Navigating Mental Health Issues in Schools: Strategies for Teachers and Students with Prof. Jess Deighton
Release Date: 08/12/2025
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Navigating Mental Health Issues in Schools: Strategies for Teachers and Students with Prof. Jess Deighton
Psychology in the Classroom
In this episode, Professor Jess Deighton, a leading children’s mental health expert, discusses the growing mental health challenges facing young people today and what this means for educators and schools. We dive into how student mental health impacts learning outcomes, the unique challenges teachers encounter in the classroom, and the critical importance of adopting a whole-school approach to wellbeing. Jess offers evidence-based insights on effective mental health strategies for schools, highlighting what truly works (and what doesn’t) when supporting students. We discuss the power of...
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Emotionally Based School Avoidance: A Personal Story
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Learning from Failure: The Biological Case for Embracing Mistakes
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The Perils of Perfectionism: Understanding Its Impact on Mental Health in Education
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First do no harm: Universal Mental Health Interventions in Schools
Psychology in the Classroom
Summary In this episode is a NIHR Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, discusses her recent paper titled Where the authors ‘examine three areas: the types of potential harms and adverse events reported in school-based mental health interventions; the subgroups of children and adolescents at heightened risk; and the proposed explanations for these potential harms.’The conversation explores the rising mental health issues among young people in schools, focusing on universal interventions like mindfulness and CBT. Carolina Guzman discusses her scoping review on the potential...
info_outlineIn this episode, Professor Jess Deighton, a leading children’s mental health expert, discusses the growing mental health challenges facing young people today and what this means for educators and schools. We dive into how student mental health impacts learning outcomes, the unique challenges teachers encounter in the classroom, and the critical importance of adopting a whole-school approach to wellbeing.
Jess offers evidence-based insights on effective mental health strategies for schools, highlighting what truly works (and what doesn’t) when supporting students. We discuss the power of fostering a sense of belonging, practical ways to build student resilience, and how teachers can support mental health without needing to be experts themselves.
Jess also give actionable tips and resources for promoting wellbeing in your school community, and why supporting student mental health is a shared responsibility for everyone in education. This episode is for anyone passionate about making a positive impact on student wellbeing and academic success.
Further resources mentioned:
Jess Deighton: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-sciences/research/research-strengths/mental-health/meet-professor-jessica-deighton
Anna Freud Mentally Healthy Schools Website: https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/
Youth Futures Foundation Report: https://youthfuturesfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Understanding-drivers-of-recent-trends-in-young-peoples-mental-health-July-2025-final.pdf
UCL Research into breaktimes: https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/Baines%2042402%20BreaktimeSurvey%20-%20Main%20public%20report%20(May19)-Final(1).pdf
Growing up in the 2020s: https://growingup2020s.ipsos.com/#:~:text=our%20contact%20details.-,The%20Study,London%20(UCL)%20and%20Ipsos.
Listen to the mini-series on the Myriad Trial: https://changingstatesofmind.com/mindfulness-miniseries-1