Curious about what goes on in our online workshops?

It's not always easy to think positively, especially when we're stressed, overwhelmed or feeling down. In this SkyCast we shared a video called the Gratitude Experiment - it's all about how we can focus on the positives in our daily lives.

We also shared a few ideas on some of the small things that can help us to have a good day:

1. Asking other people for help or a hug when you need it.

2. Making a playlist of songs that lift your mood.

3. Starting a gratitude journal (check out the video for more info).

In this session we tried to get a good feel for depression and asked ourselves...

"If our depression was a friend, what would it be tryinng to communicate to us?"

Here are some of the groups' answers:
   "Look after yourself"
   "Push through, you'll get through this" 
   "Take a break"
   "You're strong and you'll be so much stronger at the end of this"

Check out this YouTube video which captures some of the physical and psychological symptoms of depression.

In this session the group came up with some great ideas to cope with stress. You might want to try some of these:

1. Taking a walk with your headphones in and some music
2. Writing poetry or a journal to get your worries out of your head and down on paper
3. Talking to a friend you trust and remember, you're not a burden, if they're a good friend they'll be happy you said something!
4. Taking a few minutes to sit and breathe to help your body and mind calm down and relax.

Check out this YouTube video for a simple breathing technique...

In the midst of exam season, this session aimed to help anyone struggling with stress and anxiety. We discussed some coping strategies for managing stress on a short term basis, before looking more in depth at anxiety: what is it, what happens to our bodies when we feel panic, and are there any warning signs that can help us to recognise when we are stressed and anxious?

It also included tips to help us cope with anxiety, with a  particular focus on stress management to help you cope during the exam period.

Often people may say they are feeling depressed, but if you have depression you are not 'just' sad or upset. This session introduced some of the myths about depression as well as exploring the signs and symptoms of depression. The workshop allowed people space to share tips for coping with depression as well as discuss their experiences of struggling with depression.

It can be hard to have a "healthy relationship" with anger! We all feel angry from time to time, but how we express it (or don't!) can have a huge impact on our lives.

Whilst anger is a normal, human emotion, it can get out of control and begin to feel like you have no control over these feelings. It can be hard, and scary, to acknowledge how angry we can get and also how quickly our anger can surface. At it's worst, anger can begin to effect your day to day life - your school, job, relationships and sense of self-control and self-esteem.

This session explored the 'warning signs' for anger, helping you to identify some triggers and ways to respond differently in the 'heat of the moment'. We invited you to think about underlying causes behind anger, which can be an important first step to overcoming the rage we feel within.

The pain of losing someone can feel unbearable, and yet it is something that we all experience at some point in our lives. Despite this, often when we experience the intensity of grief, we can feel isolated and alone.

This session explored what it is like to lose someone, looking at the different stages of grief and how it can affect us. In particular, at major times in the year like Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas or the New Year, it can be particularly hard to cope with loss, so we looked at some coping strategies to use as we approach the holiday season.

Man, Woman, Boy, Girl. When we talk about gender, we are often faced with small, fixed boxes for us to tick. The reality is that gender is a lot more complicated than that.

Whether you are struggling with your gender identity or not, gender is something that plays a huge part in your everyday life. For example, ever been told to 'man up' or been called a 'princess'?

This session was more of a discussion. A chance to explore where our concepts of gender come from and the impact they have on our lives. It was a new session, so was a chance to learn and share ideas, although there was no pressure to talk or to share if you didn't want to!

Peer pressure affects us all – most people want to feel like they ‘fit in’ and find it hard if they’re in a situation when they feel awkward, different or like an outsider. Because of this, we can feel influenced, or pressured, into something because other people around us are doing it .

This session explored the issue of peer pressure: how do you know if you’re being pressured and what can you do about it? We’ll also talked about respect and your rights, as well as tips on how to be assertive and deal with peer pressure from others.

The pain of losing someone can feel unbearable, and yet it is something that we all experience at some point in our lives. Despite this, often when we experience the intensity of grief, we can feel isolated and alone.

This session explored what it is like to lose someone, looking at the different stages of grief and how it can affect us. In particular, at major times in the year like Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas or the New Year, it can be particularly hard to cope with loss, so we looked at some coping strategies to use as we approach the holiday season.

As part of anti-bullying week, this SkyCast asked 'what's up with cyberbullying'?

Cyberbullying is slighlty different to other types of bullying, because it's not physical bullying, it's not workplace bullying, and in fact everything happens online.

When we are online, people can say or act in a way that they wouldn't if they were standing face to face. Because of this, cyberbullying can really hit you where it hurts, whilst also leaving you wounded but also having to deal with it at your desk, on your own.

Want to find out more about drugs and alcohol? This session was for anyone interested in understanding a bit more about drugs and alcohol - importantly though, you didn't have to have a drug or alcohol problem to attend.

This SkyCast explored why we might the different types of drugs, the effects they have and how they can be taken. It also looked at how different people use drugs, whether experimenting, using casually as well as when this can become more of a problem. 

Often people may say they are feeling depressed, but if you have depression you are not 'just' sad or upset. This session introduced some of the myths about depression as well as exploring the signs and symptoms of depression. The workshop allowed people space to share tips for coping with depression as well as discuss their experiences of struggling with depression.

With September just around the corner, you might be thinking about your next steps and the future.

Whether you've just got results, waiting to hear or thinking about what's to come in the future, having a plan can sometimes make things feel better.

This session invited skycasters to think about what they want for the future and the steps they need to take to get there. It was a relaxed, uplifting session, where we looked at identifying some goals for the future, whilst watching some motivational movie clips to get us inspired!

Sometimes you might feel like your mind has a mind all of it's own. You might find your thoughts are going round and round in circles. You might feel trapped in a series of thoughts that are making you feel like you're going 'crazy'.

This session was about taking a break from all that and trying to relax (it is the summer, after all!) - there was a chance to think about things we can do to improve our mood, as well as relaxation exercises and sharing top tips together about things that make us feel good. 

Self-harm is a complicated issue, made worse by the fact that there are lots of myths and misunderstandings about self-harm which make talking about it really hard. This session introduced the topic of self-harm, talking about what it is and reasons why someone might self-harm.  We talked about the stigma and stereotypes that make it hard to talk about self-harm and how that might affect someone asking for help.  The session finished with some discussion about how you could help someone if they are self-harming, or indeed how you might be able to help yourself. 

In the midst of exam season, this session aimed to help anyone struggling with stress and anxiety. We discussed some coping strategies for managing stress on a short term basis, before looking more in depth at anxiety: what is it, what happens to our bodies when we feel panic, and are there any warning signs that can help us to recognise when we are stressed and anxious?

Often people may say they are feeling depressed, but if you have depression you are not 'just' sad or upset. This session introduced some of the myths about depression as well as exploring the signs and symptoms of depression.  The workshop allowed people space to share tips for coping with depression as well as discuss their experiences of struggling with depression.

Peer pressure affects us all – most people want to feel like they ‘fit in’ and find it hard if they’re in a situation when they feel awkward, different or like an outsider. This session explored the issue of peer pressure: how do you know if you’re being pressured and what can you do about it? We also talked about confidence and self-esteem, as well as the need to accept ourselves and find our inner voice.  The session ended with a discussion about respect and human rights, concluding with some tips on how to be assertive and deal with peer pressure from others.