Thursday 1st February is Time to Talk day, an initiative from Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in partnership with Co-op.  Each year the day encourages people to have conversations about mental health because sometimes it’s easier to tell people we are “fine” rather than say how we really feel.

The philosophy of Time to Talk day is that conversations have the power to change lives - research shows that 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem in any given year.  Talking openly about mental health reduces the stigma, helping to create supportive environments where people feel empowered to speak up about mental health and seek help when they need it.  

When someone does open up about their mental health, it might not always feel easy to know what to say.  There is not right or wrong way to talk about mental health, and being there for someone can make a real difference. The Time to Talk website has some helpful tips how to approach a conversation in a helpful way.  

Emma Connolly recently joined the GM Business Growth Hub as a Wellbeing Specialist.  Her role as Wellbeing Specialist is to engage, support and guide businesses to improve wellbeing for both the workforce and leaders, ensuring they have the tools required to implement or improve upon their current wellbeing strategy. You can visit our Wellness page by clicking on the button.