Mental Health & Well-being

Welcome to the WCDSB Mental Health and Wellness page!  You can find resources here to grow your knowledge on mental health topics, learn a variety of daily wellness practices that can help you manage stress, get connected when additional supports are needed, and learn about how WCDSB is promoting wellness in our school communities.

Updated Parent/Caregiver Resources

These are the first of many resources in development, by School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) as part of a new Parent/Caregiver Mental Health Literacy Toolkit.

These resources were developed to assist parents/caregivers in navigating and supporting their child’s mental health and well-being.  

These resources will soon be available in multiple languages for parents across Ontario.

Updated resources: 

How to help your child have a mentally healthy return to school

Helping Your Child Manage Digital Technology

Noticing Mental Health Concerns for Your Child

Noticing Mental Health Concerns for Your Child Worksheet

Suicide Prevention Guide for Parents and Caregivers

Student Wellbeing

We continue to prioritize mental health and well-being through a range of classroom supports and board professional services.  Schools are a part of a circle of support for students. You are not alone. If you become concerned about your child’s mental health, it is good to seek help. Your child’s teacher or principal can help direct you to services in the school, board, or community. You may also wish to consult with your family physician or can connect directly with a community mental health agency near you. When more immediate help is needed, the Help Lines below can offer help. One of the most important things you can do is prioritize and protect your own mental health. Caring for your own wellness, and seeking support when you need to, is one way to help your child to stay mentally healthy. 

On this page you can find a variety of links resources to promote wellness and also more general resources that can be promote positive mental health in our school communities.  

We all have a role to play in promoting positive mental health in our school communities. To learn more general information about what you can do, select that category that fits you best & check out the broader range of resources from School Mental Health Ontario.

Mental Health Support and Resources

There are services online and in our community that can provide support. Please follow the “Mental Health Services and Resources” and “Other Helpful Waterloo Region Supports” links for more information down below.

If you or someone you care about is struggling, you are not alone!

Parent Information Hub

Access our Catholic Parent Involvement Committee (CPIC) Information Hub to listen to various community organizations speak directly to questions such as:  How do I support my anxious child? How do I help my child build social skills? Where do I learn more about 2SLGBTQ+ identities? How do I keep my child safe on the internet? Interested in additional services to support your child? Follow the links to access more information on services offered by each organization.

Daily Practices to Promote Wellness

Incorporating calming activities into your day – even if only for a few minutes – can make a huge difference in your experience of stress & how you respond to challenges.

There is no one-sized-fits-all approach – what works for you might not work for others.  And what works when you’re only a little bit stressed may be very different from what works for you when you’re feeling very overwhelmed.  Below are some examples of relaxation activities. Give them a try and then ask yourself these questions:

• Do you like something reflective where a narrator is coaching you?
• Do you prefer something with just music?  White noise?
• Does it help you breathe slowly and deeply if someone sets the pace for you?  If not, set your own pace – try to increase the “space between your breaths” without actually holding your breath.  Try to slow it down at a pace that’s comfortable for you.
• Does it help you to have a visual image guiding your pace of breathing?
• Do your muscles get tense when you’re feeling stressed? Does Progressive Muscle Relaxation help you with that?

Make note of how you feel in your brain/body/mood before, during, and after these activities.

Better yet, participate in a wellness challenge (over a day? A week? A month?), and commit to spending a set period of time each day (2 minutes? 5 minutes? 10? More?) to engage in a wellness practice proactively.  Reflect on your mood over this period of time, and if you are observing a change in your experiences of stress.

Many people will struggle to direct their attention towards a mindfulness activity for a set period of time, and will find their thoughts wandering towards to-do lists and worries. Your brain is like a muscle. Start small! You will get better at it. Every time you catch your mind wandering and can rejoin the activity is a step in the right direction.