Teens helping teens – Tea Talk

A recently formed student group at Shaftesbury High School is opening space for students to talk about the sometimes-difficult subject of mental health. Created by Grade 12 student Dorsa Tanhaei, a group of five to 15 students meets weekly to share tea and discuss topics about their own mental health growth and issues.

“There was a point a couple of years ago when I knew I needed something like this, but it wasn’t available and I wanted to find a way to make it easier for other students to find supports when they need them,” says Tanhaei. “When students come to the Tea Talk, they see that many of the issues they are trying to cope with are common for other people, and that can make it easier to deal with them.”

During a recent Tea Talk, 17 students made their way to the gathering, grabbing a snack and a drink before joining the circle. Tanhaei leads the group along with School Social Worker Lara Coppola. Several of the students attend the group regularly while others are coming today for the first time “to check it out” or “to learn more about mental health”. A few others are there because their friend wanted to go, and they wanted to support them. Regardless of why they’ve joined, all are welcome.

“We’ve been talking about self-care and boundaries the last couple of weeks and we’re going to tie that together with healthy relationships, what they mean and how to recognize them,” says Tanhaei. Using prompts that she has developed working with Coppola, Tanhaei turns the discussion over to the group.

While the topic of how they’re feeling at the moment is always open, most students share how they cope with negative self-talk in a positive way. Coppola and Tanhaei remind everyone that having a positive relationship with yourself is the first step in having good relationships with others.

“What we’re seeing from this group is a community forming where they can be more open and supportive of one another,” says Coppala. “We talk a lot about peer pressure, the need for perfection, the stress of exams. Everyone finds common ground here.”

As the meeting wraps up, everyone is invited to complete an ‘exit slip’ where they can have a more private opportunity to express their personal concerns or feelings. The exit slips are only viewed by Coppala and help to ensure that attendees aren't left feeling overwhelmed by the day’s discussion or like they haven’t had the outlet they were seeking by attending the Tea Talk.

With her strong empathy and easy leadership, it only makes sense that Tanhaei is hoping to pursue a career in medicine, possible psychiatry.