Using photocopiable and electronic resources, Erica Frydenberg provides teachers with strategies that will enable students to combat stress and depression in the classroom. Depression is being experienced in epidemic proportions in many Western societies, and there is great concern over the number of young people who are suffering, sometimes to the extent of committing suicide. This book aims to help prevent stress and depression by taking a positive approach to the promotion of health and well being in young people, giving them the skills to cope with the problems of everyday life at school and at home. Erica Frydenberg introduces the theory behind a cognitive behavioural approach to coping skills and offers a program of modules that teachers or other professionals can use with young people to train them in coping skills. The principle that underscores this program is that we can all do what we do better. If we do not like how we cope in certain contexts we can learn new strategies. It is possible to enhance and develop one's coping if we have a framework within which to do that. The program is designed to have universal application and can be taught in any group or class setting. Nevertheless, instructors will be able to bring their own experience and adaptations to the sessions.

Author Biography

Erica Frydenberg is a clinical, organisational, counselling and educational psychologist. She practiced extensively in the Australian educational setting before joining the staff of the University of Melbourne, where she is an Associate Professor in Psychology in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. She is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and an elected member of its Board 2007-2009. She has authored over 100 academic journal articles and chapters in the field of coping, published psychological instruments to measure coping and developed programs to teach coping skills.