Counsellors’ Corner: Information on “13 Reasons Why”

Last year 13 Reasons Why was released on Netflix; the series came from the young fiction novel by Jay Asher. The content of the series was very heavy; it depicted a very bleak picture of school life. The series explores themes such as suicide, self harm, sexual assault and bullying. The series was criticized by many working in mental health for young people as sending out a very negative message and not giving enough guidance on the topics explored.

Last weekend the second season was released; the reviews have indicated that a lot of the same content is revisited and therefore may be unsettling for some young people. Here at STA we wanted to bring this series to your attention as the timing is particularly sensitive, exams and end of school year tiredness means that the content may be triggering.

For more help and guidance on how to discuss the series with your child please see the resources below.

13 Reasons Why Toolkit
The Guardian article
Common Sense Media review of 13 Reasons Why

Please remember if you are concerned by your child or another young person in our community please reach out to the school counsellors or heads of year.

Amy Bonehill
Twinkle Agrawal