In this 6-lesson unit, students will learn to recognize signs of mental health struggle and how to be there for others.
Students will learn to recognize their limits and how to take care of their own mental health.
Students will learn the difference between a mental health struggle and crisis, how to start a conversation with someone who is struggling with their mental health, and what to do if someone is in crisis.
Students will learn how to build trust and find practical ways to help someone through their day to day life.
Students will learn what it means to be a good listener and how to balance the conversation.
Students will learn what their role is - and is not - when supporting someone and how to set boundaries to protect their relationships and their own mental health.
In this lesson, your students will learn to access professional and community resources and what to expect from them.
As part of the Jack Talks program, this On Demand Talk uses peer-to-peer learning to teach young people across Canada that we all have mental health and we all need to care for it. Jack Talks aim to reduce barriers to help-seeking through the goals of all Jack.org programs: increasing mental health awareness, knowledge, and literacy; reducing negative attitudes like shame, stigma, and silence; and advocating for more appropriate and accessible services.
As a follow-up to Jack Talk On Demand: Mental Health Essentials, students have the opportunity to revisit some of the key ideas shared by the speakers. Students can consolidate their learning through discussion, reflection, and application of knowledge.
Students will reflect on their digital interactions and their effects, whether through social media, games, apps, or other online platforms.
In this activity, students reflect on how different online spaces, people, and content affect their mood and mindset, recognizing which support their well-being and which tend to drain or distract them. They then decide what to keep, limit, or let go of.
In this activity, students examine when their screen use feels automatic or unhelpful, then create small, realistic strategies to pause or replace those habits in support of their well-being.
This activity focuses on the importance of active listening, especially when someone shares a mental health struggle.
In this activity, students explore what stops people from asking for help with their mental health and introduces the importance of offering support and connecting to help.
Trauma-informed teaching isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being informed about trauma and traumatic experiences, recognizing signs and impact and creating conditions where students feel safer and supported when trauma has been experienced. This guide outlines core principles and strategies to help educators respond with compassion, care and intention.
Trauma is “both the experience of, and a response to, an overwhelmingly negative event or series of events, such as interpersonal violence, personal loss, war or natural disaster. In the context of violence, trauma can be acute (resulting from a single event) or complex (resulting from repeated experiences of interpersonal and/or systemic violence)”. 1
Trauma-informed principles include recognizing trauma responses, promoting psychological safety, and applying trauma-sensitive communication (MHCC). 2
The Hospital for Sick Children reports that more than half of teenagers (62%) have experienced a potentially traumatic event. These include:
For young people who have experienced early or repeated trauma, connection, support, and positive coping strategies can significantly support recovery and well-being. 3
“About 10% of adult Canadians state that as a child, they “witnessed violence by a parent or guardian against another adult in the home”
The Hospital for Sick Children reports that more than half of teenagers (62%) have experienced a potentially traumatic event. These include:
For young people who have experienced early or repeated trauma, connection, support, and positive coping strategies can significantly support recovery and well-being. 3
“About 10% of adult Canadians state that as a child, they “witnessed violence by a parent or guardian against another adult in the home”
Stress and anxiety are natural responses to traumatic events, and for individuals directly impacted, these reactions can vary widely in intensity (MHCC). 4
Trauma can be recognized in young people in many different ways. While short-term distress after trauma is common, some students or staff may experience longer-term impacts that affect learning, attendance, relationships, and daily activities. Some common reactions, outlined by The Hospital for Sick Children, include:
These reactions are normal in the context of unusually distressing experiences. Healing and recovery timelines vary, and some responses may appear later. Educators and youth-serving professionals play an important role in recognizing some of these responses, compassionately naming the observations and inviting the student with appropriate support within the school health system or within the community.
Stress and anxiety are natural responses to traumatic events, and for individuals directly impacted, these reactions can vary widely in intensity (MHCC). 4
Trauma can be recognized in young people in many different ways. While short-term distress after trauma is common, some students or staff may experience longer-term impacts that affect learning, attendance, relationships, and daily activities. Some common reactions, outlined by The Hospital for Sick Children, include:
These reactions are normal in the context of unusually distressing experiences. Healing and recovery timelines vary, and some responses may appear later. Educators and youth-serving professionals play an important role in recognizing some of these responses, compassionately naming the observations and inviting the student with appropriate support within the school health system or within the community.
The youth brain continues to develop until they’re 25. The cortex, which controls reasoning and decision-making, develops last. This means they often react and feel before they think.
The brain first checks for safety. If a young person feels safe, they can think and make informed choices. If they feel threatened or out of control, their stress response activates, leading to fight, flight, freeze, or flock reactions. These are natural survival responses.
Trauma, adversity, and being stuck in survival can make young people anticipate and expect danger, so even small stressors may trigger strong reactions, reactivating trauma. These reactions aren’t intentional; they’re signs of a brain responding to perceived threat, not willful misbehaviour.
Ensuring your observations are informed helps educators respond without retriggering, offering support, skill-building, and guidance, rather than punishment and judgement. 6
Content adapted from the Nothing Heals Like Sport Playbook by the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport. © 2025 CHJS All Rights Reserved bit.ly/nhlsplaybook
The youth brain continues to develop until they’re 25. The cortex, which controls reasoning and decision-making, develops last. This means they often react and feel before they think.
The brain first checks for safety. If a young person feels safe, they can think and make informed choices. If they feel threatened or out of control, their stress response activates, leading to fight, flight, freeze, or flock reactions. These are natural survival responses.
Trauma, adversity, and being stuck in survival can make young people anticipate and expect danger, so even small stressors may trigger strong reactions, reactivating trauma. These reactions aren’t intentional; they’re signs of a brain responding to perceived threat, not willful misbehaviour.
Ensuring your observations are informed helps educators respond without retriggering, offering support, skill-building, and guidance, rather than punishment and judgement. 6
Content adapted from the Nothing Heals Like Sport Playbook by the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport. © 2025 CHJS All Rights Reserved bit.ly/nhlsplaybook
Regulation is the ability to notice, manage, and respond to physical or psychological experiences in ways that support learning, connection, and decision-making. When individuals are regulated, they can access the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for reflection, problem-solving, and self-control.
Dysregulation occurs when the stress or overwhelmed response is activated and the brain shifts to its lower, reactive systems. In this state, individuals may have difficulty thinking clearly, managing emotions, or responding flexibly. Behaviours may look impulsive, withdrawn, or emotionally intense, not because of choice, but because the brain is focused on survival. 7
Content adapted from the Nothing Heals Like Sport Playbook by the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport. © 2025 CHJS All Rights Reserved bit.ly/nhlsplaybook
Behaviour is often a signal of a safety and regulation need, not a discipline issue.
Self-regulation is the ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and physical reactions in ways that support learning, relationships, and daily functioning.
Self-regulation is not about “controlling” or suppressing emotions. It is about learning skills that help young people experience and respond to emotions safely and effectively. When young people are able to self-regulate, they can calm themselves, know when/how to ask for support, refocus attention, and make more informed choices, even during stress or re-activation.
Self-regulation develops over time and looks different for each individual. It is influenced by brain development, life experiences, and the level of support available. For many young people, especially those impacted by stress or trauma, these skills are still emerging and require practice and guidance.
According to Center for Instructional and Behavioral Research in Schools (CIBRS), self-regulation skills include:
Educators can support self-regulation by helping youth:
What is Coregulation?
One strategy for supporting students with overwhelming feelings is coregulation. Young people often need support from a calm, trusted adult or peer before they can regulate on their own.
Co-regulation happens when educators:
Over time, consistent co-regulation helps youth build their own regulation skills. 9
Regulation is the ability to notice, manage, and respond to physical or psychological experiences in ways that support learning, connection, and decision-making. When individuals are regulated, they can access the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for reflection, problem-solving, and self-control.
Dysregulation occurs when the stress or overwhelmed response is activated and the brain shifts to its lower, reactive systems. In this state, individuals may have difficulty thinking clearly, managing emotions, or responding flexibly. Behaviours may look impulsive, withdrawn, or emotionally intense, not because of choice, but because the brain is focused on survival. 7
Content adapted from the Nothing Heals Like Sport Playbook by the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport. © 2025 CHJS All Rights Reserved bit.ly/nhlsplaybook
Behaviour is often a signal of a safety and regulation need, not a discipline issue.
Self-regulation is the ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and physical reactions in ways that support learning, relationships, and daily functioning.
Self-regulation is not about “controlling” or suppressing emotions. It is about learning skills that help young people experience and respond to emotions safely and effectively. When young people are able to self-regulate, they can calm themselves, know when/how to ask for support, refocus attention, and make more informed choices, even during stress or re-activation.
Self-regulation develops over time and looks different for each individual. It is influenced by brain development, life experiences, and the level of support available. For many young people, especially those impacted by stress or trauma, these skills are still emerging and require practice and guidance.
According to Center for Instructional and Behavioral Research in Schools (CIBRS), self-regulation skills include:
Educators can support self-regulation by helping youth:
What is Coregulation?
One strategy for supporting students with overwhelming feelings is coregulation. Young people often need support from a calm, trusted adult or peer before they can regulate on their own.
Co-regulation happens when educators:
Over time, consistent co-regulation helps youth build their own regulation skills. 9
Students bring diverse identities and lived experiences to the classroom. Those from historically and intergenerationally marginalized groups (e.g., Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQI+, disabled) may feel less safe due to past experiences, stigma or systemic inequities. Educators should intentionally consider these factors when creating equitable and inclusive learning spaces. 10 For each individual, it’s key to invite them to receive support through you which also means offering to connect them with an individual with shared lived experience or specific cultural/lived experience knowledge or training.
Trauma-informed practice calls for awareness of these realities without singling students out. Creating flexible, respectful, and predictable environments and tact, helps reduce harm, re-activation and supports a sense of safety for all learners.
Students bring diverse identities and lived experiences to the classroom. Those from historically and intergenerationally marginalized groups (e.g., Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQI+, disabled) may feel less safe due to past experiences, stigma or systemic inequities. Educators should intentionally consider these factors when creating equitable and inclusive learning spaces. 10 For each individual, it’s key to invite them to receive support through you which also means offering to connect them with an individual with shared lived experience or specific cultural/lived experience knowledge or training.
Trauma-informed practice calls for awareness of these realities without singling students out. Creating flexible, respectful, and predictable environments and tact, helps reduce harm, re-activation and supports a sense of safety for all learners.
Gaining awareness of young people’s experiences is only the first step. The classroom environment, both in-person and virtual, shapes whether students feel safer enough to reflect, question, engage and ask for support when/if needed.
Key Practices for Educators:
Small but intentional adjustments (providing choice, structure, respect, and voice) can make classrooms and other learning spaces more inclusive, safe, and engaging for all learners. 11
Gaining awareness of young people’s experiences is only the first step. The classroom environment, both in-person and virtual, shapes whether students feel safer enough to reflect, question, engage and ask for support when/if needed.
Key Practices for Educators:
Small but intentional adjustments (providing choice, structure, respect, and voice) can make classrooms and other learning spaces more inclusive, safe, and engaging for all learners. 11
Below are Principles, Practices, and Action-Oriented Guidance for trauma-informed teaching, adapted from… 13
1. Prioritize Safety
Students feel emotionally, physically, and socially safer. Mistakes or breaches to norms are carefully addressed and treated as learning opportunities.
Adults can:
2. Build Trust Through Clarity & Transparency
Trust is reinforced and repaired by predictable expectations and reliable communication.
Adults can:
3. Encourage Peer Support & Connection
Learners feel supported and included; collaboration strengthens community.
Adults can:
4. Share Power Through Collaboration
Students feel agency and contribution are valued.
Adults can:
5. Empower Voice, Choice & Strengths
Students feel safer to contribute, take risks, and share ideas; their strengths are recognized.
Adults can:
6. Teach with an Intersectional & Equity-Centered Lens
Psychological safety is individualized; some students may feel less safe due to systemic inequities or marginalization. Some students may feel more engaged or passionate to share their experiences or a particular topic.
Adults can:
7. Cultivate Purpose & Hope
Students are motivated when learning feels meaningful; growth and effort are celebrated.
Adults can:
Below are Principles, Practices, and Action-Oriented Guidance for trauma-informed teaching, adapted from… 13
1. Prioritize Safety
Students feel emotionally, physically, and socially safer. Mistakes or breaches to norms are carefully addressed and treated as learning opportunities.
Adults can:
2. Build Trust Through Clarity & Transparency
Trust is reinforced and repaired by predictable expectations and reliable communication.
Adults can:
3. Encourage Peer Support & Connection
Learners feel supported and included; collaboration strengthens community.
Adults can:
4. Share Power Through Collaboration
Students feel agency and contribution are valued.
Adults can:
5. Empower Voice, Choice & Strengths
Students feel safer to contribute, take risks, and share ideas; their strengths are recognized.
Adults can:
6. Teach with an Intersectional & Equity-Centered Lens
Psychological safety is individualized; some students may feel less safe due to systemic inequities or marginalization. Some students may feel more engaged or passionate to share their experiences or a particular topic.
Adults can:
7. Cultivate Purpose & Hope
Students are motivated when learning feels meaningful; growth and effort are celebrated.
Adults can:
How we speak to students and young people can support or undermine psychological safety. Trauma-sensitive communication helps learners feel seen, respected, and supported, while reducing the risk of retraumatization or misunderstandings. Clear, compassionate language fosters trust, inclusion, and engagement.
Clearly explain limits to confidentiality: “I want to support you, and here’s when and how I might need to involve someone else.”
How we speak to students and young people can support or undermine psychological safety. Trauma-sensitive communication helps learners feel seen, respected, and supported, while reducing the risk of retraumatization or misunderstandings. Clear, compassionate language fosters trust, inclusion, and engagement.
Clearly explain limits to confidentiality: “I want to support you, and here’s when and how I might need to involve someone else.”
“Don’t feel you need to be an expert in trauma psychology to help your students by being kind, attentive, respectful and understanding” 12
Trauma is…
“Don’t feel you need to be an expert in trauma psychology to help your students by being kind, attentive, respectful and understanding” 12
Trauma is…
1 Trauma and violence-informed approaches to policy and practice
2, 4 Implementation Toolkit - Mental Health Commission of Canada
3 Burczycka, M., & Conroy, S. (2017). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2015. Juristat: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 2–77. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2017001/article/14698/01-eng.htm
5 Trauma
6, 7 READ: Nothing Heals Like Sport - A Playbook for Coaches - CHJS
13 Psychological safety in a learning environment - Canada.ca
1 Trauma and violence-informed approaches to policy and practice
2, 4 Implementation Toolkit - Mental Health Commission of Canada
3 Burczycka, M., & Conroy, S. (2017). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2015. Juristat: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 2–77. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2017001/article/14698/01-eng.htm
5 Trauma
6, 7 READ: Nothing Heals Like Sport - A Playbook for Coaches - CHJS
13 Psychological safety in a learning environment - Canada.ca
Browse our free classroom resources to start preparing and teaching mental health today.
Jack.org is a Canadian charity that works alongside youth to build the mental health future we need.
This is not a site for personal disclosure of mental health distress, suicidal thoughts or behaviours. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call a helpline, 9-1-1 or emergency services, or go to your nearest emergency department.
Registered Canadian Charitable Organization number: 84852 1837 RR0001
This is not a site for personal disclosure of mental health distress, suicidal thoughts or behaviours. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call a helpline, 9-1-1 or emergency services, or go to your nearest emergency department.
If someone’s thoughts or behaviours threaten the safety of themselves or others, then this is what’s called a mental health crisis. Call a helpline, 9-1-1 or emergency services. If someone has recently hurt themselves, but is no longer in danger, follow Be There’s Golden Rules and connect them to resources in their area.
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