Minds

Matter Club
JH Rose
High School
Refresh Session C
Thursdays
Discussion Outlines
Week 1: Introduction to Mental Health (20 minutes)

Objective: Introduce students to the concept of mental health and establish a safe space for
discussions.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Handouts on mental health statistics (optional)

Activity 1: Welcome and Icebreaker (5 minutes)

 Welcome students and briefly introduce the purpose of the club.

 Conduct a quick icebreaker where each student shares their name and one thing they
hope to learn or discuss regarding mental health.

Activity 2: Define Mental Health (5 minutes)

 Lead a brief discussion on the meaning of mental health.

 Highlight the importance of mental health in overall well-being.

Activity 3: Safe Space Agreement (10 minutes)

 Explain the concept of a safe space and why it's important in discussing mental health.

 Brainstorm with students the key elements of a safe space agreement, such as
confidentiality and respect for diverse opinions.

 Write down the agreement on a whiteboard or poster, and have students agree to it by
nodding or raising their hands.

Conclusion (5 minutes)

 Summarize the key points discussed.

 Encourage students to reach out if they have any questions or concerns.

 Thank the students for participating and remind them of the next meeting.
Week 2: Understanding Mental Health Disorders (20 minutes)

Objective: Introduce common mental health disorders and discuss their signs and symptoms.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Handouts on common mental health disorders (optional)

Activity 1: Recap and Introduction (3 minutes)

 Briefly recap the previous session's key points.

 Introduce the topic of mental health disorders and explain that today's focus is on
understanding them better.

Activity 2: Presentation (5 minutes)

 Present an overview of common mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression,

 Highlight key characteristics and symptoms of each disorder.

Activity 3: Group Discussion (7 minutes)

 Facilitate a discussion on students' prior knowledge or experiences with mental health

 Encourage students to ask questions and share their thoughts.

Activity 4: Myth Busting (5 minutes)

 Address common myths and misconceptions about mental health disorders.

 Correct misinformation and provide accurate information.

Conclusion (2 minutes)

 Summarize the key points discussed.

 Encourage students to continue learning about mental health disorders on their own.

 Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the next meeting's topic.

This session provides a basic understanding of common mental health disorders and aims to
dispel myths surrounding them.
Week 3: Breaking Stigma (20 minutes)

Objective: Discuss the impact of stigma on individuals with mental health disorders and
explore ways to challenge and break stigma.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Scenario cards (optional)

Activity 1: Recap and Introduction (3 minutes)

 Recap the previous session briefly.

 Introduce the topic of stigma surrounding mental health and its effects.

Activity 2: Presentation (5 minutes)

 Discuss the negative effects of stigma on individuals with mental health disorders.

 Highlight how stigma can prevent people from seeking help and lead to social
isolation.

Activity 3: Group Discussion (7 minutes)

 Facilitate a discussion on the students' perceptions of mental health stigma.

 Encourage students to share their thoughts on how stigma can be challenged and
reduced.

Activity 4: Role-Playing (5 minutes)

 Divide students into pairs or small groups.

 Provide them with scenario cards depicting situations where stigma is present.

 Have students role-play the scenarios and come up with ways to respond to stigma.

Conclusion (2 minutes)

 Summarize the key points discussed.

 Emphasize the importance of challenging stigma and creating a supportive

 Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the next meeting's
topic.

This session aims to raise awareness about the harmful effects of stigma on mental health and
encourage students to become advocates for reducing stigma in their communities.
Week 4: Coping Strategies (20 minutes)

Objective: Introduce students to healthy coping mechanisms for managing mental health
challenges.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Guided meditation scripts (optional)

Activity 1: Recap and Introduction (3 minutes)

 Recap the previous session briefly.

 Introduce the topic of coping strategies for mental health and why they are important.

Activity 2: Presentation (5 minutes)

 Present various healthy coping mechanisms, such as mindfulness, exercise, and

 Discuss how these strategies can help manage stress and improve mental well-being.

Activity 3: Guided Meditation (7 minutes)

 Lead the students through a brief guided meditation or relaxation exercise.

 Encourage students to focus on their breathing and let go of any tension or stress.

Activity 4: Group Discussion (5 minutes)

 Facilitate a discussion on the students' experiences with coping mechanisms.

 Encourage students to share any coping strategies that have worked for them in the
past.

Conclusion (2 minutes)

 Summarize the key points discussed.

 Encourage students to practice healthy coping mechanisms regularly.

 Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the next meeting's
topic.

This session aims to provide students with practical coping strategies they can use to manage
stress and improve their mental well-being.
Week 5: Self-Care and Stress Management (20 minutes)

Objective: Introduce students to the concept of self-care and explore strategies for managing
stress and promoting mental well-being.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Self-care plan templates (optional)

Activity 1: Recap and Introduction (3 minutes)

 Recap the previous session briefly.

 Introduce the topic of self-care and stress management for mental health.

Activity 2: Presentation (5 minutes)

 Define self-care and explain why it is important for mental health.

 Discuss the connection between stress and mental health.

Activity 3: Self-Care Planning (7 minutes)

 Have students create their own self-care plans, including activities they can do to
promote mental well-being.

 Encourage students to include both daily self-care activities and longer-term

Activity 4: Group Discussion (5 minutes)

 Facilitate a discussion on the students' self-care plans.

 Encourage students to share their self-care strategies and how they plan to implement
them.

Conclusion (2 minutes)

 Summarize the key points discussed.

 Emphasize the importance of self-care in managing stress and promoting mental well-
being.

 Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the next meeting's
topic.

This session aims to help students understand the importance of self-care in maintaining
mental health and provide them with practical strategies for managing stress.
Week 6: Building Resilience (20 minutes)

Objective: Introduce students to the concept of resilience and explore ways to build resilience
in the face of mental health challenges.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Resilience-building handouts (optional)

Activity 1: Recap and Introduction (3 minutes)

 Recap the previous session briefly.

 Introduce the topic of resilience and why it is important for mental health.

Activity 2: Presentation (5 minutes)

 Define resilience and explain how it relates to mental health.

 Discuss the characteristics of resilient individuals.

Activity 3: Resilience-building Exercises (7 minutes)

 Lead the students through resilience-building exercises, such as positive self-talk or

 Encourage students to reflect on their own strengths and how they can use them to
overcome challenges.

Activity 4: Group Discussion (5 minutes)

 Facilitate a discussion on the students' experiences with resilience.

 Encourage students to share examples of times when they have demonstrated

Conclusion (2 minutes)

 Summarize the key points discussed.

 Emphasize the importance of resilience in maintaining mental well-being.

 Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the next meeting's
topic.

This session aims to help students understand the importance of resilience in coping with
mental health challenges and provide them with practical exercises to build resilience.
Week 7: Building Support Systems (20 minutes)

Objective: Explore the importance of support systems in mental health and identify ways to
build and strengthen them.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Support network map templates (optional)

Activity 1: Welcome and Recap (3 minutes)

 Welcome the students and briefly recap the previous session.

 Emphasize the importance of building support systems for mental health.

Activity 2: Presentation (5 minutes)

 Discuss the concept of support systems and their role in mental health.

 Explain the different types of support systems, such as family, friends, and community
resources.

Activity 3: Group Discussion (7 minutes)

 Facilitate a discussion on the students' experiences with support systems.

 Encourage students to share how their support systems have helped them in difficult
times.

Activity 4: Support Network Mapping (5 minutes)

 Provide students with support network map templates.

 Ask them to identify their support systems and how they can strengthen these
connections.

Conclusion (2 minutes)

 Summarize the key points discussed.

 Encourage students to actively build and maintain their support systems.

 Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the next meeting's
topic.

This session aims to help students understand the importance of support systems in mental
health and provide them with practical tools to build and strengthen these systems.
Week 8: Advocacy and Peer Support (20 minutes)

Objective: Discuss the importance of advocating for mental health awareness and explore
ways to support peers who may be struggling with mental health issues.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Event planning templates (optional)

Activity 1: Recap and Introduction (3 minutes)

 Recap the previous session briefly.

 Introduce the topics of advocacy for mental health and peer support.

Activity 2: Presentation (5 minutes)

 Discuss the importance of advocating for mental health awareness and reducing
stigma.

 Highlight ways in which students can support peers who may be struggling with
mental health issues.

Activity 3: Event Planning (7 minutes)

 Divide students into small groups and assign each group to plan a mental health
awareness event or campaign.

 Provide them with event planning templates to guide their discussions.

Activity 4: Group Discussion (5 minutes)

 Have each group present their event ideas and discuss how they can implement them.

 Encourage students to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Conclusion (2 minutes)

 Summarize the key points discussed.

 Emphasize the importance of advocacy and peer support in promoting mental health
awareness.

 Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the next meeting's
topic.

This session aims to empower students to become advocates for mental health awareness
and provide them with practical ways to support their peers who may be struggling with
mental health issues.
Week 9: Reflection and Celebration (20 minutes)

Objective: Reflect on the club's activities and achievements, and celebrate the learning and
growth experienced by the members.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Certificates or small tokens of appreciation (optional)

Activity 1: Welcome and Recap (3 minutes)

 Welcome the students and briefly recap the topics covered throughout the club's
duration.

 Emphasize the importance of reflection in the learning process.

Activity 2: Reflection (7 minutes)

 Ask students to reflect individually on their experiences in the club.

 Provide prompts such as "What have you learned?", "How has this club impacted you?",
and "What will you take away from this experience?"

Activity 3: Group Sharing (5 minutes)

 Invite students to share their reflections with the group.

 Encourage open and honest sharing, and validate each student's experience.

Activity 4: Celebration (3 minutes)

 Celebrate the club's achievements and the growth of its members.

 Provide certificates or small tokens of appreciation to each member to acknowledge

Conclusion (2 minutes)

 Thank the students for their participation and commitment to the club.

 Encourage them to continue their journey of mental health awareness and advocacy.

 Close the session with a final reflection or positive affirmation.

This session aims to provide closure to the club's activities while allowing students to reflect on
their learning and celebrate their achievements.