Kristen Douglas

headspace (the National Youth Mental Health Foundation)

2020 School Leader Wellbeing –Transforming wellbeing & engagement from the top

Kristen Douglas is the Head of headspace (the National Youth Mental Health Foundation) Schools. She is a highly respected and sought presenter nationally and internationally on the topics of youth mental health and wellbeing, suicide prevention and postvention, school improvement strategies, Principal, School Staff self-care and wellbeing.

Kristen has significantly contributed to the synergy between education and youth mental health, combining her experience as an educator and principal, with her passion and experience in education and mental health and wellbeing, from government policy to leading national reform initiatives. Kristen has also lead headspace School Support (suicide postvention support for Australian schools), a service that has contributed to the national and international evidence best practice in working with suicide in school communities.

As head of headspace Schools, Kristen continues to lead a multi-disciplinary national team of mental health and education consultants to support primary and secondary schools across Australia to support mental health and wellbeing from promotion, prevention, early intervention to postvention.

headspace Schools works across Australia with school staff, school communities, school leaders, and education sectors to enhance and strengthen mental health literacy, self-care, resilience, and help seeking. headspace (along with Early Childhood Australia) are key delivery partners to beyondblue’s Be You national initiative.

headspace also works in the critical area of Principal and school leader mental health and wellbeing. headspace is contributing to a national ground swell of conversations and strategies to ensure that education staff take care of their own mental health and prioritise their wellbeing.