Better Mental Health Can Reduce Gun Violence in Schools. Do We Have the Will to Promote It? Part 1 (Ep. 30)

Sep 11

Episode Notes

Immediately following the fatal shooting of two students and two math teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia, the predictable debate over gun laws ensued. Less prominent were calls for another remedy for school gun violence that can have an immediate impact and, surprisingly, is not politically polarizing: mental health support.

Colt Gray, the 14-year-old shooter had been “begging for help from everyone around him,” according to his aunt Annie Brown. It appears he was unable to find it.

Unfortunately, students like Gray are not alone. As the need for students’ mental health support has grown, mental health services in schools have declined sharply in recent years. Just 48 percent of the nation’s public schools report that they can meet their students’ mental health needs, according to a recent EdWeek report.

My guest for this episode is Dr. Hayley Watson, a clinical psychologist with deep and personal knowledge of the mental health challenges students face. In this, the first of two episodes with Dr. Watson, she describes some of the factors, including bullying, that contribute to poor mental health, the effects it can have on student well-being and academic performance, and the skills that students can learn to better cope with emotionally challenging situations.

Dr. Watson also shares the harrowing story from her own childhood that led to trauma that she kept secret for many years. This story ultimately instilled a passion for helping young people facing similar experiences.

The school shooting at Apalachee High School occurred just one day after I recorded this interview. Dr. Watson joined me again for a follow-up conversation just a few days later to talk, specifically, about what educators can do to prevent gun violence and how they can help students, families, and their colleagues cope with the fear and the trauma so many across the country are feeling in the wake of this unspeakable tragedy.

Featured Guests:

Dr. Hayley Watson is a clinical psychologist, an expert in student mental health and school bullying. As CEO of Open Parachute, she has devoted over 15 years to creating and implementing well-being programs for schools. Through her work with school districts, governments, police departments, and corporations worldwide, Dr. Watson has developed a deep understanding of the challenges students, educators, and leaders face when it comes to mental health. Connect with Dr. Watson on LinkedIn.

Finding the Words: Empowering Struggling Students through Guided Conversations

Educators can’t always fix or change students’ challenging situations, but with Dr. Hayley Watson's Finding the Words, they can create compassionate, safe spaces to truly make a difference in student well-being. Educators are in a position to help students break out of cycles of anxiety, low mood, and peer struggles without needing to be a mental health expert. This book shows you how to support students with issues like parental loss, low body image, bullying, addiction, and more―with practical language that you can use anytime you are on the spot with a struggling student. This language helps one set boundaries to protect one’s own well-being by guiding your students toward self-reliance and resilience.

Learn more