Under the WINGS: School Mental Health Program, Level 1 parent workshops were conducted in December across schools in Islamabad and Karachi. These sessions were designed to help parents better understand their role in supporting their children’s mental and emotional well-being. So far, the program has reached over 300 parents in Islamabad and Karachi.
The workshops focused on the different aspects of health and highlighted why mental health is just as important as physical health, especially during the growing years of children and adolescents.
A key focus of the sessions was on intrapersonal skills, which means understanding one’s own thoughts, emotions, and reactions. Parents learned how distress can affect the mind and body, and how unmanaged distress can impact daily life and relationships. Simple and practical strategies were shared to help parents manage stress in healthy ways, including a guided breathing exercise that they could easily practice at home.
The sessions were highly interactive, with parents actively participating and sharing their experiences. Many parents appreciated the initiative and expressed the need for more such workshops in schools to support the overall well-being of children and families.