Three Ways to Support the Emotional Wellbeing of Young People

It’s Children’s Mental Health Week, a time when we think about how we support the emotional wellbeing of young people across Scotland. Here, at the Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution (SCCR), we know that conflict within families is one of the leading causes of youth homelessness. When arguments with parents or carers become regular and unresolved, young people can feel overwhelmed.

With that in mind, SCCR’s Learning Zone for Young People offers free, accessible tools that help young people understand what’s happening in their minds and bodies and develop skills to cope better when tension rises. Here are three practical coping skills from The Learning Zone – and how they can help when mental health is challenged by family conflict.

1. Breathing to Reset Your Nervous System

The My Wellbeing section explains how stress triggers a biological alarm system that pushes us into fight, flight or freeze responses. When emotions are high, it’s easy to feel like things are out of control — especially in the middle of a heated argument.

One of the simplest ways to calm this response is through deep breathing exercises. By slowing and deepening your breath, you increase oxygen flow and reduce adrenaline and cortisol – the stress hormones – signalling to your body that you’re now in a safe space. This doesn’t just feel grounding: it gives you a pause, so you can respond instead of reacting. Encouraging young people to practise controlled breathing helps them stay connected to what we might call their ‘thinking brain’ (as opposed to their ‘emotional brain’) even when emotions surge.

2. Grounding and Distraction to Stay Present

Also in My Wellbeing, you’ll find grounding skills, which are described as techniques that help shift focus away from overwhelming thoughts and sensations. Whether that’s by tuning into physical sensations (like feet on the floor or sounds around you) or engaging your mind in something creative like a puzzle or drawing, grounding interrupts stress loops.

For a young person caught in the emotional whirl of a family disagreement, grounding can be a lifeline. It helps interrupt spiralling thoughts (‘This argument means you hate me’) and brings attention back to the present moment. Over time, using these skills builds confidence and helps expand your ‘window of tolerance’, which is the space where you can cope with emotion without flooding.

3. I-Statements and Listening

The Our Relationships module highlights that how we communicate matters. When we fall into blaming language – ‘You never…’ or ‘You always…’ – it’s easy for the other person to become defensive, which escalates conflict. Instead, learning to use assertive communication and I-statements helps young people express how they feel without attacking the other person.

For example, saying ‘I feel upset when…’ invites understanding. Pairing this with good listening skills, such as hearing the other person’s views without interrupting, transforms conflict from a battleground into a conversation. These are not just conflict tools: they are wellbeing skills. Being heard and respected helps young people feel valued, understood and less alone.

Teaching Coping Skills Is Prevention

Children’s Mental Health Week is a moment to celebrate young people’s strength and to equip them with the skills they need to thrive.

The Learning Zone for Young People provides tools not just to survive conflict, but to transform it, strengthen relationships, and protect their mental wellbeing. Because when young people can understand their emotions, calm their nervous systems, and communicate with confidence, they are more likely to stay connected to their families and communities, and so less likely to face homelessness.

Explore the Learning Zone and help young people build resilience that lasts.