States of Mind critiques the traditional paradigms that shape our mental health and school systems, from diagnostic labels to high-stakes assessment, unravelling what they are, how they came into being, and why they need to evolve to better serve young people.
The book reconceptualises these systems and shows that, by embracing a different worldview, we can work with young people in a way that fosters belonging, personal growth and collective action. With a focus on meaningful change, it introduces approaches which place young people at the centre as active participants, working alongside adults on complex problems, generating outcomes and co-constructing solutions. These include critiquing and re-imagining school evaluation; designing whole-school policies to promote staff and student wellbeing; and developing programmes to explore our states of mind to support individuals and communities to flourish. Case studies, provocations and examples of inspirational people and organisations are included to empower the reader to rethink their own practices.
Education should support us, both individually and collectively, to co-construct ways of being, thinking and acting authentically. States of Mind is essential reading for teachers, educational psychologists, advocacy organisations, thinktanks, and all those wishing to create more hopeful, humane mental health and education systems.
Table of Contents:
PART I
1. Introduction
2. The two paradigms
a. The schooling paradigm
b. The biomedical paradigm
3. Neurodiversity and the psychiatric lens
a. The autism narrative
b. The spectacular rise of ADHD
4. The thwarting of fundamental human needs
a. Belongingness
b. Individuation
5. System dynamics - the materialism trap
a. What is scientific materialism?
b. Materialism and schooling
c. Materialism and mental health
d. Compelled acquiescence
6. The Nest of Fear
a. Fear of uncertainty
PART II
7. Liberation Dynamics
a. Self-awareness
b. Addressing value conflicts
c. Disidentification
d. Reducing power imbalances
e. From ‘pupil voice’ to co-construction
f. Collective sense-making
g. Exploring the context
h. Feedback and meaningful action
8. The Nest of Faith
a. Faith in common humanity
b. Faith in our-selves
PART III
9. Methodologies and approaches
a. Building rapport and formulating sessions
b. Evidence-IN-practice
c. Action research
d. Quantitative and qualitative
10. Case Studies
a. Breaking the Silence
b. Wellbeing Ambassadors
c. Selfology
11. Conclusion
12. References
Index
About the Author :
Chris Bagley is a lecturer and research supervisor at University College London, Director of Research at States of Mind CIC and Co-Director at Square Peg CIC. Chris started in education as a secondary school teacher and later trained as an Educational Psychologist. He mostly works with marginalised young people and families in school and community settings. Chris. His core interest is collaborating with young people, families, professionals and other innovators to build systems that support young people and those working with them to thrive.
Bea Herbert is a Psychosynthesis Psychologist and Founder of States of Mind CIC. Bea has spent her professional career working alongside young people to co-develop alternatives to the medicalised model of mental health care at an individual, community and systems level. Her work has included the development of Selfology, a therapeutic programme for young people in schools, supported housing and community contexts, together with the Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme, a whole-school approach to designing psychological solutions in school settings. She is dedicated to the application of psychological theory and practice for the development of truly holistic and democratic approaches to systems change.
Review :
"Our educational systems are failing our young people just as our mental health systems are. If you want to understand why and what to do about it, then you must read this book. Meticulously researched and thoughtfully constructed, I cannot commend this book enough."
- Sami Timimi, child psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author
"This is a brilliant book tackling what has previously looked like a nest of intractable problems. What Bagley and Herbert demonstrate so persuasively is that improving the education and mental health of our young people doesn’t demand exceptional resources or expertise; it simply requires a mindset shift that takes young people seriously as equal participants in their wellness and learning, that it is when they are seen that learners acquire agency and when they are listened to that they can think for themselves. That these conclusions derive not from ideology or theory but lived learning says everything about where education now needs to go. An urgent must-read for anyone who cares about the future of our children and young people."
- Margaret Hefferman, CEO and author
"This book is a vital and necessary challenge to some of the tired paradigms constraining our young people. It is the definitive argument for the kind of holistic reform that Big Education strives for.
The authors’ rigorous analysis of the current schooling system—with its rigid focus on one type of academic standards, high stakes accountability, and toxic competition—is spot on. They expose the harm caused by systems that force students to censor themselves, and their call for a shift away from fear and toward faith, trust, and imagination is exactly the shift we need for our young people.
At the heart of their work is the deep commitment to co-construction and youth empowerment. By positioning young people as experts in their own experience, the book proves that sustainable systemic reform must come through genuinely listening and collaborating with those most affected. This agency is the ultimate lever for change. This book is an essential read for anyone ready to challenge the status quo and build a more equitable future where every young person is seen, heard, and ready to thrive."
- Liz Robinson, CEO, Big Education
"We have a growing youth mental health crisis and a vastly unequal school system, yet the views of young people are rarely heard or considered as part of the solution. Through engagement and dialogue with young people, this thoughtful and imaginative book suggests a very different approach to education and health policy that could lead to different and better outcomes for society and future generations."
- Fiona Millar, writer, journalist and campaigner on education issues
"Many people recognise the need for change in how we educate our children, but in States of Mind, Bagley and Herbert have done much more than that. It’s an impassioned call for a paradigm shift in how we nurture our young people, moving away from paradigms that cannot help but fail. It’s not a comfortable read, as professionals are urged to examine their own complicity and the ways in which context shapes their own behaviour. The authors critique the restrictive and disempowering systems we’ve created for our young people and show us how good intentions are never enough.
However, this isn’t primarily a book about the inadequacies of our school system. It charts a way forward, using inspirational real-life examples of working with young people. It challenges us all to work towards a place of safe uncertainty, where we recognise our power in creating the potential for change. States of Mind is a positive and empowering book that will change the way you think about education."
- Dr Naomi Fisher, Clinical psychologist and author of Changing Our Minds: How Children Can Take Control of their Own Learning
"This book is a masterful challenge to the current status quo in the education of young people, specifically adolescents. It is brilliantly articulated and brings a systems context to understand why educators have become so rigid and prescribed - reminding me of the rigidity of the medical model in the NHS. The real inspiration however and the light at the end of this old tunnel in the book, is the wonderful and liberating section on Selfology. It shows practically what is possible and how to enable young people to come alive, empower themselves and take responsibility for their education. The very notion of Selfology is a classic ‘tour de force’."
- Roger Evans, Co-Founder and Director, The Institute of Psychosynthesis
"This book is a fantastic call to action for anyone working with young people. Packed with inspiring examples of young people co-creating solutions, shaping policy and finding their voice, States of Mind shows us how we can create spaces where young people are true partners in their own learning and wellbeing. This book isn’t about needing more resources or expertise but about shifting our imagination so that young people can take ownership of their own lives. It’s a fascinating read and everyone who cares about the next generation should pick it up!"
- Lucy Stephens, Founder of The New School
"States of Mind offers its readers a hopeful invitation to re-humanise education and mental health for and with young people. Rooted in psychological insight and democratic participation, the work diligently maps out a positive approach in which potential, not pathology, becomes the starting point for systems change. The authors’ reminder that "in no other context are a group of human beings so avidly discussed without their perspectives being acted upon" challenges us all to listen, learn, and co-create futures where every young mind can flourish. For anyone who cares, this is a vital call to action."
- Colin Falconer, Director of Inspirechilli
"This is a timely book as momentum for a paradigm shift is growing. The book seeks not only to provide a contemporary critique of the two dominant paradigms currently employed to shape children’s education and understanding of their wellbeing, but sets out a radical vision for the future that seeks to engage children and young people when ‘social constructing’ what a good education might look like. It explores ways to consider how the current systems shape their ‘states of mind’ and suggests abandoning the medicalised terminology of mental health to embrace a more holistic understanding of factors impacting on their development. A highly recommended read for Educational Psychologists."
- Professor Vivian Hill, UCL Institute of Education
