Things I can try

Did you know that puzzles can be a great way of calming our minds alongside giving us a mood boost?

Finally in our mini series we are featuring a slightly different type of app that can help with self-harm urges

A short video about the CalmUrge app, including it's features and ways it can help with controlling self-harm urges

A short video featuring the CalmHarm app and explaining how this can be a helpful tool in managing self-harm urges

Apps can be a fantastic tool to help us take care of our mental health and we wanted to feature a few apps that help with overcoming the urge to self-harm

A 45-min YouTube session with Dr Kate and Robson full of practical ways to shift a negative mood :-)

Finding our own rhythm for exam days can help us feel more prepared and in control and help calm our nerves. Here’s a few ideas of things you could try…

Finding ways to unwind after an exam is just as important as the things you put in place to before and during. Here's some tips for after exams have happened

Continuing on with our exam series, here's a few tips around grounding yourself- a great technique you can learn to bring yourself back into the present and regain control over your anxiety

The pressure of exam season can feel overwhelming. So here at Headstrong we thought we’d give you a few tips that could help keep you calm- the first is self-care

A 45-min session full of ways you can express how you feel through art, words and all other sorts of creativity

With so many mental health apps out there- which ones are the most helpful? Here's a few suggestions to get you started

It's time to get cosy or 'Hygee' as the Danish say. Here's a few ideas to help you snuggle into Autumn and Hygee up your November

So, the next post in autumn self-care ideas is all about having a go at journalling...but what actually IS journalling??

This time in our self-care mini series we're thinking all about light (and also giving you a great excuse to put more fairy lights up!!).

There's just something about the darker days that can bring us down SO...here's a series of idea & super practical things you can do to take care this month.

Alumina is Youthscape's free online self-harm support groups for 14-18yr olds

The Alumina team are back to talk about the practical and emotional challenges of living with scars when summer hits. Watch the YouTube session here.

Sometimes it can tough for the adults around us to understand how to best support us, especially around something as difficult as self-harm.…this is a session for them.

This time we’re focusing on the importance breathing can have on calming our anxiety. Here’s just a few techniques you can try ahead of your exams, so if you need them you already know how to use them.

Here's a few tips around grounding yourself- a great technique you can learn to bring yourself back into the present and regain control over your anxiety. .

Arghh exam time is here!! If you missed our YouTube livestream around managing exam anxiety then not to worry- here's the recording!! Full of loads of practical help to manage the stress of exam time.

Finally in part 3 of the THREE THINGS you can do if your struggling with self-harm series, we look at the importance of talking and reaching out to others for support. As people we need connection with others (even if we don’t feel like we do), it’s how we’re designed and even though it can be daunting, talking can make all the difference.

THREE THINGS you can do if you’re struggling with self-harm part 2 is all about our feelings. One moment you’re happy, the next you’re anxious, the next you’re angry. Sometimes it can feel like our feelings are taking over and we’re not in control of them, but have you ever wondered what is going on in your brain and how you can regain a sense of control?

Next in our series is THREE THINGS you can try if you’re struggling with self-harm. As with all our videos, we want to give you a range of practical things you can try, alongside helping you understand a little more around why you feel the way you do. Firstly, recognizing you need some support right now and even wanting to watch this video is a fantastic step...we hope it helps.

And finally in the THREE THINGS you can do if anxiety is taking over series, we look at dialing down the pressure and putting some great stuff in place to help us chill out and make space in our busy lives to rest and relax. Sure there’s something’s we just can’t change...but there’s plenty we can.

Part two of THREE THINGS you can do if anxiety is taking over and we’re focusing on the facts! It can be so helpful to better understand inside us to better understand why you feel the way you do, what’s triggering our anxiety and what we can do to help ourselves get back into control

Here’s THREE THINGS you can do if anxiety is taking over. Argh we all hate to feel anxious don’t we. Trouble is - anxiety is an essential human emotion. Part one is all about creating a pause moment to take a breath, find some calm in the chaos and let some of the water out of our emotional bath tubs.

Pt 3. Finally, we look at sleep stealers! Yup, these are the things that literally steal our ability to sleep and keep us WIDE awake when we should be resting. We hope you find some good ideas here to put into practice.

Pt 2. In the second post of our THREE THINGS you can do if sleep is a problem series, we look at how the routine of your day can make all the difference to how your body unwinds at night. Here’s some ideas you can try tonight.

Pt 1. Sleep can be SO frustrating, can’t it?! One moment you can’t stay awake because you’re so tired, the next you’re lying-in bed wide awake when you should be asleep! So, what can you do to help? Here’s THREE things you can try.

Pt 3 of the series is all about learning to get stuff out of your head instead of letting it build up. Have a watch and see if you can think of the places and people in your life that can help you unpack things when you need to.

Pt 2 of our THREE THINGS you can do if anger is about to explode series is all about practicing frustration. Sounds weird we know, but learning how to manage or hold feelings of frustration can be a key skill in keeping your cool when you feel that wave of anger building up.

The next issue we are going to look at in the THREE THINGS series is the subject of anger and what to do if you feel like your anger is about to explode! Ever felt like you’re seriously about to lose it? Here’s some tips and things you can try.

Part three of the series looks at the importance of grabbing a pause moment at the start of the day to allow ourselves to experience a sense of the bigger world around us. AWE can help us lift our mood and eyes above how we’re feeling and be ready to face the day.

Part two of the THREE THINGS you can do if you wake up feeling low series is all about the importance of routine. Here’s some tips around getting up (even when you don’t feel like it!) , getting fed and then getting ready to face the day.

The THREE THINGS series from Headstrong is kicking off today. Each week we'll be posting three short videos around a particular subject, giving you three simple and practical things you can do to help make yourself feel better. This week is THREE THINGS you can do if you wake up feeling low.

THREE THINGS is a brand new collection of videos launching this month, covering a range of issues from anger and sleep problems through to panic attacks and anxiety. Each video offers three really practical, easy steps you can take to make yourself feel better. Watch this space!

How are you feeling today? Sometimes it can be tough to explain what’s going on emotionally, to put into words how we’re feeling. Well, maybe it’s time to start journaling? Journaling can help you better understand why you feel the way you do. Find out more about the Headstrong journal HERE.

Are you or someone you know struggling with self-harm? Are you looking for a safe and friendly place where you can begin to better understand the journey you’ve been on, and explore what a future without self-harm could look like? Then why not check out our Alumina groups?

Welcome to BRAVE! Through the next month we're thinking about four issues that can be a challenge for ALL of us. Tough stuff, control, identity and failure. You'll find posts and videos all over Headstrong helping you to stand tall in the face of all those 'giants'.

So did you know that as people, the story we tell really matters. Stories help us understand the world, what we've been through, what's going on, what might happen next and most important, how we should or shouldn't act or react. Sometimes stories are a really helpful part of who we are.

Humans have an inbuilt need to have a level of control, it’s part of our design, SO why is being a control freak a problem and how can we be careful about not going too far

Life doesn’t always work out as planned and sometimes tough things come along that TOTALLY knock us off course. We all face giants and these come in ALL SORTS of forms (from waking up feeling low through to struggling with bullying, illness etc etc), but how do we stand tall and turn the story around?

What do you do when who you are attracts the wrong kinda attention, and how do you stand tall in the face of people making assumptions about you?

How do we make sure that the things in life that gives us a sense of control, aren't controlling us.

How do you answer the question when someone asks you, who are you? It's tempting to just say your name. But the question isn't what's your name, the question is, who are you? Here Reuben looks at the life of Paul and what happened when he needed to totally rethink his identity.

Feeling defeated by life can come from all kinds of experiences, from the bigger events like bereavement or loss, through to disappointments and changes. So, how do we recover when life throws us a devastating blow? Jenny reflects on how we can respond when we feel broken, by looking at the story of Naomi

What we can learn from Noah about standing tall in the face of pressure around your identity

How do see the good in each day when life feels chaotic or just TOUGH at times? Reuben gives us three things we can do everyday to help us focus on the good and not feel overwhelmed by the bad stuff.

You know, it’s alright NOT TO HAVE IT TOGETHER ALL THE TIME!!!! Truth is, it really is OKAY not to be OKAY. But what then? How do we open up and show vulnerability about what’s going on and the things we’re struggling with??

BANTER. It’s what all good friendships are made of isn’t it? We all wanna have a laugh with our mates but what happens when something big comes along and on that day jokes aren’t going to cut it?

ANGER- It’s a tough, overwhelming, physical and at times HUGE emotion that can be hard to know what to do with. Here’s Juls talking about ways he realises anger and a few other ideas that might help.

Urghhhh Comparison culture is EVERYWHERE and even though we KNOW that so much we see on social media is a heavily edited, multi-filtered version of reality, we still can’t help but weigh up our life/achievements/looks against others

This week is Men's Health Week and whether you're 15 or 115, there's stuff we all face occasionally that can be T.O.U.G.H. We'll be hearing from a range of voices this week, sharing tips, advice and helpful thoughts on how to navigate life as a guy and respond to some of the challenges out there!

So many of us have experienced bullying and it’s AWFUL :-( Here’s Rob sharing with us some thoughts around what you can do. Also pls remember that the Headstrong team are always here for you to ask advice from. You

During the pandemic sadly eating disorders have increased and with the tragic news of the death of Nicki Graham they are once again in the headlines. If you, or anyone you know is affected, here's Joss from tastelife.uk on how to access help and support.

Many of us have scars and summer can be a time where we feel more self-conscious of people noticing them. Lois gives us some practical advice around how to not just look after scars and see them as part of your life's story but also how to disguise them if you need to.

We've all been there. A beautiful looking quote appears on our insta feed and we press 'like' before we've really had chance to process what it actually says. Maybe it's time to dig a little deeper?

A short video to help you pause on national day of reflection 23rd March

Joy talks to us about the role of dreams and aspirations in our lives and how they help us hold onto hope during difficult times

Since the start of lockdown, Lois has had to wear multiple layers of masks for 12 hour shifts as a midwife and has really struggled with mask related breakouts. Here she gives us a brilliant step-by-step guide through her skincare routine and shares some tips around what has helped her.

SO….we’re not sure if you knew this BUT March is National Bed Month! Yes, a whole month dedicated to not only celebrating just how much we love our beds (and oh we really do!) but also for raising awareness about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep.

Ever lay in bed with a million thoughts running through your mind? Well, this might help!

In lockdown life can feel interrupted, in limbo, and it’s so frustrating not being able to get on with things we had planned or wanted to do. So how do you manage?

If you feel like things are out of your control and you need something to hold on to, here are two simple and healthy things you can control.

Laura displays some impressive multi-tasking (!) whilst chatting about how running in the rain is helping her

Joy explains how she experiences anxiety and shows us works her way through it with pens and paper.

Victory talks about struggling with anxiety when she was a teenager and how lonely the experience was. In the end she turned to journalling to get her through.

Grace talks about the biggest challenges of lockdown and how we learn to be friends with ourselves.

Joy shows us how she uses art to process her feelings.

Joel looks back on how success on social media took over his identity and how he's learned to put his roots back in something deeper.

Ife thinks back over the challenges of the first lockdown, and how the struggles of BLM movement came to define the experience for her.

Andy recounts the painful experiences of lockdown #1 for his family and how venting his pain to God has helped.

You might remember the story of Joseph from the musical, and his famous multi-coloured coat. But Joe takes a deeper look at the story from the Bible and reflects on how someone copes with so much isolation.

Ethan looks back at what got him through lockdown #1 and offers advice for getting through lockdown #2.

Jenny reimagines the story of Elijah from the Bible to explore what it feels like when we get to the end of our rope.

Pete introduces some of his past and present pets and talks about how we cope when a pet dies.

Why is it so hard to open up and admit that we are struggling?

Linda remembers what it was like to be a teenager in the only Asian family in church

Being bullied is not only a horrific experience when it happens, but it can have a really long-term effect on us. Joel talks about how being bullied in primary school affected how he behaved at secondary school, and how that finally changed in sixth form.

Kate Coleman talks about being the first black woman in many leadership spaces in the UK, and how she has learnt to say yes to God, despite her doubts.

Illness can isolate is, and sometimes we use it to isolate ourselves, just when we most need the support of others. Jenny reimagines the experience of one of the women Jesus healed.

Cham shares some of her life story with us, and reflects on how it can be difficult to own all the parts of our experiences and identity - but it's important.

Beth tells the story of running out of motivation in lockdown and the 2 things than helped her.

Andy Croft, from Soul Survivor, shares how being dumped as a teen changed the way he lived for years -safe but lonely, hidden but hurt, numb but feeling nothing. And how getting to know Jesus helped him learn how to be vulnerable - and truly alive - again.

Some of the young people from Zeo Church in Hertfordshire share the three things that kept them sane through lockdown.

Soul Survivor's Ali Martin shares how she learned to stop believing she was a failure, and how that helped her recover from depression.

Dawn, who works and lives in Mozambique, explains how COVID19 has changed her work.

Matt explains how a devastating divorce affected him, and how he found hope again through his faith.

Amy explains how growing up as a young carer, and dyslexia, lead her to a stronger relationship with God.

Liz explains how she found a purpose in life despite her illness making her feel useless.

Hope shares her journey to recovery from an eating disorder and decisions she makes every day to keep moving forwards in recovery

CBeebies's Gemma Hunt (pauses from being a Swashbuckling pirate!) to share how she overcame extreme anxiety during the time everything in her life changed- impacting her health and confidence. All of which happened at the same time as she started her dream job in television.

Sarah talks about anxiety started to take over her life as she approached her GCSEs.

Connie tells the incredible story of discovering, aged 19, that she was living in the UK illegally.

Ruth opens up about her darkest times and what it takes to face hard feelings.

Hannah talks about the surprising things she has learn in lockdown.

Kieran talks about losing his mum just before lockdown and how he's faced his grief.

Juls explains how Doug the horse helps him get back on his feet when he's struggling.

Are you one of life's carers? Chances are you're not great at doing it for yourself. Jo talks about how she's had to learn to look after herself too.

How do you cope with loss, when someone could have prevented it? Jenny imagines what it feels like when grief and anger collide.

Jenny imagines her way inside the story of Mary and Martha and explores how anxiety can hold us back from the things we need the most.

Gavin talks about facing his traumatic past and what it's taken to face his anger.

Jenny talks about writing a list of things that make her feel good, to help her look after herself when lockdown got tough.

We’ve all made mistakes, that’s part of life but what can we learn from them? Lucie recounts being caught by the police shoplifting at 14. She shares how her parents reacted and how the power of forgiveness and giving people second chances can have make an incredible difference whoever you are.

Theo shares his experience of struggling with anxiety and self-harm, and how he's made it through.

Kate tells the story of how she ended up doing a job she never imagined doing.

Kate takes us out into the countryside to show us how she's coped through lockdown.

Laura shares how making Spotify playlists has helped her manage depression and cope with grey days

Finally we've landed in spring and let's all be honest...WHAT.A.RELIEF! Winter just sorta wears us down a bit doesn't it? With it's dark days and bleak weather, but this year there's even more to be positive about than normal :-)

Ultimate things to make with cheese this October...hmmm cheese x

September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and so we’re really honoured to share Daisy’s story of her experiences of living with cancer and the impact it can have on our mental health.

Starr tells the story of losing her family in a car accident and what is has meant to find other people to love and trust.

AUTUMN IS HERE!!!!! Here’s our little celebration of all things awesomely autumnal, summed up in an acronym (excuse the tenuous links to the letter U!!).

Viktor introduces their quarantine art project and explains why it matters to own your own labels.

Freddie tells the story of how one awful night changed his life forever, and how he finds a way to keep going.

Whether you're chilling by the *paddling* pool (ha!) or needing some tunes to help you cool off after a hard day of....well, sunbathing...this playlist is as refreshing as an ice bucket for your feet! So pour a nice cold drink and dive into these chilled out tunes.

So, as we kick start this year’s MHAW, here’s a new playlist to celebrate our power within theme and get you hitting the week with a BOOM!

Music can be a fantastic tool in helping us switch off from the day and fall into a restful sleep. Here's a few of our favourite Spotify sleep related playlists for you to try...

Weather a little bleak outside? Reluctant to leave the warmth of the duvet and feeling the urge to snuggle down with some warming tunes? Well, here's a collection of chilled out snuggly songs to accompany any autumn/winter day.

Hollie, 17, shares a song she has written about her struggles.

Use the wheel to identify how many different emotions you have felt today and then reflect on what made you feel that way

Looking for something to do today that requires minimal effort? Why not try cloud watching?

FREE Colouring pages to bring you a boost of positivity