We all experience anxious feelings sometimes – it might be about exam or ATAR results, a job interview, work experience or whether you will be a school leader in Year 12. These feelings are a normal part of life and can help us avoid danger or perform at our best. For some people though, anxious feelings can be much more extreme. This type of anxiety is more than feeling stressed and can become serious if it’s not addressed.

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It is normal to feel down or sad from time to time. For some people, feelings of sadness and unhappiness can outweigh happy and excited emotions. When you have depression, these sad feelings become overwhelming and long-lasting, affecting how you think, how you feel, and what you do. When your feelings cause this kind of disruption in your life, it’s time to seek help.

It’s not always easy to know where you stand in a friendship, but there are ways to spot when it’s not good.

Friendships are beneficial for social and emotional wellbeing but if you are finding yourself in friendship or relationship that is causing you concern, then now may be a good time to reach out for support.

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Between the ages of 12 and 18 it’s likely you will experience a lot of changes in your life—school, family, friendships, relationships, subject, and career choices among many others.

With so many things going on, it's natural to have ups and downs. To better manage all these changes, it's important to learn more about looking after yourself and staying healthy.

It's equally important to be able to recognise when you are going through something particularly difficult—it’s okay to not be okay, and it’s okay to ask for support.

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When people live together under the same roof, there are bound to be disagreements and arguments, which is one of the most common problems teenagers may face.

It is important to understand that conflict is a normal part of family life, however, can often escalate when you are trying to be heard.

Having a safe place to download about what is going on at home may help you to get a different perspective on things.

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Everyone faces challenges in life, but sometimes feelings of sadness and worry begin to interfere.

If these feelings last for longer than a few weeks and is changing how you are spending your time, it may be a sign that it is time to reach out for support.

Life is not meant to be done alone and sometimes all you need is a trusted place to talk about what you are going through.

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You might find it all a bit overwhelming when it comes to choosing your senior school subjects. You may not understand if your subject selections will help you get into your university course, how your subject choices may influence your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) and whether you are running the risk of not getting your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE).  I am a fully registered secondary teacher and careers coordinator and have lots of experience in helping students choose their senior subjects, exploring future pathways, getting a traineeship, apprenticeship, or entry into TAFE or university.