Let's Be Real - Mental Health for Young Minds

School wellbeing articles

For the educators and leaders who carry the weight of a school's wellbeing culture.

See teacher mental health training See all workshops

Strategy that changes behaviour

Why well-written wellbeing strategies so often fail to change what happens day to day.

Staff wellbeing

Self care that survives a term, and how leaders protect their teams from burnout.

Mental health first aid in schools

What MHFA-informed practice looks like when it is embedded rather than bolted on.

International school life

Transition, belonging and the particular pressures of mobile school communities.

Articles

Neurodivergence
Neurodivergence and Mental Health: What Schools Miss
Neurodivergent students often experience distress in ways standard wellbeing guidance was never written for. This article looks at how anxiety and burnout show up differently, why the usual supportive conversation can misfire, and what schools can change so a shared mental health language includes every mind.
Jacqueline Klemke - 19/08/2026
Mental Health Literacy
Why Mental Health Literacy Matters in International Schools
Mobility, multilingual communities and staff turnover make shared understanding harder to sustain in international schools. This article explains what mental health literacy is, why it matters here in particular, and how schools can build a common language across students, staff and families.
Nick Praulins - 05/08/2026
Wellbeing and Mental Health
The Missing Link in Student Wellbeing: Connecting Schools and Families
Schools and families both work hard on student wellbeing, usually in parallel rather than together. This article looks at the gap young people fall into when home and school describe difficulty differently, and the practical steps that close it.
Jacqueline Klemke - 05/08/2026
Youth Mental Health Response
From Awareness to Action: Why Schools Need Mental Health Response Training
Awareness was the achievement of the last decade. The question now is what a teacher does in the next five minutes after noticing that something is wrong. This article sets out what response training adds and how to make it stick.
Nick Praulins - 05/08/2026
Mental Health Literacy
Mental Health First Aid vs Mental Health Literacy: What Schools Actually Need
The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they answer different questions. This article compares response training and community-wide literacy, and helps schools decide which to start with.
Nick Praulins - 05/08/2026
Wellbeing and Mental Health
Why most school wellbeing strategies do not change behaviour (and what can be done about it)
Why do so many international school wellbeing strategies fail to change what actually happens day to day? This article explores the gap between good intentions and lived behaviour, and explains what schools can do to design wellbeing systems that support staff and students in moments of uncertainty.
Nick Praulins - 04/02/2026
Mental Health
Practical Self Care In School (Without the Guilt)
Educators give so much of themselves to pupils that their own wellbeing often slips down the list. This article shows how Mental Health First Aid principles can help teachers embed simple, guilt-free self care practices into the school day.
Nick Praulins - 28/08/2025
MHFA
How MHFA-Inspired Peer Support Can Help LGBTQI+ Students Feel Safer In Schools
When an LGBTQI+ student opens up to a peer, it can be a moment of deep courage and care. This article explores how schools can build safe, sustainable peer support programmes using Mental Health First Aid principles.
Nick Praulins - 16/06/2025
International Schools
Feel-Good Wellness vs Real Mental Health Support: Know the Difference
Are your initiatives truly supporting staff wellbeing, or merely masking deeper issues? Learn the key differences between superficial feel-good strategies and effective, evidence-based mental health interventions.
Nick Praulins - 26/05/2025
Mental Health Support Services
Why Every School Leader Should Be Trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
Why MHFA training is essential for school leaders, especially in international schools across Europe. Learn how it supports well-being, leadership, and whole-school culture.
Nick Praulins - 03/05/2025
International Schools
Mental Health First Aid: The Little Things Can Matter Most
When a quiet new student started slipping through the cracks, it wasn't a big intervention that made the difference - it was one small conversation. Learning to recognise and respond to early signs of distress can change everything.
Nick Praulins - 10/04/2025