School and community mental health supports Possible educational accommodations Creating a mental wellness safety plan Requesting help: calling a crisis line Building self-awareness Language of mental health What to do when you are struggling with your mental health

2. 2 All content Copyright © Sheryl Boswell 2022. All rights reserved. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute,
transmit, or in any other way exploit any part of copyrighted materials without the prior written permission from YMHC.
© Sheryl Boswell 2022
Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book was correct at
publishing time, the author/publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party
for any loss, damage or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions
result from negligence, accident or any other cause. This book is not a substitute for medical or
psychological treatment.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner
whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review or uses permitted by copyright law.
The author acknowledges the important contribution to mental health and wellness of Dialectical
Behavior Therapy - DBT, developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, Cognitive Behavior Therapy - CBT and
Social Emotional Learning - SEL. A number of activities in this workbook have been informed by
DBT, CBT and SEL.
For permission requests, contact Sheryl Boswell, Youth Mental Health Consulting
Email: info@sherylboswellymhc.ca
Website: www.sherylboswellymhc.ca
Printed by Impressive Printing
Designed by Sarah Ellis and Rita Bruno-Gallo
ISBN 978-1-7773449-2-4

3. 3
Sources of Support: A Workbook for Building Mental Wellness Protective Factors, 2nd Edition
Introduction
What is the Sources of Support Workbook?
• It’s an interactive, evidence, strength, and hope-based way of understanding your
mental wellness protective factors and supports and taking action to create stronger
supports.
• It’s a way of being more aware of your feelings, mood, body responses, stressors,
activity level, healthy habits, sleep patterns, internal messaging and thoughts.
• It’s a way of getting information to create a mental wellness action plan and wellness
resource list.
• It’s a way of understanding how what happens to us has an impact on our body,
mind and spirit.
• It’s a way of taking charge of your life, mental health and wellness, education,
and future.
• It’s a way of feeling connected to the supports in your school and in your local
community.
This interactive mental wellness workbook on sources of support focuses on ways to build a life that
supports you!
It’s “...cultivating the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning
and think, ‘No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.’ It’s
going to bed at night thinking, ‘Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes
afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and
belonging.”
Brené Brown – The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed
to Be and Embrace Who You Are

4. 4 All content Copyright © Sheryl Boswell 2022. All rights reserved. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute,
transmit, or in any other way exploit any part of copyrighted materials without the prior written permission from YMHC.
Life Lessons From a Tree
• To stand tall and be proud
• To go out on a limb
• To reach for the sky
• To bend to the changes in time and seasons
• To branch out
• To stay grounded: to be clear and focused
• To remember your roots and grow strong roots
• To drink plenty of water
• To be confident
• To never stop growing
• To bend before you break
• To turn over a new leaf
• To enjoy the view
• To develop inner strength to allow branches
and leaves to grow
• To learn to be part of a community and
understand the value of inter-connection
• To learn from your past
• To learn about strength through hard times
• To accept yourself for all of your unique
qualities and characteristics
Can you think of other lessons we can learn from trees?

5. 5
Sources of Support: A Workbook for Building Mental Wellness Protective Factors, 2nd Edition
Table of Contents
Understanding Mental Wellness ..................................................................................................7
What is Mental Wellness? .................................................................................................................8
Defining Your Rays of Wellness ........................................................................................................9
What is Mental Health?...................................................................................................................10
What are Mental Health Challenges and Disabilities?....................................................................11
Self and Emotional Awareness ..................................................................................................12
Understanding Mental Wellness Protective Factors .......................................................................13
What are Your Protective Factors? .................................................................................................14
Building Self-Awareness .................................................................................................................15
Describing Yourself .........................................................................................................................16
Describing Your Feelings ................................................................................................................17
Body Awareness .............................................................................................................................18
Mood Tracking ...............................................................................................................................20
Understanding Your Values.............................................................................................................22
Language About Mental Health ................................................................................................24
Language Matters ..........................................................................................................................25
Diversity in Language .....................................................................................................................26
Describing People ..........................................................................................................................27
Our Humanity Unites Us .................................................................................................................28
People First Language ...................................................................................................................29
Understanding People First Language ...........................................................................................30
Identify First Language ...................................................................................................................31
Symptoms Awareness ...............................................................................................................32
Symptoms Awareness Checklist .....................................................................................................34
Warning Signs.................................................................................................................................35
Warning Signs Checklist..................................................................................................................36
Mental Wellness Protective Supports ........................................................................................37
Identifying Your Protective Supports ..............................................................................................38
Building Your Personal Support Team: Secondary School .............................................................39
Sample Job Descriptions for School Support Professionals ...........................................................41
Post-Secondary School Supports & Resources ..............................................................................51
Building Your Personal Support Team: Post-Secondary .................................................................52
Community Supports & Resources .................................................................................................53
Mental Health Services in Your Community ...................................................................................54
Health Care Providers .....................................................................................................................56
Possible Education Accommodations in Secondary & Post-Secondary Schools ...........................57
Secondary School Educational Accommodations...........................................................................58
Post-Secondary Education Accommodations.................................................................................62
Finding the Right Fit in Talk Therapy...............................................................................................64

6. 6 All content Copyright © Sheryl Boswell 2022. All rights reserved. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute,
transmit, or in any other way exploit any part of copyrighted materials without the prior written permission from YMHC.
Requesting Support: Calling a Crisis Line ......................................................................................67
Calling for Mental Health Support..................................................................................................68
Example Dialogue...........................................................................................................................69
Understanding & Managing Stress.............................................................................................70
Stress: What is it? ...........................................................................................................................71
Stress Tracker...................................................................................................................................72
Stress Can Be Positive or Negative.................................................................................................73
Stress Check....................................................................................................................................74
Stress Management.........................................................................................................................75
Creating a Mental Wellness Action Plan.....................................................................................76
Your Mental Wellness Action Plan ..................................................................................................78
Creating a Mental Wellness Action Plan.........................................................................................82
Supporting Self & Others...........................................................................................................83
Walking in Your Friend’s Shoes .......................................................................................................84
Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes...................................................................................................85
Defining Your Support Network.................................................................................................86
Your Support Network ....................................................................................................................87
The Support Around Me.................................................................................................................88
DIY Self-Care Stress Relievers.....................................................................................................89
Stress Balls ......................................................................................................................................90
Simple Slime Recipe........................................................................................................................91
Bath Bomb Recipe..........................................................................................................................92
Homemade Play Dough Recipe......................................................................................................93
DIY Candle Recipe..........................................................................................................................94
Peer-Reviewed YMHC Mental Wellness Resources.....................................................................95
Helpful Resources & References.................................................................................................98
Resource List ..................................................................................................................................99
24/7 Help......................................................................................................................................100
References.....................................................................................................................................101
Youth Mental Health Reality..........................................................................................................102
Building Sources of Support & Resilience: Workbook Reflections................................................104
About Us...................................................................................................................................105
About Youth Mental Health Canada ............................................................................................106
About Sheryl Boswell....................................................................................................................107
YMHC Supporting Youth Mental Health Changes in Canada.......................................................108
Make Hope Happen With Youth Mental Health Canada..............................................................109

7. 7
Sources of Support: A Workbook for Building Mental Wellness Protective Factors, 2nd Edition
Understanding
Mental Wellness

8. 8 All content Copyright © Sheryl Boswell 2022. All rights reserved. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute,
transmit, or in any other way exploit any part of copyrighted materials without the prior written permission from YMHC.
What is Mental Wellness?
According to the Global Wellness Institute, mental wellness is an active and ongoing process that
helps us think, feel, connect, and function; it is a mental, emotional, psychological, and social
process that helps us to build strength and resilience, develop and grow awareness and skills, and
manage situations and thrive.
Emotional
Wellness
Community
Wellness
INTELLECTUAL
Wellness
Environmental
Wellness
Social
Wellness
Physical
Wellness
SPIRITUAL
Wellness

9. 9
Sources of Support: A Workbook for Building Mental Wellness Protective Factors, 2nd Edition
Defining Your Rays of Wellness
Create your rays of wellness using these questions to guide you:
• What motivates you?
• What are you passionate about?
• What makes you happy?
• Think about the different areas of wellness: social, physical, emotional,
academic/intellectual, spiritual, financial, environmental.
My RAYS OF
wellness
e
g
.
P
a
i
n
t
i
n
g

10. 10 All content Copyright © Sheryl Boswell 2022. All rights reserved. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute,
transmit, or in any other way exploit any part of copyrighted materials without the prior written permission from YMHC.
What is Mental Health?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO):
Mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can
cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community”.
World Health Organization. Promoting mental health: concepts, emerging evidence, practice
(Summary Report) Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004.
Mental health is a dynamic state of internal equilibrium which enables individuals to use their abilities
in harmony with universal values of society. Basic cognitive and social skills; ability to recognize,
express and modulate one’s own emotions, as well as empathize with others; flexibility and ability to
cope with adverse life events and function in social roles; and harmonious relationship between body
and mind represent important components of mental health which contribute, to varying degrees, to
the state of internal equilibrium.
Committee on Ethical Issues of the European Psychiatric Association.

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