mental health and wellbeing assignment

28 Mental Health Games, Activities & Worksheets (& PDF)

Despite this, increasing mental health awareness is crucial as it can have many positive outcomes.

For example, one study examining a British anti-stigma campaign found that people who were more familiar with the campaign were more likely to feel comfortable disclosing mental health issues to family, friends, or an employer, and were also more likely to seek professional help (Henderson et al., 2017).

Fortunately, there are all sorts of ways to learn about mental health issues, whether one is an introvert, an extrovert, or somewhere in between.

This article will cover tools that can supplement mental health interventions, worksheets and activities that help people learn about mental health, books dealing with mental health for adults and children, Facebook groups for mental health issues, and finally World Mental Health Day activities and events.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values and self-compassion and will give you the tools to enhance the mental health of your clients, students or employees.

This Article Contains:

5 tools for mental health interventions.

• 5 Mental Health Worksheets & Awareness Activities (PDF)

5 Most Popular Books About Mental Health

• 5 Most Popular Children’s Books About Mental Health

Facebook Groups for Mental Health

World mental health day ideas for schools and workplaces, a take-home message.

Here are some tools that will help a psychotherapy treatment plan go more smoothly for both the client and the clinician:

1. Thought Record Worksheet

This PDF is a way to record one’s thoughts and reflect on them. It asks the user to log their emotions and thoughts as well as what was going on to make them feel that way, then has the user reflect on whether or not there is evidence to back up their automatic thoughts. This could be a valuable supplement to a psychotherapist-led CBT treatment, but could also help people teach themselves about CBT .

In fact, one study has shown that thought records are an effective way to modify beliefs, even when used by themselves and not in conjunction with a CBT treatment plan (McManus et al., 2012). Find the Thought Record Worksheet here.

2. The Feeling Wheel

The Feeling Wheel is a simple printout with 72 feelings sorted into 6 groups: angry, sad, scared, joyful, peaceful, and powerful. Represented as a colorful pie, it can be an excellent tool for psychotherapy clients who have difficulty articulating or expressing their feelings.

While this can make it easier for clients to describe their relationships and experiences outside of therapy, it can also help them give immediate feedback on how they feel during a session.

This technique is commonly used to help clients identify emotions, expand their emotional vocabulary, and develop their emotional regulation (Kircanski et al., 2012).

3. Daily Mood Tracker

This Daily Mood Tracker was developed for people dealing with anger management issues but can be helpful for anyone who wants to track their mood.

It splits the day up into several two-hour blocks and asks the user to track their emotions, as well as allowing for notes to explain these moods.

This can also be helpful for clients who have trouble expressing themselves but can provide valuable self-reflection opportunities for anybody. Interestingly, some research has even shown that depressed clients can improve their mood by tracking it (Harmon et al., 1980).

4. Self-Care Checkup

This worksheet is a self-report Self-Care Checkup that therapists can give their clients after each appointment, to fill in between the sessions. The client is meant to consider the activities they are engaging in to keep up good mental health and wellbeing.

While many could be considered routine, such as exercising or getting sufficient sleep, they can often be neglected when they matter most – during times of stress.

This way, the Self-Care Checkup invites clients to become more aware of the frequency with which they practice self-care, categorizing these activities into five groups:

• Professional; and
• Spiritual self-care.

By filling it out regularly, clients can compare their self-care practices from week to week, spotting areas for development and brainstorming more activities that might help them maintain their mental health.

5. Preventing Mental Health Relapse

This is a worksheet that can help clients learn more about possible mental health relapse. It can be used near the end of a therapy treatment plan to help the client recognize a relapse when it is coming, but can also teach strategies to avoid relapse.

This would likely be most helpful for mental health issues that flare up at specific times (as opposed to more chronic mental health issues), and can also be helpful during treatment changes.

For example, patients with anxiety disorders receiving both psychotherapy and antidepressants are at risk of relapse when they discontinue their antidepressant treatment (Batelaan et al., 2017).

Download and use this Preventing Mental Health Relapse activity here.

5 Mental Health Games & Awareness Activities (PDF)

One way to get around this is to have them complete worksheets or participate in activities related to mental health awareness, so they can learn in a more hands-on way.

These worksheets and activities are excellent for cultivating mental health awareness:

1. Mindfulness Exercises For Children

This article includes a huge collection of easy mindfulness exercises that children can do to learn more about mindfulness. It includes activities for teachers, parents, caregivers, and teenagers, along with a host of meditation scripts, books, quotes, and more.

Check out the following, too, for some great ways to get children thinking about mindfulness, while subtly introducing them to mental health issues more broadly: 18 Mindfulness Games, Worksheets and Activities for Kids .

2. Mental Illness: Myths and Reality

Mental Illness – Myths and Reality is a helpful lesson plan for teachers who want to educate students about mental illness stigma.

This activity requires less than 30 minutes and very little preparation – it’s also great for any class size and can be a useful talking point to start insightful discussions around mental health.

It includes 8 myths and 8 facts about mental illness for students to sort out in pairs, to distinguish between common misconceptions and objective facts about diagnosis and life with a mental health condition.

3. Exercise and Mental Health

Exercise and Mental Health  introduces younger children to the importance of exercise and physical activity, illustrating how they go hand-in-hand before giving suggestions for students who want to get more active on a daily basis.

This informational resource is a great handout as part of a lesson about mental health.

4. Understanding Mental Health Stigma

Introducing youths to the concept of stigma can be quite tough, but it’s important.

This Understanding Mental Health Stigma sheet can be used as an aid to help raise awareness of the stigma that surrounds mental illness , as well as what it looks like.

5. Mental Health Management Bingo

Mental Health Management Bingo  is a fun classroom game that can be played with slightly older students.

While it aims to raise awareness about the importance of positive coping strategies, it can also be a great way for students to bond with one another and discover new, healthy ways to look after their mental health..

To play, students require a copy of each sheet and a pencil, and each Bingo square worksheet contains 22 positive coping mechanisms that are related to maintaining good mental health. It’s easy for students to play, and just as easy for teachers or parents to join in!

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We suggest picking at least one of these popular to broaden your understanding of mental health.

1. Mental Health Emergencies: A Guide to Recognizing and Handling Mental Health Crises – Nick Benas and Michele Hart

Written by a mental health associate and a social worker, this book aims to help people recognize mental health crises in the people around them.

This book also aims to teach the reader how to support people in the midst of a mental health crisis.

The authors targeted this book to teachers, human resources workers and other professionals who are concerned with the mental wellbeing of other people, but it can be helpful for anyone who wishes to know more about mental health.

Find the book on Amazon .

2. Ten Days in a Mad-House – Nellie Bly

This book details investigative reporter Nellie Bly’s exposé of a New York City insane asylum in the late 1800s.

In the book, the author details how she checked into a boarding house, feigned insanity and was promptly declared insane and sent to an insane asylum.

Bly spent 10 days in the asylum, during which she uncovered the horrific conditions that patients were subjected to, causing the city and the country to reevaluate how they treated the mentally ill.

This book illustrates how horribly mental health patients were treated in the late 1800s, but can also cause the reader to think about how society treats mental health issues today.

3. Stigma: The Many Faces Of Mental Illness – Joy Bruce M.D.

This book, from a doctor with a mood disorder, aims to educate people about mental health issues and ultimately destigmatize mental health issues.

The book describes various mental health disorders and the nuances of them, making it a great educational book.

The author also discusses a wide variety of people with mental health issues, breaking down stereotypes about mental health along the way. This is a great book for someone who wants to understand more about mental health issues in themselves or others.

4. Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s – John Elder Robison

This memoir discusses the author’s experience of living with Asperger’s syndrome.

The author was not diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome until he was 40 years old, so before then he just lived as someone who felt that he could not connect very well with others for some reason but displayed an affinity for machines and electronics.

This book is an excellent way to gain some insight into the world of Asperger’s syndrome and may help the reader better understand someone in their life who deals with Asperger’s syndrome.

5. Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat – Oliver Sacks and Jonathan Davis

This book from Oliver Sacks is a pop psychology classic. In it, Sacks discusses a few different cases of mental health disorders, focusing on the person rather than the disorder the whole way through.

This is an excellent book for learning about mental health disorders in a way that doesn’t necessarily otherize people with mental health issues. The book’s scope also makes it a great introduction to mental health disorders.

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5 Most Popular Children’s Books About Mental Health

Nurturing an understanding of mental health from a young age can be done with these great reads.

1. Can I Catch It Like a Cold?: Coping With a Parent’s Depression – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Joe Weissmann

This book from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Canada is aimed at children whose parents struggle with depression.

The book describes what depression is and is not, and gives the reader strategies to cope with the situation. It is aimed at children as young as five years old and can be a child’s first official introduction to mental health disorders.

2. Dear Allison : Explaining Mental Illness to Young Readers – Emma Northup Flinn

This book discusses mental health in an adventurous, conversational way that can help children start to understand the subject.

Written from the perspective of the reader’s cousin (who has teamed up with an ant to explore mental health issues across parts of the United States), this is another excellent book for introducing children to mental health.

The book is partially a collection of letters from the narrator to her nine-year-old cousin, “Allison”, so this book is definitely appropriate for children as young as 9 to start learning about mental health.

3. Marvin’s Monster Diary: ADHD Attacks! (But I Rock It, Big Time) – Raun Melmed, Annette Sexton, and Jeff Harvey

This book is an excellent way to teach children as young as 7 years old about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), particularly if they have it.

Aside from helping children understand ADHD, it offers a mindfulness-based solution the author calls ST4 – “Stop, Take Time To Think”.

This book is an excellent resource for children with ADHD to learn more about themselves and strategies they can use every day to focus.

4. How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids – Tom Rath, Mary Reckmeyer, and Maurie J. Manning

This book was written by Tom Rath, an important author in positive psychology and particularly strengths finding (as he wrote StrengthsFinder 2.0).

It is a children’s adaptation of another one of his popular books, How Full Is Your Bucket?, which claims that people can either “fill your bucket” with positivity or “dip from your bucket” with negativity.

This is an excellent book to show kids how social interactions can affect their self-esteem and wellbeing, and how the way they treat people can affect the self-esteem and wellbeing of others.

5. Please Explain Anxiety to Me! Simple Biology and Solutions for Children and Parents – Laurie E. Zelinger, Jordan Zelinger, and Elisa Sabella

This book, co-authored by a play therapist and a child psychologist, aims to explain anxiety to children in a simplified but still accurate way.

This means describing the physiology of anxiety in a way that children as young as 5 can start to understand.

It also includes some actionable exercises that children can use when they are feeling anxious. This book can help children deal with their own anxiety and learn some concrete psychology along the way.

Sometimes, the best thing for someone struggling with mental health issues is the ability to reach out to someone who will understand them.

Facebook is great for this, as people can start community-based groups focused around mental health issues.

That said, as is always the case with the internet, anybody can contribute to these groups, which has the potential to be harmful to members of that group.

For that reason, we have only highlighted closed groups (as opposed to open groups), which require admin approval to join. This way, it is more likely that someone will find a group full of people who only want to help.

Someone looking for a Facebook group to discuss mental health should try joining one of these:

Adult ADHD/ADD Support Group… By Reach2Change

This is a support group for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Anxiety/Depression Mental Health Support Group

This is a support group for people (18+) who struggle with depression or anxiety .

Bipolar Disorder

This is a support group for people with bipolar disorder, people who know someone with bipolar disorder, or people who want to learn more about bipolar disorder.

Mental Health Inspiration (Support & Awareness)

This is a support group for people with all sorts of mental health issues, as well as people who wish to be an ally or learn more about mental health.

PTSD Buddies

This is a support group for people (19+) with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

30 Minute relaxing yoga for mental health – Jessica Richburg

October 10th is World Mental Health Day.

The objective of this important day is to spread awareness about mental health issues, express thanks to mental health care providers, and do more to make mental health care a reality for those who need it. Overall, the day represents a valuable opportunity to start a dialog about mental health with others in your life.

If you’re a teacher, manager, or principal looking for ways to start this conversation in your school or workplace, here are four ideas to get started.

Yoga and pilates have both been shown to reduce a range of mental health symptoms, such as fatigue and feelings of anxiety, while simultaneously increasing feelings of energy (Fleming & Herring, 2018; Hagen & Nayar, 2014).

To leverage these benefits, consider bringing in a yoga or pilates expert (or linking up with a nearby studio) to do a guided class with your staff or students.

Host a charity event

There are many charitable organizations around the world that are working hard to provide mental health support to those who may otherwise not have access to it.

To help, you can work with your students or staff to identify a cause they feel passionate about and run an event to raise money for a worthy cause. For example, consider hosting a raffle, games evening, cake stall, or fete open to the public.

Wellness gift exchange

A simple gift can do a lot to start a conversation, so consider hosting a wellness gift exchange.

To start, randomly assign your students or staff a ‘gift buddy.’ If you like, you can make the identity of gift-givers and receivers anonymous, much like a Secret Santa, by having your staff or students draw names from a hat.

Next, allocate a spending limit and have each person purchase a gift for someone else. The focus of the gift should encourage the recipient to relax and take some time out for him or herself. Examples of good gifts include movie tickets, a pampering face mask, or a soap and candle gift basket.

Information sessions

Teaching children how to start a conversation with someone about mental health is a skill that can serve them for a lifetime. At the same time, the stigma associated with mental illness may act as a barrier for adults to start a conversation with someone they’re concerned about or seek help.

To help, consider bringing in a mental health speaker or expert and host an information session. The aim of the session should be to connect your students or staff to resources and give them the skills to check in with the mental health of those they care about.

Further, you can take this opportunity to remind your students or staff about internal support services in your school or office, such as forms of personal leave or internal counselors.

In addition to the ideas above, it is likely that public spaces around you, such as libraries and community centers, will have planned events around World Mental Health Day. So consider linking up with groups in your local community to support this important cause.

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At the end of the day, nobody can know everything there is to know about mental health issues. The key is constantly being willing to learn, so that you know how to help when someone you love deals with mental health issues, and have the strategies to deal with your own mental health issues if and when they arise.

Some people prefer reading books, others prefer more hands-on learning such as worksheets, and still, others just prefer going out and talking to people. No matter what type of learning you prefer, the important thing is that you make an effort to make this world a better place for everyone, no matter what mental health issues they are or aren’t facing.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

• Batelaan, N.M., Bosman, R.C., Muntingh, A., Scholten, W.D., Huijbregts, K.M., van Balkom, A.J.L.M. (2017). Risk of relapse after antidepressant discontinuation in anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis of relapse prevention trials. BMJ, 358(1) , j3927.
• Fleming, K. M., & Herring, M. P. (2018). The effects of pilates on mental health outcomes: A meta-analysis of controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine , 37, 80-95.
• Hagen, I., & Nayar, U. S. (2014). Yoga for children and young people’s mental health and well-being: research review and reflections on the mental health potentials of yoga. Frontiers in Psychiatry , 5.
• Harmon, T.M., Nelson, R.O., Hayes, S.C. (1980). Self-monitoring of mood versus activity by depressed clients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48(1) , 30-38.
• Henderson, C., Robinson, E., Evans-Lacko, S., Thornicroft, G. (2017). Relationships between anti-stigma programme awareness, disclosure comfort and intended help-seeking regarding a mental health problem. British Journal of Psychiatry, 211(5) , 316-322.
• Kaduson, H.G., Schaefer, C.E. (Eds.). (2003). 101 favorite play therapy techniques. Volume III. Lanham, MA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
• Kircanski, K., Lieberman, M. D., & Craske, M. G. (2012). Feelings into words: contributions of language to exposure therapy. Psychological Science, 23 (10), 1086.
• Lambert, M.J. (2015). Progress Feedback and the OQ-System: The Past and the Future. Psychotherapy, 52(4) , 381-390.
• McManus, F., Van Doorn, K., Yiend, J. (2012). Examining the effects of thought records and behavioral experiments in instigating belief change. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 43(1) , 540-547.

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3 Positive Psychology Tools (PDF)

C~LLEGE MENTAL HEALTH TOOLKIT

The MHC College Student Mental Health Toolkit is designed to equip college students with the resources, services, and support needed to thrive as they transition into the beginning of adult life.  Inside this toolkit, you will find key background information on college students’ mental health as it stands in 2023. You will also find tips for students on maintaining their mental health and well-being and advice for fostering mental health awareness on every college campus. Our aim is to provide students with digestible, accessible information to support their mental health journey and overall college experience. 

• College Mental Health Facts
• Daily Mental Health Tips for Students
• Take Action on Campus

introduction

Mental health of college students.

The college experience provides a unique setting for young adults to continue their education and foster their personal growth and independence. Without the same level of supervision from parents, college students are presented with the opportunity to live with more freedom. With this newfound freedom can come new challenges. College students are one of the most vulnerable populations when it comes to mental health concerns . Although campuses have resources and programs tailored to their student body, students do not always know about them or seek them out. According to a 2019 study by the Healthy Minds Network, 53% of college students had not heard anything about the quality of counseling services on their campuses. 

The Mental Health Coalition is a group of passionate influential organizations, brands, and individuals who have come together to end the stigma surrounding mental health and transform the way we talk about mental illness.

~ COLLEGE MENTAL HEALTH FACTS

The College Student Mental Health Crisis: What to Know

Today’s generation of college students and young adults are much more open about their mental health and wellbeing compared to older generations, getting us closer to breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness. Despite this openness, various mental health conditions that aren’t anxiety and depression are still highly stigmatized and many young people suffer in silence. With 73% of college students experiencing some form of mental illness during their academic journey, it’s critical that mental health conversations and resources reach those who need help navigating their struggles.

Scroll through this carousel for some important statistics:

Almost one-third of college students report having felt so depressed that they had trouble functioning.

More than 80% of college students feel overwhelmed by their workload.

The demand for counseling services is growing 5 times faster than average student enrollment.

Only 25% of students with a mental health problem seek help.

Anxiety continues to be the most common diagnosis of the students that seek services at university counseling centers.

Common Mental Health Issues Facing College Students

People living with depression experience symptoms such as decreased interest or pleasure in activities they previously enjoyed , lack of energy, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness. For college students, symptoms may also include difficulty completing schoolwork and lack of participation in school clubs and organizations. 

DBSA offers free, online support groups to give people living with depression a safe, welcoming place to share experiences, discuss coping skills, and offer each other hope.

People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry. Anxiety often manifests through physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat. Overnight, college students separate from their life at home with parents and longtime friends. They also face many new challenges, such as living with roommates, managing heavy workloads, and developing an independent identity. These external stressors contribute to a college student’s levels of anxiety. 

To learn more about anxiety and find support, visit ADAA .

Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, and the 2nd leading cause of death among young people . Even for people without a serious mental disorder, the stress of an independent environment like college can lead to suicidal thoughts.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Or, contact Crisis Text Line by texting ‘COALITION’ to 741741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor. You can also find local and international hotlines and crisis centers here .

Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is any disorder characterized primarily by a pathological disturbance of attitudes and behaviors related to food, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. According to the National Eating Disorders Association , 20% of women and 10% of men in college struggle with an eating disorder . For more information on eating disorder symptoms and treatments, check out this Crisis Text Line article. 

The National Alliance for Eating Disorders offers free, therapist-led support groups for individuals who are experiencing and recovering from eating disorders, as well as loved ones.

The American Psychological Association defines addiction as a state of psychological or physical dependence (or both) on the use of alcohol or other drugs. Nearly half of college students meet the criteria for at least one form of addiction . Addiction can be devastating for college students, who may turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the stresses of their reality. Binge drinking is a common form of addiction found on American campuses. Stimulant medications , such as Adderall, are also commonly used other than prescribed by college students.

To learn more about addiction, visit Shatterproof. Find an addiction treatment center through the Shatterproof Treatment Atlas .

For more information on mental illness and mental wellbeing, refer to the Mental Health Coalition’s Roadmap to Mental Health.

You can also visit your college’s counseling or health services center to receive support on campus.

Mental Health and Academic Achievement

A few facts about how academic performance may be impacted by mental health:

Common student mental health conditions — such as depression and anxiety — are strong predictors of negative academic outcomes (GPA). 

Students who screen at-risk for depression are twice as likely to leave college without graduating. 

At the same time, mental health does not discriminate based on GPA ; high-achieving students often fly under the radar when it comes to mental illness, given that faculty, parents, and peers often assume that their high grades indicate stable mental health.

The Impact of COVID-19

COVID‐19 has taken a dramatic toll on college students’ well‐being. Based on a 2020 survey conducted by Active Minds, 20% of college students say that their mental health declined as a result of the pandemic. 

48% of college students experienced financial setbacks as a result of the pandemic. 

For more information about COVID-19 and mental health, view MHC’s COVID-19 Mental Health Resources .

What are the barriers to seeking help?

Mental health problems are highly stigmatized for people of all ages. College students in particular may worry about their reputation, fearing judgment from peers or faculty for displaying symptoms of a mental health disorder. 

When it comes to mental health issues facing BIPOC individuals, distress may be increasingly exacerbated due to a structural lockout of resources and cultural attitudes towards mental health awareness. The Mental Health Coalition compiled a list of BIPOC Mental Health Resources for students in need of additional resources. 

Since mental health impacts all aspects of life, it also overlaps with gender and sexual identity. For LGBTQIA+ specific mental health resources, check out MHC’s Roadmap to LGBTQ Mental Health.   

LACK OF SERVICES

College campuses have very limited clinical services and mental health personnel for their students. This is often a result of insufficient funding. Insurance limitations, too, prevent students from seeking the services that are available on campus as many student health plans provide minimal mental health care. 

LACK OF INFORMATION

Most students and parents have minimal knowledge about how and where to get help, especially if mental health care isn’t something a student’s family has experience with.

~ DAILY MENTAL HEALTH TIPS FOR STUDENTS

Practicing Self-Care in College

Self-care is defined as the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.

Self-care is crucial to maintaining one’s mental and physical health. When we practice self-care, we do so with the intention of taking care of our mind, body, and soul by engaging in activities that bring us joy and reduce stress levels. Practicing self-care helps us value and love ourselves, ultimately resulting in a more full and vibrant life. 

In college, self-care can be a difficult thing to prioritize. With newfound freedom from parents, intense academic obligations, and extracurricular activities, college students often forget to check in with themselves. It’s important to remember that self-care is not always done aesthetically. When people picture self-care, they often associate it with luxurious pampering activities like taking a warm bubble bath or cooking a fancy dinner. At college, however, self-care may look a little different. Many college students don’t have access to warm bath tubs and kitchens full of their favorite foods. Below, scroll through our list of 10 self-care practices that are free and accessible to college students. Many of these activities involve spending time alone, separated from academic studies, and are meant to help college students reset their mind and improve overall wellness.

Go for a walk

Exercise is important for both your mind and body. Not only does it activate muscles and increase energy levels, walking can also be a great way to clear the mind. Try going for a walk around campus, finding a nearby hiking trail, or exploring a nearby city.

Schedule social time

A critical element of mental health and wellbeing is maintaining important social connections. Make an effort to see your friends outside of scheduled classes and extracurricular activities. 

Maintain a healthy sleep schedule

Getting enough sleep is one of the most prominent struggles for college students. Create a consistent night routine that promotes relaxation and aim for 7-9 hours of good sleep. This can be a hard goal for many stressed students to accomplish; taking timed naps can also help improve mood and stress levels. 

Keep a journal

Journaling is one of the most beneficial ways to connect with oneself and promote feelings of gratitude. Try writing down things you are grateful for, things you love about yourself, and anything else that makes you feel hopeful and grounded. (P.S.- Journaling doesn’t have to be done in a notebook. Record a voice memo on your phone if that suits your desire more!) 

Watch something

Sometimes, the best way to practice self-care is by allowing yourself to tune out of this world and into another one. Try watching a show or movie that brings you joy and peace, allowing yourself to escape the stresses of reality for a couple hours. 

Do some yoga

Practicing yoga is a great way to connect with your body and enhance your breathing. It can also be done from anywhere, including a twin dorm bed! Check out this 25-minute yoga practice by YouTuber Jessica Richburg that can be done easily from the comfort of your bed.

Clean your space

Try putting on a podcast or music and cleaning your room. The act of cleaning can be therapeutic itself, and a clean space makes for a clear mind. 

Even if art isn’t your forte, spending time doodling or painting is a great way to relax and escape. Try Color Therapy , an app created in partnership with Mental Health America, to promote relaxation and mindfulness through social coloring and painting.

Practice breathing exercises

If you only have 3-5 minutes but are in need of some self-care, try engaging in breathing exercises. Breathing exercises are a great way to relieve tension and don’t require a lot of time or space. There are many exercises that you can experiment with, such as box breathing , belly breathing , and 4-7-8 breathing . Try to find one that works best for you. 

Try the Pomodoro Technique

If taking a full break from work and studying isn’t possible, try alternating 20-minute work sessions with 5-minute breaks. During these breaks, you can drink water, eat a quick snack, or stretch for a few minutes. You can also use the five minutes to simply play a game on your phone or scroll through social media for a bit. There are a multitude of YouTube videos that can help you follow this technique, such as this video that includes relaxing study music. 

For additional information on the ins and outs of self-care, check out MHC’s Roadmap to Self-Care .

WHO TO TALK TO

Don’t wait to seek out mental health support. There are resources available on and off campus, whether you’re in crisis or just want to talk to someone.

Search online for your college’s counseling  services , operating hours, and locations

Confide in a trusted professor , especially if your schoolwork is being affected

Talk to your dorm’s Resident Advisor (RA) if you have one — they’re there to help

Reach out to trusted peers about your feelings — they may be going through something similar

National Resources

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988

Crisis Text Line — Text ‘COALITION’ to 741741

TrevorSpace — an affirming, online community for LGBTQ+ people 13-24 years old

~ TAKE ACTION ON CAMPUS

How to implement mental health awareness on your campus.

The student population is the lifeblood of the college community. It is often the students who push for change, who endeavor to make the necessary shifts in campus environments, who influence policy. As such, MHC recognizes the importance of student-led organizations and student leaders in mobilizing change and social justice awareness on campus, and seeks to lay out methods of mental health action that take into consideration the importance of student involvement.

Share your story. If you’re comfortable sharing your journey about mental health with your community, it may help others feel safe opening up to you about their own struggles. Posting about mental health awareness on your social media is another great way to normalize these conversations! 

Learn to support a friend. If a friend feels comfortable sharing their mental health journey with you, learn how to better support them with the Mental Health Coalition’s Roadmap to Friends Supporting Friends . 

Connect with student leaders. Reach out to student leaders of mental health organizations on campus. These people may be looking for more help in their organization. Student leaders are also great people to collaborate with on any new mental health projects.

Work with faculty and staff. Ask your professors how they’re participating in mental health conversations in classroom settings. If they’re not, offer your thoughts on how they can watch out for their students’ mental health. Request that they include information on campus mental health resources in their syllabi, to ensure all students see information about resources available to them.

Organize a Q&A. Invite students to write in their anonymous questions about college mental health. Partner with a school counselor or psychology professor to answer these questions, either at an on-campus event or through a video shared with students via email.

Amplify mental health action in Greek life. If you or someone you know is connected to Greek life on campus, brainstorm ways to create conversations about mental health within that social sphere. For example, someone could organize a workshop for different Greek life groups about how Greek life impacts mental health and how students can improve their overall wellbeing. 

Join or start an Active Minds chapter on your campus to lead discussion groups and programs about mental health. 

~ LEARN MORE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Check out the Mental Health Coalition’s searchable Resource Library database for information and tools about a variety of mental health conditions and populations.

Below is a list of additional mental health resources for college students: 

Bring Change to Mind

Bring Change to Mind is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging dialogue about mental health. 

The American College Health Association

The American College Health Association is a nationally recognized, long running survey of college student mental health to help people understand and access the most recent youth mental health research.

10 Top Online Therapy Picks for 2022 by Healthline provides insight into the best online therapy services of 2022. 

VeryWellMind

A List of Hotlines You Can Contact When You Need Help by VeryWellMind includes information about mental health hotlines to call depending on your needs. 

Go Ask Alice!

Go Ask Alice! allows people to ask questions anonymously about general health and other topics, including relationships, sexuality, sexual health, emotional health, fitness, nutrition, alcohol, and drugs. 

The Body is Not an Apology

The Body is Not an Apology is an international movement committed to   increasing self-acceptance and body empowerment. 

This toolkit was authored in 2022 by The Mental Health Coalition’s college interns who are passionate about making mental health a comfortable topic of conversation for young people: Zoey FitzGerald Kidwell; Ashlee Bonsi; Sequoia Ahren; and Julitta Scheel.

Reviewed by the MHC Research Team: Naomi Torres-Mackie, Ph.D.; Khyia Ward, M.Ed., LAC; and Anna Marie Fennell, M.Ed., MHC-LP.

If you or a friend need urgent assistance, call 911 immediately, or take your friend directly to the emergency room. If you feel it’s safe, stay with your friend, or find someone to stay with them until help arrives.

You are never alone. Help is always available. For immediate support 24/7, reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting COALITION to 741741, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. It’s free and it’s highly confidential, unless it’s essential to contact emergency services to keep you or your friend safe.

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How Does Your Environment Affect Your Mental Health?

Verywell / Laura Porter

• How It Works
• Environmental Factors
• When Change Is Needed
• Changes for Mental Health
• When You Can't Change Your Environment

Frequently Asked Questions

The environment and mental health and intrinsically connected. The places where you spend a lot of time—home, work, school, and even socially—can have a significant impact on your mental well-being. In psychology, these are referred to as environmental factors of mental health and are the main focus of study for environmental psychologists.

Identifying the environmental factors that can affect you psychologically can shed light on whether the locations you frequent are contributing to or detracting from your mental wellness. It can also help you recognize if changes are needed to start feeling better mentally and emotionally.

The Environment and Mental Health

In some cases, environmental factors impact mental wellness by changing brain structure and function . Research on children supports this, noting that children raised in adverse environments tend to have hindered brain development, increasing their risk of memory issues, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.

Environmental factors can also affect our mental health in the way they impact us psychologically. Your environment might raise or lower your stress levels, for instance. This can change your mental wellness overall, either serving to protect your psychological health or opening the door for mental illness to set in.

The world around you can help protect you from mental illness or it may be a catalyst for mental health issues to form.

April Snow , LMFT, explains that mental health can be impacted by anything in your environment, but the most notable factors include: 

• Aesthetics : Cluttered spaces can create feelings of overwhelm and anxiety, while tidy spaces can invoke a sense of calm. Having colors and objects in your environment that are meaningful can also boost mood says Snow. 
• Sensory : "The lighting, temperature, sounds, smells, and color palette of an environment are very important to how comfortable, relaxed, and safe you feel,” Snow says. For example, harsh lighting and loud noises can lead to anxiety or agitation, while dark and cold spaces can lead to feeling unmotivated—especially in the winter. 
• People : Indirect or inconsistent communication, conflicts, and unreliable people in the environment can be very stressful to manage. Conversely, sharing a space with someone you trust, such as a partner or spouse, roommate, friend, or loved one, can create a sense of calm according to Snow. 
• Culture and values : “It’s important for people to connect with others that share their culture and values and to be understood at a deeper level,” Snow says. Otherwise, feelings of isolation and depression can arise. 
• Familiarity : If something in the environment, such as a difficult relationship or disorganization, reminds you of a difficult time, Snow says you may feel triggered by old feelings like anxiety. However, positive associations in the environment such as family keepsakes, photos, or familiar objects can boost mood and create a sense of connection. 

Environmental Factors That Affect Mental Health

Several things in our environment can impact our mental health, either directly or indirectly. These environmental factors exist where we live, work, go to school, and spend our time socially.

Home Environment

The home environment includes more than just your physical dwelling. “Our environment is a combination of both physical factors such as where you live and the people around you," says Rachelle Scott , MD, medical director of psychiatry at Eden Health , "both in your home but also on a wider community scale.”  

Home-based environmental factors that can have a significant impact on mental health include:

• Climate . This includes the general temperatures where you live, the amount of sunlight you get, and your exposure to natural disasters. Climate change is also connected with greater mental health issues. The rising temperatures are associated with higher rates of aggression and violent suicides, for instance, with an increased frequency of disasters contributing to the development of depression, adjustment disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Crime levels . If you live in an area with a lot of crime, you may feel the impacts mentally. Crime levels tend to affect females more strongly, increasing their risk of depression and anxiety.
• Environmental racism . Environmental racism is defined as racial discrimination in environmental policy-making. It has been implicated as an important environmental factor that affects the mental health of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color ( BIPOC ) individuals and communities.
• Pollution . Scott indicates that research shows increased rates of depression in more polluted areas. A 2019 review supports this, also indicating that long-term exposure to air pollution can increase one's risk of anxiety while even short-term exposure can increase suicide risk.
• Presence of toxins inside the home . This includes both cleaning products and mold. “The effect of mold, if present, in the home and higher rates of asthma as a result of increased pollutants themselves can also excrete mental health issues,” says Scott.
• Poverty . The social stress, stigma, and trauma of living in poverty can negatively impact the mental health of both children and adults which, in turn, can lead to employment issues and fragmented relationships. This creates a cycle that, for some, can be difficult to escape.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see our  National Helpline Database .

Work Environment and Mental Health

More than half of our waking hours are spent on work or work-related activities according to the 2021 American Time Use Survey. That’s why Scott says that our work environment plays a significant role in our mental health.

Several workplace factors can contribute to the development of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, some of which include:

• Having a high-demand job
• High stress in your specific role
• Experiencing workplace bullying
• Imbalance of effort vs. rewards
• Low relational and procedural justice
• Low social support in the workplace
• Not feeling valued or respected
• Not having control over your job

School Environment and Mental Health

Children, adolescents, and college students often spend a lot of their days learning in class, studying, or completing homework assignments. The environment in which they do these activities can impact their mental health.

School-based environmental factors that can positively affect a student's mental well-being include:

• Having a sense of belonging
• Feeling connected to the school (e.g., "I am happy to be a part of this school!")
• Feeling safe at school , both emotionally and physically
• Presence of a school-based support system, including teachers, school social workers, and school psychologists

Factors that can have a negative effect on a student's mental health are:

• Being bullied
• Lack of access to instruction manuals
• Teachers not understanding how to deal with students who have mental health issues due to poor instruction or training
• Unclear or unfocused academic objectives

Social Environment and Mental Health

Scott also points to the fact that your social environment can affect your mental health. This includes socioeconomic elements such as race and ethnicity and a lack of social support—which can all have a profound influence on your ability to cope with stress. 

For Gail Saltz , MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine, the social environment plays a big role in mental health. “Having close, trusted, intimate others in your life is a significant positive factor for mental and physical health,” she says. 

Saltz indicates that this is true of a healthy marriage, a good circle of friends, and other important family relationships. “Lack of relationships, leading to loneliness causes depression and anxiety," she says, "while tumultuous and disturbing relationships leads to chronic stress and lower mood and higher anxiety.”

Saltz adds that relationships with people who abuse substances increase the likelihood you will abuse substances, and growing up in a home with exposure to domestic violence, substance abuse, or emotional or physical abuse affect mental health detrimentally.

How Perception Impacts Mental Health

It’s easy to blame a toxic work environment, cluttered house, or rainy weather for your deteriorating mental health. But sometimes, your perception of the environment contributes to how you feel. For example, one study found that when people with depression perceived that they had poor social support , their symptoms, recovery, and social functioning were worse.

But the opposite is also true. If you perceive that you are satisfied with your life, your levels of overall life satisfaction will likely be higher. This suggests that if there is some aspect of your environment that is negatively impacting your mental wellness, changing your perception of it may help you feel better.

If you’re not in a position to change something about your environment, it’s critical that you work on reframing the beliefs you have about it . 

“Trying to find appreciation in the environment, even if it's one positive thing, can help reframe your thoughts about your environment,” says Scott. To accomplish this, practice gratitude and create a routine or habit to reduce the clutter around you. The latter helps "provide a sense of control in a situation where you feel like you don't have any control,” Scott says. 

Snow recommends focusing on what is working and supporting you in your current environment. She also suggests small changes to make the environment more soothing and familiar, such as organizing , adding photos, or painting. Also, process any emotions or frustrations that are present through journaling , movement, or talking with a friend or therapist. “Don't let the feelings build up,” Snow says.

Identifying If Environmental Change Is Needed

Understanding that the environment plays a critical role in your mental health is the first step. The next step is to identify if a change is needed. 

According to Snow, it’s vital to notice the connection between how you're feeling and what triggers those emotions. “Then you can make small adjustments to your current environment to determine if that big change is really necessary,” she says. 

For example, if you live in a city and always feel overstimulated and anxious, Snow recommends engaging in more quiet activities at home. “If that doesn't change your mood , but you notice that every time you spend a weekend outside the city you feel relaxed, that's a sign that something needs to change,” Snow explains. 

While changing your social network or the depth of certain relationships may help, Saltz says it may not “fix” whatever is driving your mental health issue. “It may not be sufficient enough, and getting treatment may be required,” she says. 

Scott points out that picking up and moving from one environment to another permanently is not always an option for many of us. However, a temporary move from the city to the country, or perhaps closer to the water, is one way to test how your physical environment impacts your mood. 

“If you notice that, for example, you experience less stress being outside of the city lights, there is less smog in the air and less noise for you to contend with and, as a result, you are sleeping better and thinking more clearly, then I would say you have some key evidence to support your decision,” Scott says. 

Environmental Changes That Can Improve Mental Health

If you want to improve your mental health, making changes to your environment can help. Snow recommends starting with the things you have control over and can accomplish relatively easily. Organize your space, for instance, or get a sound machine to cover up street noise. 

Or maybe you live in an area where sunlight is scarce. This is "a real concern with seasonal affective disorder (SAD)," says Scott. One solution is to implement bright light in your environment. This can help improve depression and anxiety, Scott says, especially during the long days of winter.

April Snow, LMFT

Creating opportunities for little wins will give you the energy to tackle bigger changes.

To make the most impact, begin with the room you spend most of your time in and arrange it in a way that is functional and free of clutter. If you work from home, for instance, start with your home office. If you spend a lot of time in your kitchen preparing meals, you might want to start there instead.

To improve your social environment, Saltz says that focusing on your social surroundings, improving and growing more intimate in some relationships, being vulnerable with those you can trust, and distancing yourself from toxic relationships that are negatively impacting mental health can all make a substantial difference.

When a Change in Environment Is Not Possible 

Changing jobs, leaving a relationship, or moving to a new location is not always possible. The good news is there are ways to support yourself where you are now. Below are some simple solutions from Scott.

• Increase the amount of light in a room.
• Paint your room a brighter color.
• Declutter or organize your space in a way that helps you feel more focused or relaxed.
• Engage different senses in your environment to help balance your mood. If you are in a stimulating environment and want to slow down, opt for quiet music or soothing sounds like ocean waves and scents of lavender, which can help reduce anxiety. If you are looking to feel more energized because of low energy, try a peppermint scent and brighter lights.

If you are in a toxic relationship and moving away from it is not possible, Saltz recommends creating emotional distance, even if you are in the same space. “You can do this by having unconnected confidants you can speak to and spending more time unengaged to the person in your home, like going out for walks away from them,” she says. 

But if the situation is abusive, Saltz recommends calling an abuse hotline to get advice and aid in how to remove yourself from your home. 

If you or a loved one are a victim of domestic violence, contact the  National Domestic Violence Hotline  at  1-800-799-7233  for confidential assistance from trained advocates.

A Word From Verywell

Most of us will experience a change in our mental health due to environmental factors. For some, the effects may be minimal, but for others, the toll on mental health will be significant. If you are experiencing an increase in symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other mental health condition, schedule an appointment with your physician or a mental health expert. Help is available.

The environment can affect your sense of social support, comfort, and level of stimulation. Factors such as crime, racism, and pollution can influence your health and safety, which can have a profound impact on your mental well-being. The environment can also influence your stress levels, which can then have an impact on your physical and mental health.

Three main types of environmental factors that affect mental health are:

• Physical factors , such as pollution, working conditions, and weather conditions
• Social factors , such as abuse, poor support, and toxic relationships
• Other factors , such as lack of stimulation, lack of green outdoor spaces, and messy environments 

Bick J, Nelson CA. Early adverse experiences and the developing brain . Neuropsychopharmacol . 2016;41:177-196. doi:10.1038/npp.2015.252

Helbich M. Mental health and environmental exposures: An editorial . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2018;15(10):2207. doi:10.3390/ijerph15102207

Padhy SK, Sarkar S, Panigrahi M, Paul S. Mental health effects of climate change . Indian J Occup Environ Med . 2015;19(1):3-7. doi:10.4103/0019-5278.156997

Dustmann C, Fasani F. The effect of local area crime on mental health . Econom J . 2014;126(593):978-1017. doi:10.1111/ecoj.12205

Washington HA.  A terrible thing to waste: Environmental racism and its assault on the American mind .

Braithwaite I, Zhang S, Kirkbride JB, Osborn DPJ, Hayes JF. Air pollution (particulate matter) exposure and associations with depression, anxiety, bipolar, psychosis and suicide risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis . Environ Health Perspect . 2019;127(12):126002. doi:10.1289/EHP4595

Knifton L, Inglis G. Poverty and mental health: policy, practice and research implications . BJPsych Bulletin . 2020;44(5):193-196. doi:10.1192/bjb.2020.78

Bureau of Labor Statistics. American Time Use Survey — 2021 results .

Harvey SB, Modini M, Joyce S, et al. Can work make you mentally ill? A systematic meta-review of work-related risk factors for common mental health problems . Occup Environ Med . 2017;74(4):301-310. doi:10.1136/oemed-2016-104015

Schulte-Körne G. Mental health problems in a school setting in children and adolescents . Dtsch Arztebl Int . 2016;113(11):183-190. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2016.0183 

Wang J, Mann F, Lloyd-Evans B, Ma R, Johnson S. Associations between loneliness and perceived social support and outcomes of mental health problems: a systematic review . BMC Psychiatry . 2018;18:156. doi:10.1186/s12888-018-1736-5

Milovanska-Farrington S, Farrington S. Happiness, domains of life satisfaction, perceptions, and valuation differences across genders . Acta Psychologica . 2022;230:103720. doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103720

By Sara Lindberg, M.Ed Sara Lindberg, M.Ed., is a freelance writer focusing on mental health, fitness, nutrition, and parenting.

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6 ways to take care of your mental health and well-being this World Mental Health Day

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on people’s mental health. People from all walks of life have experienced stress throughout the pandemic – from frontline workers who are overwhelmed with work, young people who can’t go to school, family members who are separated from each other, those impacted by COVID-19 infection or loss of loved ones, or people with pre-existing mental health conditions who face difficulties in accessing mental health services during lockdowns.

It is understandable to feel scared, anxious or helpless during this unprecedented time. But whatever situation you are in and wherever you are in the Pacific, you have the power to look after your mental health and well-being. As we celebrate World Mental Health Day this 10 October, here are 6 things you can do to help you cope, not only with the COVID-19 pandemic, but any event that may cause stress.

1. Talk to someone you trust

Talking to someone you trust – whether a friend, a family member, or a colleague – can help. You may feel better if you are able to openly share what you are going through with someone who cares about you. If you live in an area where face-to-face interactions are limited, you can still stay connected with your loved ones through a video call, phone call or messaging app.

2. Look after your physical health

Taking care of your physical health helps improve your mental health and well-being. Be active for at least 30 minutes daily, whether that’s running, walking, yoga, dancing, cycling, or even gardening. Eat a balanced and healthy diet. Make sure to get enough sleep.

3. Do activities that you enjoy

Try to continue doing the activities that you find meaningful and enjoyable, such as cooking for yourself or your loved ones, playing with your pet, walking in the park, reading a book, or watching a film or TV series. Having a regular routine with activities that make you feel happy will help you maintain good mental health.

4. Steer away from harmful substances

Don’t use harmful substances such as drugs, kava, alcohol or tobacco to cope with what you’re feeling. Though these may seem to help you feel better in the short term, they can make you feel worse in the long run. These substances are also dangerous and can put you and those around you at risk of diseases or injuries.

5. Take two minutes to focus on the world around you

Help free yourself of constantly swirling thoughts by reconnecting yourself with where you are at this moment in time. Follow along with the video below or simply take three slow deep breaths, feel your feet grounded on the floor and ask yourself:

• What are five things I can see?
• What are four things I can hear?
• What can I smell?
• What does it feel like to touch my knees or a something else I can reach? How does it feel underneath my fingers?

6. Seek professional help

If you feel like you cannot cope with the stress that you are facing, seek professional help by calling your local mental health helpline or getting in touch with your counsellor or doctor.  Remember you are not alone, and there are things you can do to support your emotional wellbeing.

Further advice is available in Managing Stress: Self-help Tips for People Living in the Pacific Islands

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75+ Free Mental Health Worksheets & Handouts

75+ free mental health worksheets, handouts, and forms for mental health professionals or self-help.

(Updated 2/13/24) This is a list of nearly 100 mental health worksheets, handouts, forms, and more for substance use, mental health, and wellness.

Please repost and share with anyone who might benefit! New resources are added on a regular basis.

For more free downloads, click here for a list of PDF workbooks, manuals, and self-help guides.

For free mental health worksheets and resources from other sites, check out TherapistAid , GetSelfHelpUK , and Taking the Escalator .

Mental Health Worksheets & Handouts

Group ideas & topics.

A 3-page handout for group facilitators with strategies for managing resistance, disruptive behaviors, and a lack of engagement in group therapy.

A list of topics for substance use groups.

A 2-page handout for clinicians who facilitate group therapy with (adult) clients and their families. The questions were developed for an inpatient SUD setting.

A list of specific topics for substance use groups, such as refusal skills, the difference between a lapse and a relapse, and fun in recovery.

A list of group openers for substance use groups; can also be used in individual counseling sessions.

A list of questions for exploring the following topics: Conversation starters, mental health, addiction, personal development, values, family, relationships, and emotions. These questions can be used in a group setting, individually, or as journal prompts.

Group Activities

A worksheet with prompts for writing a short autobiography to be presented to the group.

Intended audience: Adults

A worksheet for clients to pass around to group members so each person can write a positive affirmation.

Intended audience : Adolescents, Teens, Adults

Good for newly formed groups. Each group member writes down their “first impression” of other group members. The facilitator then reads off the different categories and group members have the opportunity to share their answers.

Intended audience : Adults

An icebreaker activity, good for new groups. Give group members 15-20 minutes to collect signatures. The first person to collect all signatures wins.

Clinical Film Discussion Questions

• Ben Is Back -Discussion Questions
• Girl, Interrupted -Discussion Questions
• Pay It Forward -Discussion Questions
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower -Discussion Questions
• Rachel Getting Married -Discussion Questions
• When a Man Loves a Woman -Discussion Questions

A printable deck of cards with 128 coping skills for managing stress, anxiety, and other difficult emotions. Each card includes one simple coping skill.

Print/cut the cards, fold, and place in a container. Group members take turns drawing the cards and answering the questions.

A printable deck of cards with 40 positive quotes that can be used as affirmations.

A printable card deck with 27 affirmations for healing and empowerment.

These cards can be used in a SUD inpatient or outpatient setting to facilitate group discussions about recovery. Group members take turns drawing a card and answering questions. The facilitator can vary things up by letting group members pick someone else to answer their question once they’ve finished sharing. Alternatively, group members can take turns drawing cards, but all group members are encouraged to share their answers. This activity works best with a working group.

This is a revised version of the Recovery Question Cards.

Rumi Quote Cards

25 cards with Rumi quotes on love, suffering, and healing.

A card deck with 104 cards with thought-provoking questions intended to promote discussion. Topics include goals, values, emotions, relationships, spirituality, and more.

These cards can be used in a group or individual setting. The last page of the PDF includes additional values exercises for journaling, clinical supervision, couples, and groups. Tip: Print the cards on patterned scrapbook paper (blank on one side).

Mental Health Handouts

4 ways to stay calm before a stressful event.

A 1-page handout with simple “in-the-moment” calming strategies for anxiety-provoking events.

A simple 1-page handout that shows the 6 basic emotions.

A comprehensive list of 12-step and other support groups , such as AA, NA, SMART Recovery, Dual Recovery Anonymous, NAMI, etc.

A 1-page DBT-based handout with 25 examples of dialectics (i.e., two things that seem opposite and are at the same time both true).

These journal prompts can also be used in a group setting. The prompts include questions about values, potential, expectations, and more.

Instructions for Living from the Dalai Lama

A 1-page handout with 25 quotes from the Dalai Lama on topics such as kindness and happiness. Can be used in a group setting.

A 1-page handout that debunks five common grief myths and provides the truth about each one.

A 2-page handout with nine creative and soothing outlets for grief , such as music, dance, light therapy, and aromatherapy.

A 2-page handout with journal prompts for recovery, based on material from The Sober Survival Guide (created with the author’s permission).

Kindness To-Do List

A to-do list of kind deeds with blank spaces to write in your own ideas for spreading kindness.

A colorful 3-page handout with ideas for hobbies that fall under the following categories: Animals/nature, arts/crafts, collections, cooking/baking, entertainment, home improvement/DIY, outdoor/adventure, self-improvement, sports, travel, and misc.

A list with links to online grief support groups, forums, and communities.

A 1-page handout on PTG and how it may impact a person’s life, and the factors that contribute to PTG.

A 1-page handout with resources for suicide , including recommended books, apps, crisis lines, and suicide warning signs.

A 2-page handout that describes seven uncommon grief experiences, such as delayed or disenfranchised grief.

A list of 38 unique coping skills for managing difficult emotions.

A 2-page handout that lists values. Can be used as a standalone handout or with the values card deck .

A 2-page handout with two exercise routines, one designed for beginners and the other for more advanced exercisers.

Mental Health Worksheets

A 1-page worksheet for identifying things to be grateful for in different life areas.

A 1-page checklist with 30 ideas for spreading kindness.

A 1-page worksheet for exploring what makes someone a good friend.

Art Activity: H-T-P Test

In the House-Tree-Person Test, the picture of the house is supposed to represent how the individual feels about their family. The tree elicits feelings of strength or weakness. The person represents how the individual feels about themselves. (Source: How Projective Tests Are Used to Measure Personality – Simply Psychology )

Art Activity: Outer & Inner Masks

This art activity can be done in a group setting or individually. Clients design both outer – what the world sees – and inner – the hidden self – masks. The third page has questions for discussion. This activity can be used to target all sorts of issues from body image to values to character defects (in addiction) and more.

Art Activity: Self-Portraits

This worksheet can be used in groups or as a homework assignment. Encourage clients to be creative; instead of just drawing or coloring, they can use magazine cutouts, stickers, photos, etc. Suggested questions for discussion: How did you decide which identities to portray? Which portrait best represents your true self? Which portrait do others see the most? What, if anything, would you like to change about your portraits?

A 2-page worksheet for exploring the consequences of addiction.

Coping with Cravings

A 3-page worksheet with DBT-based skills for coping with cravings.

Coping with Jealousy

A worksheet for understanding jealousy, its impact, whether it’s pathological, and how to manage jealous feelings.

Couples Exercise: Affirmations

A 3-page worksheet for sharing self-affirmations and partner affirmations, including suggested questions for discussion.

Couples Exercise: Our Bucket List

A 3-page worksheet for couples to create a shared list of meaningful “bucket list” items to do together.

Couples Exercise: Our Bucket List (with dates)

A shared bucket list that includes spaces to write in when an item was added to the list and when it was completed.

A 1-page worksheet for affirmations, positive self-talk, and problem-solving strategies for daily challenges.

A basic mood tracker with emoji faces.

A blank schedule with hourly slots starting at 6:00 a.m. and ending at 10:00 p.m. Can be used as part of a relapse prevention, for depression management, or as a planner.

A 3-page worksheet for substance use recovery for planning leisure activities and enhancing wellness/spirituality.

A letter template for individuals entering long-term residential treatment for substance use, to be opened and read at treatment completion.

An 8-page goal-setting worksheet for health/wellness, relationships/social health, emotional wellness, intellectual wellness, education/career, financial health, spirituality, and leisure.

A 3-page worksheet for identifying and managing substance use relapse triggers.

A 1-page worksheet for identifying things that promote addiction and ways to get rid of or avoid these things.

A 3-page goal-setting worksheet for short-term and long-term goals.

A 12-step-based worksheet for identifying and exploring resentments.

A worksheet for creating poetry; print, laminate, and cut out the words.

A 1-page worksheet for examining past substance use relapses and strategies for avoiding future relapses.

A 5-page template for creating a substance use relapse prevention plan.

A 1-page worksheet for exploring ways to resist urges to use in early recovery.

A 1-page checklist with quick tips, self-soothing, and indulgent ideas for self-care.

A 3-page worksheet for developing a colorful self-care “map” to explore patterns and identify new practices.

A 3-page template for creating a self-care “menu.”

A 2-page writing assignment for self-discovery and awareness.

A 2-page worksheet for developing self-esteem.

A 1-page worksheet for exploring motivation for substance use recovery.

A fun worksheet for creating a bucket list of things that are only possible in sobriety.

Stress Management Worksheet

This 6-page worksheet helps with identifying and exploring stressors. From there, the worksheet can be used to build a stress management plan.

7 pages of feelings words.

A 6-page worksheet for describing problem areas, identifying goals, and exploring what has (and has not) been helpful in the past. This worksheet can be used to develop a collaborative treatment plan.

A 2-page worksheet for identifying and exploring wants and needs.

A simple form for tracking daily meals and snacks for one week.

A 2-page worksheet for identifying things that are controllable versus things that can’t be controlled.

A 3-page narrative therapy worksheet for exploring a past substance use relapse.

Laminate and use with fine-tip dry erase markers.

Workbooks & Bonus Materials

100-page printable workbook for working through grief and loss.

A companion workbook meant to be used with the book Staying Sober Without God (created with the author’s permission).

Daily Self-Inventory for Mental Health Professionals

A 10th step-based inventory for self-reflection for counselors and other mental health workers.

Free Coloring Pages for Adults

Links to 15 websites with free printable coloring sheets for adults.

Miscellaneous Printables

A list of 20 openers for individual therapy sessions.

A 2-page form for case conceptualization with sections for demographics, key findings, background info, case formulation, interventions/plans, and requested feedback or suggestions.

A list of interventions (action words) for clinical documentation.

A template for tracking attendance, cases discussed, and any other group topics.

A foldable coloring book with eight different designs.

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29 thoughts on “75+ Free Mental Health Worksheets & Handouts”

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Thank you for giving away this valuable information. I am a Adult Mental Health Case Manager and I use things from here in my weekly group meetings!

I do also, but for juveniles. These tools are extremely helpful.

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Thank you so much for providing these free handouts. During these tough times, I find these handouts to be extremely useful. A million thank you’s!

These valuable materials are so much of a blessing, thank you so much for the gracious kindness!!!

I’m a drug and alcohol counselor and I find this site very helpful!

It is great to see that someone else wants to promote better care for clients and therapists alike using comprehensive resources (that are free!). Thank you!!!

I love this site i am a Mental Health Professional and I find these very helpful with my group sessions.

Thank you very much!! I have a son struggling with depression and suicide. This will help very much.

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This is a wonderful site. I deeply appreciate the effort and time it took to put this together. Thank you very much.

I can’t tell you how fortunate I am to have stumbled onto this. I am a Behavioral Health PSS in a drug and alcohol treatment facility and am looking forward to sharing some of these materials with our clients. I love the group activities and discussion prompts and will be using some in my next group. Fantastic resource! There is something for everyone here! Thank you so much for this. Be well 🙂

Hope you guys add a Domestic Violence section

Thank you for giving us free worksheets. It’s really helpful.

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Thank you!!

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I am a mental health therapist and I really struggle for group therapy ideas. Thank you for sharing. Your site has been very helpful for me to find new ideas.

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Student mental health is in crisis. Campuses are rethinking their approach

Amid massive increases in demand for care, psychologists are helping colleges and universities embrace a broader culture of well-being and better equipping faculty to support students in need

Vol. 53 No. 7 Print version: page 60

• Mental Health

By nearly every metric, student mental health is worsening. During the 2020–2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem, according to the Healthy Minds Study, which collects data from 373 campuses nationwide ( Lipson, S. K., et al., Journal of Affective Disorders , Vol. 306, 2022 ). In another national survey, almost three quarters of students reported moderate or severe psychological distress ( National College Health Assessment , American College Health Association, 2021).

Even before the pandemic, schools were facing a surge in demand for care that far outpaced capacity, and it has become increasingly clear that the traditional counseling center model is ill-equipped to solve the problem.

“Counseling centers have seen extraordinary increases in demand over the past decade,” said Michael Gerard Mason, PhD, associate dean of African American Affairs at the University of Virginia (UVA) and a longtime college counselor. “[At UVA], our counseling staff has almost tripled in size, but even if we continue hiring, I don’t think we could ever staff our way out of this challenge.”

Some of the reasons for that increase are positive. Compared with past generations, more students on campus today have accessed mental health treatment before college, suggesting that higher education is now an option for a larger segment of society, said Micky Sharma, PsyD, who directs student life’s counseling and consultation service at The Ohio State University (OSU). Stigma around mental health issues also continues to drop, leading more people to seek help instead of suffering in silence.

But college students today are also juggling a dizzying array of challenges, from coursework, relationships, and adjustment to campus life to economic strain, social injustice, mass violence, and various forms of loss related to Covid -19.

As a result, school leaders are starting to think outside the box about how to help. Institutions across the country are embracing approaches such as group therapy, peer counseling, and telehealth. They’re also better equipping faculty and staff to spot—and support—students in distress, and rethinking how to respond when a crisis occurs. And many schools are finding ways to incorporate a broader culture of wellness into their policies, systems, and day-to-day campus life.

“This increase in demand has challenged institutions to think holistically and take a multifaceted approach to supporting students,” said Kevin Shollenberger, the vice provost for student health and well-being at Johns Hopkins University. “It really has to be everyone’s responsibility at the university to create a culture of well-being.”

Higher caseloads, creative solutions

The number of students seeking help at campus counseling centers increased almost 40% between 2009 and 2015 and continued to rise until the pandemic began, according to data from Penn State University’s Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH), a research-practice network of more than 700 college and university counseling centers ( CCMH Annual Report , 2015 ).

That rising demand hasn’t been matched by a corresponding rise in funding, which has led to higher caseloads. Nationwide, the average annual caseload for a typical full-time college counselor is about 120 students, with some centers averaging more than 300 students per counselor ( CCMH Annual Report , 2021 ).

“We find that high-caseload centers tend to provide less care to students experiencing a wide range of problems, including those with safety concerns and critical issues—such as suicidality and trauma—that are often prioritized by institutions,” said psychologist Brett Scofield, PhD, executive director of CCMH.

To minimize students slipping through the cracks, schools are dedicating more resources to rapid access and assessment, where students can walk in for a same-day intake or single counseling session, rather than languishing on a waitlist for weeks or months. Following an evaluation, many schools employ a stepped-care model, where the students who are most in need receive the most intensive care.

Given the wide range of concerns students are facing, experts say this approach makes more sense than offering traditional therapy to everyone.

“Early on, it was just about more, more, more clinicians,” said counseling psychologist Carla McCowan, PhD, director of the counseling center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “In the past few years, more centers are thinking creatively about how to meet the demand. Not every student needs individual therapy, but many need opportunities to increase their resilience, build new skills, and connect with one another.”

Students who are struggling with academic demands, for instance, may benefit from workshops on stress, sleep, time management, and goal-setting. Those who are mourning the loss of a typical college experience because of the pandemic—or facing adjustment issues such as loneliness, low self-esteem, or interpersonal conflict—are good candidates for peer counseling. Meanwhile, students with more acute concerns, including disordered eating, trauma following a sexual assault, or depression, can still access one-on-one sessions with professional counselors.

As they move away from a sole reliance on individual therapy, schools are also working to shift the narrative about what mental health care on campus looks like. Scofield said it’s crucial to manage expectations among students and their families, ideally shortly after (or even before) enrollment. For example, most counseling centers won’t be able to offer unlimited weekly sessions throughout a student’s college career—and those who require that level of support will likely be better served with a referral to a community provider.

“We really want to encourage institutions to be transparent about the services they can realistically provide based on the current staffing levels at a counseling center,” Scofield said.

The first line of defense

Faculty may be hired to teach, but schools are also starting to rely on them as “first responders” who can help identify students in distress, said psychologist Hideko Sera, PsyD, director of the Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Morehouse College, a historically Black men’s college in Atlanta. During the pandemic, that trend accelerated.

“Throughout the remote learning phase of the pandemic, faculty really became students’ main points of contact with the university,” said Bridgette Hard, PhD, an associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. “It became more important than ever for faculty to be able to detect when a student might be struggling.”

Many felt ill-equipped to do so, though, with some wondering if it was even in their scope of practice to approach students about their mental health without specialized training, Mason said.

Schools are using several approaches to clarify expectations of faculty and give them tools to help. About 900 faculty and staff at the University of North Carolina have received training in Mental Health First Aid , which provides basic skills for supporting people with mental health and substance use issues. Other institutions are offering workshops and materials that teach faculty to “recognize, respond, and refer,” including Penn State’s Red Folder campaign .

Faculty are taught that a sudden change in behavior—including a drop in attendance, failure to submit assignments, or a disheveled appearance—may indicate that a student is struggling. Staff across campus, including athletic coaches and academic advisers, can also monitor students for signs of distress. (At Penn State, eating disorder referrals can even come from staff working in food service, said counseling psychologist Natalie Hernandez DePalma, PhD, senior director of the school’s counseling and psychological services.) Responding can be as simple as reaching out and asking if everything is going OK.

Referral options vary but may include directing a student to a wellness seminar or calling the counseling center to make an appointment, which can help students access services that they may be less likely to seek on their own, Hernandez DePalma said. Many schools also offer reporting systems, such as DukeReach at Duke University , that allow anyone on campus to express concern about a student if they are unsure how to respond. Trained care providers can then follow up with a welfare check or offer other forms of support.

“Faculty aren’t expected to be counselors, just to show a sense of care that they notice something might be going on, and to know where to refer students,” Shollenberger said.

At Johns Hopkins, he and his team have also worked with faculty on ways to discuss difficult world events during class after hearing from students that it felt jarring when major incidents such as George Floyd’s murder or the war in Ukraine went unacknowledged during class.

Many schools also support faculty by embedding counselors within academic units, where they are more visible to students and can develop cultural expertise (the needs of students studying engineering may differ somewhat from those in fine arts, for instance).

When it comes to course policy, even small changes can make a big difference for students, said Diana Brecher, PhD, a clinical psychologist and scholar-in-residence for positive psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), formerly Ryerson University. For example, instructors might allow students a 7-day window to submit assignments, giving them agency to coordinate with other coursework and obligations. Setting deadlines in the late afternoon or early evening, as opposed to at midnight, can also help promote student wellness.

At Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) near Chicago, Shelita Shaw, an assistant professor of communications, devised new class policies and assignments when she noticed students struggling with mental health and motivation. Those included mental health days, mindful journaling, and a trip with family and friends to a Chicago landmark, such as Millennium Park or Navy Pier—where many MVCC students had never been.

Faculty in the psychology department may have a unique opportunity to leverage insights from their own discipline to improve student well-being. Hard, who teaches introductory psychology at Duke, weaves in messages about how students can apply research insights on emotion regulation, learning and memory, and a positive “stress mindset” to their lives ( Crum, A. J., et al., Anxiety, Stress, & Coping , Vol. 30, No. 4, 2017 ).

Along with her colleague Deena Kara Shaffer, PhD, Brecher cocreated TMU’s Thriving in Action curriculum, which is delivered through a 10-week in-person workshop series and via a for-credit elective course. The material is also freely available for students to explore online . The for-credit course includes lectures on gratitude, attention, healthy habits, and other topics informed by psychological research that are intended to set students up for success in studying, relationships, and campus life.

“We try to embed a healthy approach to studying in the way we teach the class,” Brecher said. “For example, we shift activities every 20 minutes or so to help students sustain attention and stamina throughout the lesson.”

Creative approaches to support

Given the crucial role of social connection in maintaining and restoring mental health, many schools have invested in group therapy. Groups can help students work through challenges such as social anxiety, eating disorders, sexual assault, racial trauma, grief and loss, chronic illness, and more—with the support of professional counselors and peers. Some cater to specific populations, including those who tend to engage less with traditional counseling services. At Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), for example, the “Bold Eagles” support group welcomes men who are exploring their emotions and gender roles.

The widespread popularity of group therapy highlights the decrease in stigma around mental health services on college campuses, said Jon Brunner, PhD, the senior director of counseling and wellness services at FGCU. At smaller schools, creating peer support groups that feel anonymous may be more challenging, but providing clear guidelines about group participation, including confidentiality, can help put students at ease, Brunner said.

Less formal groups, sometimes called “counselor chats,” meet in public spaces around campus and can be especially helpful for reaching underserved groups—such as international students, first-generation college students, and students of color—who may be less likely to seek services at a counseling center. At Johns Hopkins, a thriving international student support group holds weekly meetings in a café next to the library. Counselors typically facilitate such meetings, often through partnerships with campus centers or groups that support specific populations, such as LGBTQ students or student athletes.

“It’s important for students to see counselors out and about, engaging with the campus community,” McCowan said. “Otherwise, you’re only seeing the students who are comfortable coming in the door.”

Peer counseling is another means of leveraging social connectedness to help students stay well. At UVA, Mason and his colleagues found that about 75% of students reached out to a peer first when they were in distress, while only about 11% contacted faculty, staff, or administrators.

“What we started to understand was that in many ways, the people who had the least capacity to provide a professional level of help were the ones most likely to provide it,” he said.

Project Rise , a peer counseling service created by and for Black students at UVA, was one antidote to this. Mason also helped launch a two-part course, “Hoos Helping Hoos,” (a nod to UVA’s unofficial nickname, the Wahoos) to train students across the university on empathy, mentoring, and active listening skills.

At Washington University in St. Louis, Uncle Joe’s Peer Counseling and Resource Center offers confidential one-on-one sessions, in person and over the phone, to help fellow students manage anxiety, depression, academic stress, and other campus-life issues. Their peer counselors each receive more than 100 hours of training, including everything from basic counseling skills to handling suicidality.

Uncle Joe’s codirectors, Colleen Avila and Ruchika Kamojjala, say the service is popular because it’s run by students and doesn’t require a long-term investment the way traditional psychotherapy does.

“We can form a connection, but it doesn’t have to feel like a commitment,” said Avila, a senior studying studio art and philosophy-neuroscience-psychology. “It’s completely anonymous, one time per issue, and it’s there whenever you feel like you need it.”

As part of the shift toward rapid access, many schools also offer “Let’s Talk” programs , which allow students to drop in for an informal one-on-one session with a counselor. Some also contract with telehealth platforms, such as WellTrack and SilverCloud, to ensure that services are available whenever students need them. A range of additional resources—including sleep seminars, stress management workshops, wellness coaching, and free subscriptions to Calm, Headspace, and other apps—are also becoming increasingly available to students.

Those approaches can address many student concerns, but institutions also need to be prepared to aid students during a mental health crisis, and some are rethinking how best to do so. Penn State offers a crisis line, available anytime, staffed with counselors ready to talk or deploy on an active rescue. Johns Hopkins is piloting a behavioral health crisis support program, similar to one used by the New York City Police Department, that dispatches trained crisis clinicians alongside public safety officers to conduct wellness checks.

A culture of wellness

With mental health resources no longer confined to the counseling center, schools need a way to connect students to a range of available services. At OSU, Sharma was part of a group of students, staff, and administrators who visited Apple Park in Cupertino, California, to develop the Ohio State: Wellness App .

Students can use the app to create their own “wellness plan” and access timely content, such as advice for managing stress during final exams. They can also connect with friends to share articles and set goals—for instance, challenging a friend to attend two yoga classes every week for a month. OSU’s apps had more than 240,000 users last year.

At Johns Hopkins, administrators are exploring how to adapt school policies and procedures to better support student wellness, Shollenberger said. For example, they adapted their leave policy—including how refunds, grades, and health insurance are handled—so that students can take time off with fewer barriers. The university also launched an educational campaign this fall to help international students navigate student health insurance plans after noticing below average use by that group.

Students are a key part of the effort to improve mental health care, including at the systemic level. At Morehouse College, Sera serves as the adviser for Chill , a student-led advocacy and allyship organization that includes members from Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University, two other HBCUs in the area. The group, which received training on federal advocacy from APA’s Advocacy Office earlier this year, aims to lobby public officials—including U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, a Morehouse College alumnus—to increase mental health resources for students of color.

“This work is very aligned with the spirit of HBCUs, which are often the ones raising voices at the national level to advocate for the betterment of Black and Brown communities,” Sera said.

Despite the creative approaches that students, faculty, staff, and administrators are employing, students continue to struggle, and most of those doing this work agree that more support is still urgently needed.

“The work we do is important, but it can also be exhausting,” said Kamojjala, of Uncle Joe’s peer counseling, which operates on a volunteer basis. “Students just need more support, and this work won’t be sustainable in the long run if that doesn’t arrive.”

Further reading

Overwhelmed: The real campus mental-health crisis and new models for well-being The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2022

Mental health in college populations: A multidisciplinary review of what works, evidence gaps, and paths forward Abelson, S., et al., Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, 2022

Student mental health status report: Struggles, stressors, supports Ezarik, M., Inside Higher Ed, 2022

Before heading to college, make a mental health checklist Caron, C., The New York Times, 2022

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