling low, anxious or stressed. However, it is actually something we should be thinking about all the time like we do with out physical health.
As a parent, especially as a parent of a child with special needs it can at times be difficult to prioritise your mental wellbeing and make time for yourself, however, it is important to do so.
The NHS website outlines 5 steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing:
Connect- Connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
Be active- You don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
Keep Learning- Learn a new skill that can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course or start learning to play a musical instrument.
Give to others- even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help build new social networks.
Be mindful- be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness 'mindfulness.' It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
At Marlborough School, our Family Support Worker, Rebecca Donaghey is available to help with any issues you may be experiencing, including sourcing support for you and your child and referring to any services you may need.
Please see the page below for more information about the support Rebecca can offer:
Please also see the websites below for services that can support you with your mental wellbeing: