Time to Talk about Mental Health

When someone asks how you are doing, how many times have your answered…….

‘It’s all good,

‘OK thanks’

‘Not too bad’

Often if someone asks in passing how we are, we tend to give a fleeting answer.

Tomorrow is Time to Talk Day. I’m not always a fan of campaign days, but I think this campaign is a great reminder of how important it is to have conversations about mental health.

Here are some tips on talking from Promote Mental Health:

Start a conversation – If you have been concerned about someone, their behaviour has changed or they have been more withdrawn, ask how they are doing. It only takes a few minutes and could make a huge difference to that person opening up and accessing support.

Ask Twice - Something we discuss in training is the simple tip of asking twice. The first time we get asked how we are doing we often give a generic response. If we get asked a second time, or in a different way, this can lead to a more open discussion. That person may have been waiting for someone to talk to and not known how to approach it.

Be Genuine – If we are not asking in an open and genuine way, then that comes across. That person may well shut down and not reach out for support. A genuine question will help that person feel validated.

Practice active listening – We listen all the time, but we have many different levels of listening. Pretend listening (doing other tasks at the same time), Selective listening (waiting to add our own views) and Active listening (listening to understand). Active listening lets the other person know we are truly listening and this builds empathy and connection. This will allow that person to open up on their story.

If you or your employees would like to develop skills and increase your confidence in having conversations about mental health, get in touch with Promote Mental Health. claire@promotementalhealth.com

We offer training to upskill and empower teams in addressing mental health in the workplace through Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health Skills for Managers and bespoke training to meet your organisations needs.