Toolbox Education

Prospective users

Aims & approach

Every Toolbox Education workshop has different aims, but the overarching goal is to provide psychoeducation and equip students with simple, practical, evidence-informed psychological tools. Each workshop has 6–10 weeks worth of resources to help students consolidate their learning.

Workshops run for 60 minutes and are tailored to Primary school (Years 1–6) and Secondary school (Years 7–12). Parent and staff workshops are also available.

Primary school workshops

• Mind Games: Noticing the ways our minds play tricks on us in social and academic settings, using CBT-based tools that encourage meta-cognition and actively challenging unhelpful thoughts.
• Managing Meltdowns: Recognising early signs of overwhelm and learning calming strategies, using DBT-based tools including distress tolerance skills, TIPP skills and mindfulness.
• Emotion Literacy: Developing a deeper language to identify and express emotions confidently, using emotion-focused tools that help students notice the physical experience of their emotions and express them in healthy ways.
• Forming Friendships: Teaching students how to be a good friend using social skills-based tools that encourage trust, curiosity, empathy and fun in a friendship.
• Navigating Change: Working through changes in our lives with confidence and flexibility, using tools that help students build adaptability and resilience.
• Working Through Conflict: Equipping students with tools to manage conflict with peers in a healthy way, drawing on assertiveness and communication-based strategies.

Secondary school workshops

• Thinking Traps: Identification of cognitive distortions using CBT-based tools that encourage meta-cognition — actively challenging and reframing unhelpful thoughts.
• Mental Movies: Changing one's relationship with thoughts, feelings and memories to reduce their impact, using ACT-based tools including cognitive defusion and mindfulness.
• Emotion Regulation: Teaching students how to regulate their emotions using DBT-based tools relating to distress tolerance skills, in particular TIPP skills and mindfulness.
• Inner Critic: While being harsh on ourselves might feel motivating, it's also highly punitive and uncomfortable. This workshop introduces self-compassion as an alternative — helping students identify when they're being self-critical and respond with more kindness.
• Dealing with Conflict: Understanding different communication styles (Passive, Aggressive and Assertive) using assertiveness training-based tools around how to deal with conflict in a healthy way.
• Overcoming Procrastination: Understanding that procrastination isn't about being lazy — it's a way of avoiding uncomfortable emotions. Using CBT-based tools to challenge the excuses our minds make, alongside behavioural strategies that help with getting things done.

Facilitators are typically university psychology students and hold a current Working With Children Check. Cost is per classroom-sized workshop.

Implementation support

• Access to professional facilitator, instructor or mentor
• Ongoing helpdesk, email or phone support
• Regular webinars or access to community of professional practice

Evidence

Each workshop is based on recognised therapies, including CBT, DBT, ACT, self-compassion focused therapy, assertiveness training, behavioural strategies, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and social skills training.