Why children need therapy too
A 12-old-girl in therapy tells me: “I am always sad. There is a need to build a mental health curriculum for children in schools, where they learn about emotions, how to soothe themselves, and know that it’s okay to feel all kind of emotions. I do know of schools which on Children’s Day and World Mental Health Day choose to touch upon on some aspect of mental health, but it’s not enough, given the mental health crisis young people are facing. A mental health curriculum needs to start early on, for children as young as three or four years, where using play, toys, art, sports, and conversations, we talk about pillars of well-being, protective factors that allow for good mental health, and make space for questions which children struggle with. Mental health needs to become a part of larger conversations, whether it’s a prompt in art class, theatre, a topic for English literature class, or even a summer camp that delves into an aspect of well-being using fun, sports, and creative expression.
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