Expedition Sessions – Training sessions for each emotion theme

Expedition Sessions are a deep dive into each of the individual programmes and take a close look at the context of children’s mental health and the pack content, framework and approach in detail.

They equip pastoral staff and mental health champions with a depth of awareness about the content of the theme, the insights that children need awareness of and the key learning children need to be able to talk about, share and reflect on their experiences. The training will cover:

  • The context for children’s mental health in relation to the key theme

  • Contents and approach of the specific theme pack

  • The session plans and the activities

  • Insights and psychoeducation to help children make sense of their experiences
  • The role of the adult in helping children to feel happier, heard and connected

  • How to use the wellbeing profiles to understand presenting behaviours and to measure impact

  • The importance of the sock puppet pets and how to use them effectively.

Specific content summary below

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around conflict and the impact of miscommunication in our relationships. Against the backdrop of relationship breakdown with 1 in 2 relationships ending in divorce or separation in the UK, children need the skills to be able to communicate with their friends and ultimately their partners and life-long relationships. They need to be able to say how they feel, to be able to listen to others and to feel valued and appreciated. They need to understand what conflict is, why it happens and to know how to resolve differences well.

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around self-esteem and self-worth and the impact of our earliest experiences in shaping our perceptions of ourselves. We consider how our self-esteem comes from our perceptions of others about us and whether we feel loved and affirmed and how we internalise this to feel lovable and capable in our own right. The session considers factors that contribute to low or strong self-esteem and the impact of this on how we live our lives, form relationships, and are able to fulfil our own aspirations. We consider our role in enabling children to appreciate, affirm and celebrate who they are.

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around anxiety, the current climate for young people and the growing crisis in terms of distress and impact of mental ill-health. We will discover how anxiety can present in various forms, how to recognise the signs and symptoms and how to enable children to develop strategies to regulate, express, and release their feelings safely. We consider the role of empathic adults in being able to attune, connect and support children so that they feel safe, regulated, and heard.

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around diversity and how it feels when we feel different or on the outside of social situations. Within our society we have diversity, stereotyping and discrimination and children need the skills and awareness to be able to celebrate their own and others’ difference whilst understanding the impact of stereotyping and discrimination so that they have a voice, are able to express themselves and recognise and hold their own values within an everchanging and complex world.

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around strong emotions and angry feelings. Anger can be a scary emotion and can be seen as challenging behaviour that is hard to manage and contain and can often be escalated to a point where exclusion is the outcome. We explore how to create an understanding and awareness of how to respond, contain and support. It is essential that children are given permission to feel and express their feelings rather than internalise them or explode. We will explore how to help children to recognise the triggers and physiological effects as well as learn ways to express their feelings safely. We consider the role of the adult as crucial in being able to attune, connect and contain as well as being self-aware so that we model ways to regulate and release intense feelings.

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around sadness and how the prevalence of depression is on the rise in primary-aged children. Sometimes children know what they are sad about but sometimes they don’t and this can be because of deep blocked feelings inside them. In this session, we begin to look at what underpins sadness and how it can present. We consider how to support children with ways to express and make sense of their feelings, whilst recognising the range of experiences that children may have had that are contributing factors.

In this training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around loss and bereavement, the impact that this can have on our emotional health, how we respond and move through the cycle of grief and how to support children with a range of losses. Helping children to express, notice, and name their experiences is an important part of the healing process and needs awareness as well as sensitivity in the approach.

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around the importance of friendship and the human need for belonging and connection. We will highlight the impact of feeling left out, relationship rupture and repair, and the impact of how friendships can be wonderful but also painful. How we learn to communicate our thoughts, feelings, and needs and learn what to say and how to navigate our friendships is a crucial life skill that we need children to develop for healthy, open, and honest friendships.

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around change, transition and how sudden and unwanted change can trigger fear, uncertainty, and panic, and how this can impact our long-term mental wellbeing. We consider how children need time to talk about their feelings and experiences and to feel understood as they navigate new opportunities and we look at the activities in the programme that enable this. We recognise that with new beginnings there are also endings and how important it is that endings are celebrated and reflected on so that children can be open to new adventures that come their way.

In this theme training session, we will explore the context for children’s mental health around resilience and how we develop, enable and recognise our inner strength and empowerment. Children need adults they trust to be able to overcome obstacles, to feel believed in and understood and to allow them to feel the feelings that they feel without masking, blocking or internalising them. We explore how we can develop and build resilience, courage and belief in ourselves despite, and sometimes because, of adversity and the importance of containing, inspiring and empathic relationships around us.

Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo Actions, words and me (Conflict) Training
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo Celebrating me (Diversity) Training
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo Resilient me (Resilience)
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo_Calm me (Anxiety)
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo Finding me (Sadness)
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo New beginnings and me (Change)
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo Memories and me (Loss)
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo Amazing me (Self-esteem)
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo My friends and me (Friendships)
Mental Health Intervention Training from Hamish & Milo Exploding me (Angry feelings)
Clare Williams Author Hamish & Milo Wellbeing Resources

About the programme author and lead facilitator

Clare Williams, MA, B.Ed Hons

Clare is a primary teacher, educational psychotherapist, educational consultant, trainer and supervisor. Her work in the field of children’s mental health and education is driven by her desire to advocate and inspire schools and pastoral teams to prioritise children’s wellbeing and to offer them the life chances that enable them to thrive within a complex and ever-changing world.

“My philosophy centres on enabling children to develop a belief in themselves through the quality of relationships they experience that build the fundamental necessity of trust at the core. It is through this quality of relational engagement that children can feel safe enough to learn about the world, themselves and to engage in the learning environment.”