Mother sets up unique mental wellbeing course for teenagers
By William O'Connor
A UNIQUE free mental wellbeing programme for teenagers was launched this week and is initially being rolled-out to schools in Tallaght and Clondalkin.
Tallaght mum Karina Murray has assembled a group of inspirational speakers and health and wellbeing experts to create Aunua Team, which aims to help teenagers be more resilient to bullying and peer pressure.
Picture taken at the launch of the programme in Tallaght Community School
With increasing emphasis on positive mental health and wellbeing as core life-skills, Aunua Team’s new voluntary school programme is called R.O.A.R, and is intended to break down barriers and show young people new ways of seeing things, new choices, and better ways to relate to others.
Helping teenagers find their R.O.A.R begins with showing them how to remove negative beliefs and ways of thinking, in order to become happier, healthier and more successful, said Karina Murray, who is an NLP practitioner and co-founder of the Aunua Team.
She added, “The aim is empowering and enabling young people in recognition (of their emotions), opening up (to those who can help), acceptance (of themselves and others), and to reconnect (with their inner ‘Genius’).”
R.O.A.R is a step by step school programme, initially focussed on self- belief and mind-set to help achieve personal goals, as well as providing anti-bullying strategies based on support and acceptance.
The programme will be rolled out in Tallaght Community School and Coláiste Bhride in Clondalkin. The first module ‘Think Your Best’ is followed by a session on ‘Connect with Your Best’ with a mindfulness speaker, which deals with stress management and meditation techniques. There are practical tips and advice from experts on fitness, nutrition, and positive mind-set, as well as life coaching tools.
‘Inspire Your Best’ is a fun interactive programme finale which taps into creativity. Inspirational speakers, musicians, and the Genius School educator programme will encourage the young people to express themselves creatively, as a means to build confidence and reconnect.
Aunua Team speakers include psychotherapist and author of “Bully Proof kids”, Stella O’Malley; Danielle Serpico, on positive mind-set and life coaching; Paddy Brosnan, the team lead on meditation and mindfulness, who works extensively with young people; Thomas Carey, a personal trainer who is also an inspirational speaker on his own childhood challenges; Carla M. Jones on nutrition and peak performance strategies, and Karina Murray on igniting the Genius in every child, and fun ways and techniques on re-connecting.
