Taking time for mental health

This is a picture of a man holding a sign.
Logan Senior, Billy Cheyne was asked what he did for his mental well-being

Encouraging self-care will be the focus of Logan City Council’s support of Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW).

QMHW is October 10-18 with the theme Take Time – for mental health.

During the week Council will run several activities and initiatives to shine the light on the importance of individual and community health and well-being.

Activities include a men’s online webinar, seniors’ well-being bingo, a community art display, online yoga and ways to connect with local mental health support services.

City Lifestyle Committee Chairperson, Councillor Laurie Koranski said while the first half of the year had been tough, there was much to look forward to for the remainder of 2020.

“Mental health is important for every single one of us, yet it is a part of life that is often overlooked,” Cr Koranski said.

“With the changes to people’s daily life caused by COVID-19 restrictions, it’s even more important than ever that people take care of themselves, and celebrate wellbeing and recovery in our community.

“I encourage everyone to take time for your own mental health and get involved in some of the local activities during the week.”

Griffith University lecturer Debra Bath is the co-founder of the recently launched Walk and Talk for Wellness program.

The sessions allow participants to have a conversation with a trained listener in an outdoor environment.

“Sometimes talking to someone who doesn’t have a connection to you, or a vested interest in your situation, frees up your capacity to process things,” Ms Bath said.

As part of Mental Health Week, there is a free ‘Walk and Talk’ Wellness session at Underwood Park on Thursday, October 15 at 10am.

This year’s theme, Take Time – for mental health encourages people to take time for their mental health with simple actions that have been proven to improve wellbeing.

They include:

  • Get healthy – it is good for your mind as well as your body
  • Keep learning – learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun
  • Show kindness – Practising small acts of kindness, giving back or showing gratitude can help you feel more satisfied with life
  • Connect more – spending time with other people is important to everyone’s mental wellbeing
  • Take notice – stay in the moment and remember the simple things that give you joy
  • Embrace nature – step outside, connect with the natural world and nature care of the planet.

To discover more activities and events around the City of Logan during the week, go to logan.qld.gov.au/mhw

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