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Mental and Emotional Support

Contributed by Zach Zobel

Written by Heidi M

Mental and Emotional Support – Resource

Peer Mentor Talking Points

Opening Discussion:
“Before we dive in, would you mind if I shared my experience with mental and emotional support?”

1. Reflecting on Your Experience

At the beginning:

  • How did you know when you were too tired mentally or emotionally?

  • What steps did you take to recover mentally and emotionally?

  • How did you identify the signs of being mentally or emotionally drained?

  • How were you affected mentally and emotionally when you lacked structure while working toward important goals?

Today:

  • How do you identify mental and emotional fatigue sooner?

  • What coping strategies do you use to work through challenges?

  • How do you recognize the signs of being drained before it happens?

  • What are you still working on in this area?

2. Engaging the Mentee

Encourage the mentee to reflect and share:

  • What does mental and emotional support look like for you right now?

  • How do you identify mental and emotional fatigue?

  • What would you say are your signs of mental and emotional fatigue?

  • How would you like this area to look different in your life?

Mental and Emotional Security

Mental vs. Emotional Health

Mental health involves your thoughts, feelings, and actions—how you process emotions, make decisions, and interact with others.
​Emotional health is part of mental health and focuses on how you experience, express, and manage feelings—both positive and negative.

How They Work Together

Mental health helps us process our experiences.
Emotional health helps us respond to how we feel about those experiences.

Together, they help us:

  • Manage both positive and negative emotions

  • Build self-awareness and resilience

  • Navigate life’s challenges with understanding and compassion

Remember: Being mentally and emotionally healthy doesn’t mean always feeling happy. It means recognizing your emotions, understanding them, and handling them appropriately. Sometimes, support from others or taking a step back is exactly what’s needed—and that’s okay.

Key Areas of Focus

If you notice your mental or emotional health is not improving despite your efforts, reach out to a mental health professional or health care provider for additional support and guidance.

Signs You May Be Struggling

  • Persistent feelings of sadness or emptiness

  • Increased irritability or emotional sensitivity

  • Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

  • Withdrawing from others or avoiding social contact

  • Changes in sleep or appetite

  • Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or unmotivated

  • Physical symptoms such as headaches or fatigue

Worksheet: Building Mental and Emotional Health

Welcome to this worksheet on building emotional awareness and self-regulation.
You’ll explore how to stay present, reflect on emotions, and use practical tools for mental and emotional well-being.

1. Staying Present

  • What are you currently doing to help you stay in the present moment when your thoughts focus on the past or the future?
    ​(Example: “When I start thinking about what I want to say instead of listening, I tap two fingers on my wrist to bring my focus back.”)

  • What are some other ways you can stay present in situations?
    ​(Refer to Resource 1 and Resource 2 for ideas.)

2. Reflecting on Feelings

  • How are you currently reflecting on your feelings and their causes throughout the day?

  • What could you add to your routine to improve how you reflect on your emotions?

3. Trusted Conversations

  • How are you engaging in trusted conversations about your emotions to better understand your feelings?

  • Who else could you talk with about your emotions to deepen your understanding?
    ​(Example: a trusted friend, sponsor, or behavioral health specialist.)

4. Exploring Current Situations

  • What are some current situations in your life that you have strong feelings about?

  • How have those feelings impacted you?

  • For each situation:

    • Identify the specific emotion

    • Rate it on a scale of 1–10 (1 = mild, 10 = very strong)

    • Note the behavior that accompanies the emotion

(Refer to the handout “Emotions: Signs and Behaviors” for guidance.)

5. Emotional Regulation Strategies

  • List the strategies you currently use—or could use—to regulate your emotions in challenging situations.

  • Remember: it’s not about being happy all the time; it’s about being aware of your feelings and handling them in healthy ways.

For more tools and exercises, visit the Greater Good Science Center and explore the “Discover New Practices” section for guidance on compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, mindfulness, and more.

6. Applying What You’ve Learned

  • Choose one strategy from your list and describe how you can incorporate it into your daily routine to enhance emotional well-being.

  • Reflect on the benefits of mindfulness (deep breathing, meditation, body scans) in increasing emotional awareness and regulation.

  • Set one intention for improving your emotional awareness and self-regulation. This could be a goal, habit, or mindset shift you’d like to work on.

7. Reflection

  • How has this worksheet been helpful to you?

  • What insights or next steps do you want to focus on moving forward?

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