Today has seen lots of amazing people cross the finish line of the 2017 London Marathon after months of planning, preparation and many hours of practice runs to achieve their hard earned goals.

Many were running to raise funds for charities like Cancer Research, British Liver Trust, Marie Curie, Breast Cancer, Diabetes UK and Heads Together.

It was great to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry presenting runners with their medals as well as raising awareness for mental health.

Heads Together is the Charity of the Year for the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon which is spearheaded by the young royals. The charity provides frontline mental health support to young people whilst raising awareness and tackling stigma.

I am pleased to hear that mental health is being more talked about and I look forward to seeing what happens in the very near future to improve the lives of those who are suffering in silence.

Coaching teenagers with mental health disorders over the last 3 years has taught me that they often feel like they have nowhere to go, that nobody listens to them or that they have no choice or control over their lives. Sometimes the action they take in response to this lack of control can be a health damaging behaviour such as self-harm, eating disorders or even retracting from everyday life. I find just giving them some time to talk, listening to what they have to say and then assisting them in making changes, whatever they want that to be, can make all the difference.

Quite often the smallest change can make the biggest difference.

As I coach my students, they develop the skills to create specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time related goals for themselves, so that after our sessions have completed they can continue independently. They develop ability and control so there is no dependency on me.

Setting goals with my students is not so unlike setting a goal to run the London Marathon. Both require preparation, planning and lots of practice if success is to be achieved.

If you would like to know more about the coaching and mentoring work that I do in schools or you know a young person that is struggling in life, then please contact me.

This week I have been talking to my students about their experience and feelings as their exams get closer. Most of them talked about the increase in pressure and stress from school although some did say pressure and a lack of understanding at home can be a worry too. Here are some of the things they thought parents could do to assist them – mainly by having a calmer and more relaxing environment at home in the final run up to their exams:

• Be active in their revision planning and preparation process
• Put their revision timetable up where everyone can see it at home
• Communicate with them before making social commitments or arrangements that involve them during their study leave and revision periods
• Leave them  alone, don’t come into their room when they are working and respect their space, avoid breaking their concentration
• Ease off on household chores
• Organise fun things with them to break up intense revision sessions
• Understand their stress levels and avoid/deflect provocation, especially with siblings
• Offer to host a group study session followed by chill out time with friends, as individual study can be isolating and boring
• Make their favourite foods so they have something to look forward to after long periods of revision
• Hug them and be patient with them

I will certainly be taking their advice as my daughter goes into her final term before her ‘A’ Level examinations start in May.

There are so many great reasons as to why I love coaching young people, not only are they fun to work with, I learn from them too and they introduce me to great music and new technology. How amazing is that!

If you know of someone that is struggling in the run up to their exams and would benefit from some anxiety coaching then please contact me.