How wonderful will it be to live in a safer and more supportive world? Well, being a mental health ally is one way you can contribute to shifting the world. There are many people out there who experience challenges with their mental health and find it difficult to reach out. Sometimes it can be less obvious and hard to notice that someone is going through tough times. In this case, we can pay attention to the small signs and create safe spaces where everyone can comfortably speak up and share their stories!
“How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.”
Morgan Freeman
Being a mental health ally can be as simple as a random act of kindness. We can call a friend that we have not spoken to in a while to ask and listen about their life updates. In a previous article for R U OK? Day, I wrote about how we can intentionally ask “Are you okay?” to start a conversation and help others feel connected and supported. We can also tell someone we know that we are proud and thankful for them. This comes hand in hand with validating someone’s feelings when they tell you about their feelings or worries.
What is validation and how can we do it?
I have a friend who makes me feel like all of my emotions are truly valid. They are able to show me that they truly understood my feelings and point of view, even if they might have disagreed. I came to understand that this kind of action creates trust and helps the other person feel supported and willing to solve the challenge. This, I believe, is a great example of validation.
Here are a few statements that we can say to validate someone’s feelings:
– “I can understand why you feel that way.”
– “I hear that this is important to you.”
– “I can see how this situation has been so difficult for you.”
– “I completely understand the efforts you are trying to make here.”
How can you be a mental health ally in communities?
There are many ways that groups and communities can show their support toward mental health and ensure that people feel safe in the space.
1. Build a safe and welcoming space
We can decorate the space with posters, photographs, and banners that clearly display signs of support toward cultural diversity, marginalised groups, and people who are directly affected by social and health issues.
2. Create inclusive activities and events
It is also important to deliver activites and events that actively include and engage people from these groups at every stage of the activity. We can start by checking in with people before an activity or event to let them know what is going to happen in the activity and if they have any questions that can help them be more prepared.
3. Engage in a compassionate way
If we appreciate the knowledge that they bring through their experiences, we can genuinely include them in conversations and decisions which affect them. We can also encourage them to reach out for any support that they might need and share the brilliant ideas that they have!
4. Embrace cultural and emotional sensitivity
During events such as workshops, presentations, or other activities, include an Acknowledgement of Country, appropriate trigger/content warnings, and normalise introductions that include personal pronouns.
