Young people can use the journal during pastoral check-ins, mental health support sessions or quiet home practice to notice how they are feeling and record changes over time. The early pages include simple 0 to 10 mood rating scales for mood, school, friendships and home, with space to add dates and colours for tracking patterns.
The workbook introduces anxiety in clear KS3-friendly language and explains that anxiety can affect different parts of life. A workbook plan encourages pupils to choose when and where they will complete take-home tasks, and to identify trusted people they can speak to if they feel stuck or need help.
Several pages focus on recognising unhelpful thinking styles, including mind reading, prediction, compare and despair, critical self-talk, black and white thinking, catastrophising, emotional reasoning, mental filter and judgements. Each thinking style is paired with a practical question or prompt, helping teenagers step back from anxious thoughts rather than accepting them as facts.
A reframing activity gives space for young people to write an unhelpful thought and then create a more helpful thought alongside it. The layout is visual and accessible, using cloud-shaped writing spaces that suit pupils who may find long written exercises difficult or overwhelming.
Best suited to KS3 pupils aged 11 to 14, especially those receiving support for worry, anxiety or school-related stress, the journal would be useful for school mental health support teams, pastoral leads, counsellors, SEN staff and parents or carers. The cover identifies MindMate Support Team and NHS branding.
