Growing Mighty Minds

What is Mighty Minds?

Mighty Minds is a new initiative created by Presbyterian Support’s Child & Family Psychologists, Gabby Begg, and Jillisa Wainwright. It is a six-week programme for children aged 12-14 in Christchurch who are referred to Presbyterian Support, or are currently on the waiting list for individual therapy services.

The sessions teach strategies for dealing with thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, and are a quick access resource to support children waiting for individual therapy.

Group sessions are held once a week, with limited numbers and age range, so that the sessions can be specially tailored to the group’s needs. The content has been developed using detailed research and specialist knowledge of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, ensuring it is evidence based.

A positive outcome

Blake* was struggling with building friendships and socialising, due to his mental health disorder, and was on the waitlist for individual therapy. He was invited to join the Mighty Minds programme whilst he waited for a place to become available. 

Blake suffered from severe anxiety when approaching and making friends, and when taking part in sports – this was making his life extremely challenging. However, thanks to the Mighty Minds programme and the various strategies he learnt, at the end of the six sessions, Blake’s confidence and self-esteem had flourished. 

Blake was surveyed at the start of the sessions, and again after the final session and showed a significant reduction in his initial symptoms, such as low mood.

Now, he has greater awareness of himself, his thoughts and how they can impact him. He is also comfortable taking part in sports again and making new friends.