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          Online directory of mental health and community services

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          Tips to reduce stress and encourage wellbeing

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  • About WayAhead
        • At WayAhead, we work every day to educate people throughout New South Wales on mental health and wellbeing and link them to services and resources that improve their mental health.
          Our vision is for a society that understands, values and actively supports the best possible mental health and wellbeing.
        • How we work for better mental health

          We work towards better mental health and wellbeing through:

          • The co-ordination of mental health promotion activities such as Mental Health Month NSW, WayAhead Workplaces, Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Awareness Week and Stress Less Tips
          • Free anxiety support groups throughout NSW
          • The provision of mental health information – the WayAhead Directory, mental health factsheets
          • Education seminars such as or Understanding Anxiety Forums and Professional Development Workshops – for people living with a mental health condition, the public and health care professionals
          • Small Steps workshops for parents and school teachers to raise awareness and improve recognition of anxiety disorders in children.
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Mental Health Month

Mental Health Month

Get involved in Mental Health Month

  • Get Involved in 2022
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  • Tune In
    • Tips to Tune In
    • What is Tune In?
  • How to be a Mental Health Ally
  • Mental Health Matters Awards
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    • About the Awards
    • Looking back on our past winners
      • 2021 Award Winners
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Tips to Tune In

A picture of a heart hugging itself - representing self compassion

Practicing self-compassion involves treating yourself with care and understanding during difficult times. We can do this by giving the same kindness and compassion to ourselves as we would to a family member or close friend in the same situation. We can tune in to self-compassion by: 

  • Not judging your situation or experience  
  • Accepting that it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling 
  • Understanding that how you feel is temporary 
  • Being kind to yourself instead of self-criticizing 
A picture of a hand shovel planted in earth leaning against some native flowers and looking content, bees are buzzing merrily

Connecting with nature has long been known to have positive impacts on mental health and can be an excellent way to Tune In to the world. Connection to Country is a huge part of social and emotional wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and taking time to connect with the Land in ways that are accessible can help build social and emotional wellbeing. Gardening has been shown to increase levels of hormones that improve mood and decrease stress, and even humble indoor plants can help us feel more connected to the earth. Connecting to nature can reduce self-consciousness and help you feel more relaxed. Ways you can connect with the earth include: 

  • Sitting or lying on the grass in your local park  
  • Planting something new in your garden  
  • Spend time in nature
A picture of a dog wearing a rainbow cape and looking pleased with them self

At times we might feel like we have to hide who we are, which can have a pretty negative impact on our mental health. Dressing up in a way that makes you feel like yourself (even if you only wear it at home) can help build a sense of identity, and help you Tune In to yourself. When we’re experiencing a rough time, it can be difficult to even get out of bed, let alone get dressed, but if you’re able to, having fun and putting on something that affirms who you are can provide some relief, as well as a bit of self-care. Wearing something that makes you feel like you could be: 

  • Just a brooch or hat 
  • A pair of socks 
  • Your favourite pair of sunglasses  
  • An entire outfit!  

You can read this Journal of Experimental Social Psychology report on Enclothed Cognition if you want to learn a bit of the science behind this tip.

A disco ball happily skipping rope surrounded by bubbles

Movement has been shown to help us tune in to what’s going on in our bodies and build connections in our brains that can reduce stress and improve wellbeing. Finding movement and activity that brings you joy is important, especially considering that some people find many types of “exercise” difficult due to physical or emotional barriers. Tuning in to joyous movement can boost mood and help build resilience, so finding something that works for you can make a difference. Moving joyfully could be include: 

  • Dancing 
  • Stretching 
  • Finding fun, silly ways to move about your home  
A picture of a snail, where the shell is a basket weave, the antennae are musical notes and the body is representing yellow paint.

Being actively engaged in any kind of creative expression can not only be very mindful but can also be a great stress reliever. Doing something creative can be an outlet for emotional release, provide a sense of accomplishment and boost self-esteem. Doing something creative means different things to different people and creativity can take many forms. A few ways you can Tune In to being creative include: 

  • Expression through art: painting, colouring, drawing, photography 
  • Making something for someone else: weaving, knitting, cooking, crochet  
  • Creating happy noise: singing, playing an instrument  
  • Building something: coding, Lego towers, pillow forts 
A cartoon of a pause button with eyes closed, headphones on and a cup of hot tea

Taking time to rest and relax can reduce stress levels and enable you to better cope with life’s challenges. Having good quality sleep is important in maintaining good mental health as it can improve general mental function as well as your mental and emotional resilience. Rest can look different for everyone, here are a few ways you can Tune In to rest: 

  • Listen to your body and know when it’s time to stop and rest 
  • Take time to disconnect from screens each day 
  • Recharge by taking a nap or laying down 
  • Take deep abdominal breaths when you’re feeling stressed  
Cartoon of the Mars Rover "Curiosity" looking in a mirror at itself

Being constantly curious about yourself is a great way to find out what sparks your interest, what you value, how your thoughts and ideas change overtime and what you care about most. Being curious can involve both listening to your mind as well as your body and noticing how both respond to different situations, environments, and stressors. We can be curious about ourselves by: 

  • Writing down our thoughts to help make sense of what’s going on 
  • Noticing our bodies response to different situations  
  • Exploring things that spark our curiosity  
  • Tuning into our senses 
A picture of a board game where the tores are smiling and "connecting" with each other

Connecting with friends, colleagues, family, or our chosen family and forming strong relationships is important for mental wellbeing. These relationships can help increase our sense of belonging, improve our self-confidence, and help reduce stress levels. By sharing our experiences, thoughts and feelings and listening to those of loved ones, we are creating stronger social connections which can increase feelings of happiness and self-worth. Some of the ways you can connect with friends include: 

  • Make time each day to connect with someone you trust 
  • Have lunch with a colleague  
  • Reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to for awhile  
  • Have a device-free dinner with friends  
Two kites doing a tictok dance with a colander on their heads

Being playful or having a playful attitude can fuel your creativity, reduce stress levels, and improve emotional wellbeing. Play can produce endorphins which promote an overall sense of wellbeing and can even temporarily relieve pain. There are many ways in which we can be playful, here are a few ways to Tune In to playfulness: 

  • Play a fun game with friends  
  • Make someone laugh  
  • Make time for a hobby or a creative activity  
  • Take an improv class
Cartoon of a football being told to stay inside its boundary by a cartoon whistle

Boundary setting is an important part of self-care. By noticing and setting your boundaries you are taking responsibility for your own needs and how others treat you. Being consistent with implementing external and internal boundaries will increase your self-esteem, conserve emotional energy, and create more independence in your life. You can Tune In to your boundaries by: 

  • Tuning into your feelings and values 
  • Understanding what’s right for you 
  • Knowing it’s okay to say no  
  • Starting small and seeking support if needed  

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At School

 

How can we share the journey at school?

  • Host a Mental Health Month assembly
  • Include Mental Health Month in your classroom activities 
  • Support students to put on their own events for Mental Health Month
  • Consider hosting a “Share a Meal for Mental Health Month” event on World Mental Health Day
  • Ensure that all students and staff know what supports are available at your school
  • Challenge ideas and language that may have a negative impact on the way people think
    about mental ill-health

 

Download the ‘Schools Pack’ with heaps of useful resources and activities

Download the ‘At School’ social post here

Check out all the Share the Journey downloads here

At Work

 

How can we share the journey at work??

  • Include mental health in discussions about workplace health and safety
  • Organise wellbeing activities and make them accessible to people
  • Consider hosting an event for Mental Health Month
  • Have someone to come and talk to your workplace about mental health and wellbeing
  • Connect with the WayAhead Workplaces network –
    a network of likeminded organisations working together to improve mental wellbeing in the workplace.

 

Download the ‘At Work’ social post here

Check out all the Share the Journey downloads here

With Family and Friends

 

How can we share the journey with family and friends?

  • Share a hobby or teaching each other something new
  • Helping each other with chores like laundry, cooking or cleaning
  • Help each other get to appointments, occasions or events
  • Organise times to check in with each other
  • Help each other plan for difficult situations
  • Create a fun challenge you can do together
  • Play games together

 

Download the ‘Family and Friends’ social post here

Check out all the Share the Journey downloads here

In the Community

 

How can we share the journey with family and friends?

  • Host a community event for Mental Health Month
  • Think about ways you can connect with people experiencing mental health issues –
    this could include having quiet spaces or transport options available for community events.
  • Make sure that mental health and wellbeing are talked about in your community
  • Consider hosting a “Share a Meal for Mental Health Month” event on World Mental Health Day in your community

 

Download the ‘In the Community’ social post here

Check out all the Share the Journey downloads here

Share the Journey

 

Connecting with others is important for all aspects of our health and wellbeing. Research tells us that feeling connected with others gives us a sense of security, support, purpose and happiness. Close connections and good relationships with others help us enjoy good times in our lives as well as cope with difficult experiences. Many of us report feeling lonely and believe loneliness is increasing in Australia. For those experiencing or living with mental illness, loneliness can have an even bigger impact, especially when you factor in the added experiences of social exclusion and stigma.

Share the Journey is all about ways we can connect with others, both for our own health and wellbeing, as well as theirs.

Sharing the journey can mean many things:

  • Telling your loved ones about both your successes and difficulties
  • Reaching out to people who might be withdrawing from others
  • Working with someone to find and access services or support
  • Asking for help with day-to-day things when you need it
  • Getting involved in group activities, like sports or book clubs
  • Sharing a cuppa with a mate

 

Whether you reach out to someone who might be feeling a bit lost or find a way to connect with others when you need some help,
building positive social connection is something we can all try and do.

Download this information as a fact sheet here

View all Share the Journey downloads here