What Does Good Mind Health Look Like?
This year is being heralded by some as ‘2020 the year of plenty’, the rhyme is simple, positive and catchy, but a month in and many people have already broken their new year’s resolutions – to get fit, stop drinking, lose weight, be nicer to their partner or not get so stressed at work. And while it is true that we don’t have control over certain situations, experiences or events therefore launching into the new decade with a positive rhyme is as good a place to start as any, I am hopeful that with the continued global trend of exploring and discussing ones mental health, this could mean that the year 2020 may in fact a good year for many. What if we found plenty of peace and balance in 2020 or plenty of mental clarity to be the best possible version of ourselves this year?
For some peace, balance and mental clarity may be your norm, but for others this is merely wishful thinking. Research from the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirms that 1 in 4 people worldwide will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their life. At other times or if you are not diagnosed with a disorder do people feel settled and balanced in their state of mind most of the time or are they ‘putting on a mask’ or ‘keeping up appearances’, as best they can?
As a counsellor I have noticed our societies increased receptivity and acceptance in discussing mental health topics, we even have the young royals openly discussing their own personal mental health narratives. These are indeed exciting times, where conversations around mental health are vogue, but I still think we have a way to go to further improve our language and understanding around this often hidden and secret part of ourselves.
With that in mind I have created a simple 5-week program called Your Mind Health Work-In. The program is essentially a framework that will help you find ways to create space in your mind, as well as offer evidence-based strategies to deepen your understanding of yourself. Self-awareness is one of the overarching concepts of a healthy mindset, because it allows us to understand how and why we react the way we do in all areas of our lives. As Carl Jung stated many moons ago – he who looks outside dreams, while he who looks inside awakens – in essence this program is designed to help you develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of your inner world, in order to feel more connected and comfortable in the world around you. The program is divided into two categories the things we need to do daily and the things we need to do weekly.
In my counselling practice I have been comparing the importance of supporting our mind health in the same way we have come to understand the importance of regularly eating good food and exercising. In other words, don’t wait for a mental health crisis before you start attending to your mind health, instead view your mind as you would your physical body.
For example, we understand the importance of good core-stability in relation to physical fitness, in a similar way we need a healthy core-self to be mentally well. Neither can be created haphazardly and both are important to our overall state of wellbeing. This program is designed to create a shared understanding of what healthy self-esteem and self-worth look like in order to create a healthy core-self. This program also looks at the importance of boundaries, communication styles, what core hurts look like and much more.
I am presenting the program for FREE at Remede, 13 Glyde Street, Mosman Park at 7.30pm on the 26th February. Spaces are limited so please contact reception@remede.com.au or 9286 1166 to reserve your place.