Ahead of Time To Talk Day (Feb 1) Homes in Sedgemoor is reminding people to reach out if they need help and support for their own mental health and for others.
Within Homes in Sedgemoor 13.5% of the workforce are Mental Health First Aiders, specifically qualified in mental health first aid.
Knowing how to signpost people to the right services can make a huge difference and it’s important to remember there are people who can listen and support you in the right way.
Time to Talk Day is run by Mind, and Rethink Mental Illness, and being delivered in partnership with Co-Op.
Staff at Homes in Sedgemoor receive specialist training from New Leaf Design in Mental Health First Aid.
Becky Wright, Director at New Leaf Design, said: “Taking time to talk and listen can change lives. It always feels a privilege to me that someone has decided to share something with me about their life that is troubling them. We all know that if someone does open up about their mental health, we know it might not always feel easy to know what to say. But it doesn’t have to be awkward, and being there for someone can make a big difference.
“Helping someone feel listened to and having the ability to signpost them to appropriate services is something we can all do. The challenge is for when we feel low do we ask for help? We need to overcome our embarrassment by realising that surprisingly people are often happy to lend a hand. When you next find yourself in need of help, remember that people are willing to give it much more often than not. Few will think less of you for needing assistance.”
Organisations that can offer further advice with mental health issues, include:
Mind – www.mind.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness – www.rethink.org
Citizens Advice Somerset – citizensadvicesomerset.org.uk
Samaritans – www.samaritans.org
If you’re needing someone urgently to talk to, contact the Samaritans helpline on 116123 for free.