Lighthouse News - October

Dear Friend of PLC

PLC is celebrating Mental Health Week 2018 from 22 October to 26 October.

This event occurs every year as close as practically possible to International Mental Health Day. This year, our selected theme for the week is ‘Let’s take care of mental health together' promoting a sense of belonging and connectedness amongst our community'.

The importance of raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing is clearly illustrated by recent news reports on research from Headspace that revealed high (and rising) levels of psychological distress in young Australians. A recent Mission Australia report identified that mental health was the top issue for young people in Australia. It is no wonder that that government policies across the world identified schools as having a key role to play in early intervention and support for mental health.

Schools have an important role in building community and providing opportunities for connectedness that build good mental health. A key protective factor for children is having safe, strong, supportive and respectful relationships - within their family and school.

Keeping the above in mind, our Mental Health Week programme has been developed in collaboration with our student leaders. The activities focus on providing opportunities to:

connect with others, develop or enhance relationships with other students and staff
participate in things that are fun, and
be engaged and challenged, to try new things and to achieve success.

Read the full article

Meet PLC Psychologist, Jess Lethbridge

We asked Jess a few questions to get to know her better!

Who inspires you most?

This is a difficult question to answer! I struggle to find a single person that I “look up to” in that way. It may sound cliché, but I’m inspired by people who challenge themselves and take risks.

I am inspired by people who are truly and authentically themselves, who have the skills to teach others important life principles, who treat others with care and respect and who use their skills and talents to make a difference in the world.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I have been at PLC for seven months now and what I’ve loved over that time is getting to know a number of the girls and getting involved in school life, (whether that be Arts Day or Cross Country). I’m hoping to be involved in more Co-Curricular activities and Outdoor Education programmes next year.

I am passionate about working with students to provide them with the knowledge and skills that will help them through school and life.

What areas are you currently exploring in your professional life
which you can incorporate into your work at PLC?

I have always been interested in a holistic approach to mental health, but recently, I have been doing further exploration into the realm of nutrition. In my opinion, quality sleep, good nutrition and regular exercise are the foundations of a healthy life and have a huge role to play in our mental health.

I am currently learning about gut health and the brain/body connection. In addition, I am passionate about using mindfulness (paying attention to the present moment) to become more aware of ourselves, our interactions and our surroundings.

Learn about other staff members

Lighthouse App of the Month:ReachOut Breathe

ReachOut Breathe is an app that helps individuals reduce the physical symptoms of stress and anxiety by slowing down breath and heart rate through your iPhone or Apple Watch.

Using simple visuals via your phone's camera, ReachOut Breathe helps you control your breath and measure heart rate, allowing you to actively address the onset of physical stress symptoms.

Download the App here.