Some AOM Classes—especially Mental Health Training Classes—include a Supplementary Material: a short, credible article that offers factual information about a specific diagnosis or experience. These readings help ground your Class in shared language and understanding, and they’re designed to be flexible so you can use them in whatever way best suits your group.

What’s Included

Sources include trusted organizations like the National Institute on Health, SAMHSA, Canadian Mental Health Association National Alliance on Mental Illness, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and others.

Each article should take about 10 minutes to read. In the Student Page of the Class is also a fillable PDF with four reflection questions that students can consider as they read:
1. What is new to you?
2. What confirms your knowledge or experience?
3. What is important to you?
4. What might you want to know more about?

Ways to Use It in Class

If you’re working with a live group, here are a few facilitation options:

• Silent Reading + Reflection - Give Participants time to read on their own and fill in the PDF individually.
• Popcorn Reading - Take turns reading the article aloud one paragraph at a time as a group before moving into reflection.
• Small Group Reading - divide the Participants into groups of three or four and have them take turns reading the article aloud, one paragraph at a time.
• Instructor-Led Reading - Read the article aloud yourself and pause occasionally to invite comments or check understanding.
• Small Group Discussion - After reading, have Participants reflect in pairs or small groups using the worksheet questions as prompts.

Assigning in Advance

If you’re leading a Class with an existing group (like a club or class you regularly teach), you can assign the article as pre-reading. Just make sure they know to bring their completed PDF—or be ready to reflect on the four prompts when they arrive.

Tips & Notes

• The reflection PDF can be downloaded, completed digitally, or printed and filled out by hand.
• If time is tight, consider reading just a selected portion of the Supplementary Material and focusing on 1–2 of the prompts.