In this enlightening episode, we're joined by award-winning educator Cassie Brooks, who shares practical strategies for teaching mental health skills to children. With 25 years of middle school health education experience, Cassie offers invaluable insights on how parents, teachers, and coaches can model and teach mental wellness techniques.
Cassie discusses the importance of normalizing mental health conversations, comparing emotional pain to physical pain like headaches to reduce stigma. She shares specific techniques including the Tapping Solution, the value of creating personalized mental health self-management plans, and how to implement calming activities that children can choose based on their preferences.
As president of the Indiana Society for Health and Physical Educators and a volunteer ambassador for Erica's Lighthouse, Cassie also highlights resources available to support youth mental health education. This episode provides actionable tools for anyone looking to better equip young people with skills to manage their emotional wellbeing.
Listen for practical advice on how to move beyond simple breathing exercises to engage children in meaningful mental health practices they'll actually use when they need them most.
Cassie Brooks Bio
Cassie Brooks is in her 25th year of teaching middle school Health and Physical Education in Brownsburg , Indiana. She is currently president of Indiana’s Society for Health and Physical Educators. Cassie has her BA in Health Education from Ball State and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. She was recognized as the Midwest Health Teacher of the Year in 2018. Her career passions include helping health educators move to skills-based teaching and leaning into challenging topics. Cassie is volunteer ambassador for Erika’s Lighthouse and is very involved in her church and community. She loves to hike, kayak, garden, camp, and travel.
Resources
Erika’s Lighthouse: https://erikaslighthouse.org/
Erika’s Lighthouse Family Resources: https://erikaslighthouse.org/familyengagement/
Tapping Solution: https://www.thetappingsolution.com/eft-tapping/
If you are interested in receiving a copy of the Coping Strategies or Mental Health Self-Management sheets, please email us at contact@smarthwp.com
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