Psychology Week is an annual initiative established by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) aimed at increasing awareness of how psychology can help people and communities lead healthier, happier and more meaningful lives.
Q I have been looking forward to retirement at the end of this year for so long. I have worked as a school teacher for many years and suddenly I feel lost and fearful. I don’t know who I will be or what I will do if I am not teaching. Can you suggest how to deal with my fears and forge into the unknown with positivity rather than fear?
October is Mental Health Month, a time when we are encouraged to acknowledge and talk about mental health. Good mental health can be defined in the following way: “Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (World Health Organisation).
Q I am interested in learning ways to teach my seven-year-old daughter some resilience skills. She seems to become emotionally overwhelmed every time she is presented with a challenging situation or when she ‘loses’ in a game with us at home or at school. Sometimes she gives up trying because her emotions take over. I really want to teach her that it is okay not to be the best at everything, and also not to give up on something just because it feels too hard. Where do I start?
Q I work in a very demanding job and am finding that due to the high workload, I have to take work home with me. I feel like this is a never-ending cycle and it is having an impact on my family. I feel resentful sometimes when one of my kids has an issue I need to deal with that takes me away from work and I know this is wrong. I love my family and actually like my job too but don’t know how to achieve a good balance between the two.