Hi, we’re States of mind.

We’re combining education and social action to give mental health a new meaning – one founded in empowerment and connection, rather than confusion and separateness.

We’ve designed a mental health education model that helps young people develop self understanding, emotional intelligence and leadership skills, while creating solutions to the issues causing distress amongst their peers.

And we also design research projects that explore how our society can better support the emotional and mental wellbeing of young people, today and in the future.

Why are we here?

Growing numbers of young people in the UK are seeking help for their mental health, but many aren’t getting the support they need.

With the NHS unable to meet the rising demand, we believe it’s time for a new approach, one that is co-created with young people outside of clinical settings.

What are we doing?

→ Education

Everybody experiences emotional distress as a young person, but without the right information and tools, it can be hard to know how to deal with it.

This is why we need to support young people to develop the skills, confidence, and knowledge to look after their mental health, and seek help when they need it.

We run trauma-informed mental health education programs in schools, giving young people the tools to explore their minds and emotions in a safe and familiar environment.

Our group learning model fosters an understanding that challenging experiences are part of life for everyone.

Through practical exercises in self awareness and reflection, students learn how we can move through times of suffering with compassion, connection, and hope.

→ Social action and research

Mental health concerns are often spoken about as isolated and individual problems, but we believe they are inseparable from the environments we grow up in.

Through social action and research, we work to understand and repair the systemic issues that contribute to young people’s distress. This comes to life in two ways:

Our education program, which is designed around project based learning. Students identify key issues in their school and community that are affecting the wellbeing of their peers, and then design and lead a social impact initiative to address the problem.

We design research projects to enable young people’s voices inspire new ways of thinking about mental health, and inform the way our society supports wellbeing. Working with young people and psychologists, we uncover issues within our social and education structures, and explore different approaches that may better support young people’s needs.

You can learn more about our current research project with UCL, ‘Breaking The Silence’, here.

How are we different?

Our mission is driven by a desire to co-create a future for mental health that is built from a foundation of autonomy, choice and freedom of expression.

We envision a world where it’s natural to talk about and care for our emotional and mental wellbeing. Where times of suffering don’t disconnect us, but help us align with who we are, acknowledge our needs, and make sense of our lives, together.

To make sure this future works for young people, we need to leverage their voices, experiences, and ideas as a driving force for meaningful change.

This is at the heart of our work, and we’re so excited to share it with you as it unfolds.

How can I get involved?

Student? Educator? Parent? If you like the sound of our program and would like to bring it to your school, contact us here.

We’re also bringing together people who share our values, to collaborate on projects that can enhance society.

Want to work with us? Great – we’ve got a big mission, and we need talented, creative, passionate people to help us realise it. We’d love to hear from you, so reach out.

We also just love hearing different people’s experiences and ideas. Get in touch if you have something you’d like to share or chat about with us.

What’s next?

We’re working towards making our education program accessible online. Watch this space.