“You deserve to live a life filled with peace, happiness, and emotional resiliance.
This short, animated video from Psych2Go explores what emotionally healthy people actually do to regulate their emotions. It’s bite-sized, engaging, and incredibly useful—not just for adults, but for students learning to navigate a world that often feels like it’s spinning out of control.
This is the kind of content that Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs aim to normalize: understanding your emotions, recognizing unhealthy patterns, and practicing healthier responses. And yet, this too is being swept into the political war on education, identity, and mental health.
Understand The Problem
SEL is not new—and it’s not radical. It’s based on decades of research in psychology, neuroscience, and education. But in 2025, teaching students how to understand and manage their emotions is being mischaracterized as ideological indoctrination. Some lawmakers have even proposed legislation that discourages or defunds SEL programs outright, claiming they promote “divisive” or “anti-American” values.
At the same time, online creators like Psych2Go—who are making mental health knowledge freely accessible—are operating without the institutional protections that public education once provided. They fill a gap. But why should educators have to outsource basic human skills like self-awareness and compassion to YouTube?
Look For the Helpers
Psych2Go
Psych2Go creates thousands of free videos that explore emotional regulation, mental health, self-worth, and more. Their mascot, PSI, with its two-leaf sprout, represents growth, care, and resilience—the very things SEL programs are trying to build in classrooms.
Take Action
You can support free mental health education by subscribing to Psych2Go on YouTube and sharing one of their videos with a friend, student, or colleague.
Or check out the plushies and other adorable products in the Psych2Go store.
Get Help
If you’re an educator trying to teach SEL in 2025, you may be facing scrutiny, uncertainty, or even legal ambiguity. You’re not alone. Here are some tips to navigate the current political climate:
1. Check with your district’s curriculum policies—some still allow SEL under alternative names (e.g. “character education” or “life skills”).
2. Use videos like Psych2Go and PSI’s Adventures to introduce SEL concepts indirectly through media literacy, psychology, or health units.
3. Refer to trusted support orgs like the NEA, CASEL, and Learning for Justice for legal and curricular guidance.
Remember, SEL doesn’t have to be a program. It can be a conversation, a story, or a shared breath.
Not everyone has a family that can support them with their mental health issues. That’s why teachers are often the first line of defense—modeling regulation, offering empathy, and showing kids that their feelings matter. And sometimes, all you can do is laugh at the chaos and keep going.
