Info for young people and parents ahead of the launch of 13 Reasons Why, S2

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The popular Netflix show 13 Reasons Why, Season 2 launches on Friday 18 May

To ensure viewers and the wider community are safe and informed about the shows difficult content, we have provided helpful information for young people and parents to read before the show launches.

headspace and Netflix have collaborated to develop the following information that may be helpful for viewers of the show and the wider community. The information below aims to assist you to safely watch the series, look after yourself and have conversations with your friends and families about some of the issues addressed in 13 Reasons Why.

Important points to remember:

It’s likely a lot of people will be talking about the series. It’s important to be respectful and informed. The information included here can help to keep people safe and connected.

Some people may be distressed by some of the themes in the series, while others are not. This will depend on individual life experiences and current circumstances. It is important to be respectful of other people’s experiences.

Remember, this is TV, dramatized for viewer engagement, designed to entertain. This season endeavours to present challenging issues in a meaningful way, to acknowledge the experiences young people may go through. The characters may not be realistic representations for every viewer.

Tips for watching the show safely:

If you are likely to be affected by any of the themes covered in the show, it is important to consider whether you watch it. You might choose not to, which is ok. Reading about some of the themes in the show can help you decide.

If you choose to watch, you could make a plan to look after yourself. This might be with the support of family and friends. Letting them know what you might struggle with, and how they can help is likely to be useful.

Your support plan could include self-care options such as:

  • Take breaks between episodes
  • Check in with family and friends between episodes
  • Get information from reputable sources about the themes covered in the show
  • Take time to look after yourself. Some self-care tips include: prioritising sleep, eating well, staying active, maintaining close relationships with family and friends, learning ways to handle hard times (journaling, listening to music, quiet time out, relaxation), reducing alcohol and other drug use, to keep on doing the things in your life that are fun and important to you.

You can access the full resource here.

headspace and Netflix have collaborated to develop the following information that may be helpful for viewers of the show and the wider community. It can be helpful to use the show as an opportunity to talk with your young person about topics that may otherwise go unspoken. The information below aims to assist parents engage in healthy conversations about some of the issues addressed in 13 Reasons Why. It also includes some suggestions for how to respond to these appropriately and spur productive discussions around these themes.

Tips for discussing the show safely:

  • Do some research and get informed about the show - try to watch it if you can
  • Consider if it is age appropriate
  • Try to have discussions about the show when all people are feeling calm
  • Talk about your reasons for concern
  • Understand their desire to watch the series. Understanding their point of view doesn’t mean agreeing with them but it may help to keep the conversation going

Important points to remember:

Some people may be distressed by some of the themes in the series, while others are not. This will depend on individual life experiences and current circumstances. It is important to be respectful of other people’s experiences.

Remember, this is TV, dramatized for viewer engagement, designed to entertain. This season endeavours to present challenging issues in a meaningful way, to acknowledge the experiences young people may go through. The characters may not be realistic representations for every viewer.

Unfortunately, the themes explored in this series are far too common among young people. You may not be aware if your young person or their peers have had experiences similar to those of the characters in the series. Having open conversations can help to know when further support is necessary, but there are also other signs to look out for (covered below). It can help to keep this in mind in the days and weeks during and after your young person is exposed to the show (through peers or by watching).

If you and your young person decide to watch the series, it might be useful to consider some of the following:

  • Find out what content is coming up at 13ReasonsWhy.info
  • Take breaks and do soothing things between episodes (for example; go for a walk, share a meal with someone, do some exercise, spend time with friends)
  • Ensure they watch with a support person or watch it together
  • Identify what episodes or themes are likely to be more difficult. Then, agree on whether to skip this part, or write a list of things that are likely to help. These are likely to be the same things that help a person uses to cope in other stressful situations
  • Know where to go for professional support if this becomes necessary and support them to get professional care. There is a list of professional support options below
  • Model good self-care behaviours
  • Remember to keep checking in with them

Questions to help start the conversation:

  • Do you think the characters in the show are behaving in ways that are similar to people you know? How so? How are they different?
  • What do you think about what happened in this episode?
  • Did parts of the story make you think about how people who are struggling do not show the full picture of what they are dealing with to others?
  • What did you learn about [choose a specific character] situation from this episode?
  • Does anything you’ve watched in the series change your perspective on something you’ve experienced yourself?
  • Do you think the adults did anything particularly helpful or unhelpful? What was helpful about what they did? Or, what could they have done differently?
  • What would you do if you knew a friend was considering harming themselves or others?
  • What part of the show do you relate to the most?
  • Do you know someone who has been sexually assaulted?
  • Have you experienced anything like the characters in the show?
  • Who would you go to if you were experiencing any of the situations these teens went through?
  • Have you ever felt the way that Hannah, Clay or any of the other characters feel?
  • Have you ever wanted to tell someone about bullying or harm that was happening to someone you know but worried that it was tattling?
  • How do you know when to offer compassion/support/empathy and when to set clear boundaries?
  • Do you know anyone that might be in trouble or need help?

You can access the full resource here.

If you find the themes in the show distressing and need any support, chat to a friend, your family, a trusted adult or a professional.

In an emergency, please contact 000.

These are national 24/7 crisis services:
Youth Support Services:
headspace has collaborated with Netflix to develop resources tailored for young people, parents and schools that explores in more detail the themes of the show. The resources can be found here.