About This Lesson
My Life is Worth Living is a mental wellness and suicide prevention series produced by the Cook Center for Human Connection in collaboration with Wonder Media. Each episode models positive coping skills and positive mental wellness techniques. In the Resources tab, you'll find this episode in 5 languages in the following order English, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Japanese.
Character Synopsis: Dante is outgoing with friends, confident in school, and a strong member of his football team; no one would suspect that he feels utterly depressed and trapped by the expectations of his family and peers. Now approaching graduation, Dante can no longer bear the pain of hiding his passions and his identity from his father and himself. As he struggles to overcome the feelings of hopelessness that have characterized his teen years, Dante will find unexpected allies in his football coach and the coach’s son, a mental health mentor. He will also learn that his conflicts with his father are not his fault, that he is strong enough to control the Negative voice in his head, and that he is worthy of love and support.
Episode Synopsis: After being hazed by his football teammates, Dante’s negative thoughts become a storm in his mind, and he breaks a mirror in the locker room. Seeing the situation, Coach Nelson asks Dante into his office. Rather than chastise him for his behavior, however, Coach Nelson offers Dante validation and understanding. He tells Dante a personal story about his struggle to accept his son Scott – echoing Dante’s own conflicts with his father. Dante finds an unexpected ally in his coach and in Scott, now a mental health supporter who happily meets with Dante to offer his own advice.
In each My Life is Worth Living lesson plan, you will find partner and class discussion prompts, writing prompts, a group activity, and a family resource. This lesson is appropriate for grades 6-12.
