Self-awareness is crucial for children and young people, acting as a compass guiding them through life. Self-awareness enables young people to recognise their thoughts, feelings and actions, helping them understand what they need from themselves and others around them.
When we know ourselves better, we feel more resilient and can grow and thrive no matter what life throws at us.
In my work as a young person’s counsellor, self-awareness has often been the catalyst to growth and a major protective factor to help young people manage life’s ups and downs.
We often can’t change situations for young people, but we can help them to become more resilient, and cope better with difficulty - something that is needed now more than ever, given how many children and young people need mental health support.
As a counsellor, I have seen how self-awareness has been pivotal in the therapy room:
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A young person who can set personal boundaries for the first time is someone who knows what they’re okay with and what they’re not
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A young person who can find ways to soothe themselves when things feel overwhelming has learned what works for them
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A young person who knows how to keep themselves safe, and how to reach out when they need to is someone learning how to take better care of themselves
Self-awareness doesn’t prevent things from going wrong in someone’s life but may help create calm in the storm- this can be incredibly powerful.
I always remind young people that they know themselves better than anyone. Self-awareness is the key to that and not to be underestimated.
People talk about self-awareness as something that comes with age but if we start to see it as something that can be developed when we give ourselves the time and space to get to know ourselves, age becomes irrelevant.
Children and young people shouldn’t have to wait for a mental health crisis or to reach adulthood to get to know themselves better. Self-awareness grows when you ask questions, encourage expression and creativity, and when you think about your boundaries, your likes, dislikes, and make choices that feel right for you.
Children and young people are inquisitive by nature, often wanting to know more about all sorts of things.
If we all do our part to encourage self-awareness, we can be part of the change we want to see in the future landscape of children’s mental health.