Time to Talk Day – Encouraging Open Conversations About Mental Health

Our mental health training in workplaces and in the community is designed to give people the tools that they need to have more open conversations, from having the confidence to ask that first question, all the way to developing company cultures to foster more open and supportive environments.

Time to Talk Day is supported by Co-op who believe in bringing communities together to improve mental wellbeing. We’re fortunate to have been selected by Co-op during 2023 as one of their charitable community initiatives this year. The brilliant support of Co-op staff and customers in raising funds for Isle Listen will help support the free service that we provide to schools, allowing us to empower more young people with the tools they need for their own mental health, as well as spotting the signs and being able to reach out if they think a friend might be struggling.

This Time to Talk Day, our Mental Health Training Team held a virtual session with managers of the Island’s Co-op stores to talk about mental health and how to support team members who might be having a hard time. The amazing staff in Co-op Castletown have also been busy fundraising for Isle Listen and raising awareness with their customers – thank you all for your generous support!

So what can you do to start a conversation about mental health?

In the workplace it can feel hard to find the right time or place to have a proper chat. But being able to have that conversation if somebody comes to talk to you, or if you notice that something is wrong, could make all the difference in how they are feeling.

Here are some tips that might help:

• Find a safe space: make sure the environment suits the conversation – somewhere with privacy and without distractions. Walking and talking can be great as it puts you side by side rather than face to face and also gets you out of the busy work environment.
• Use open and simple questions: “How are things going?” gives someone the space to open up, while follow up questions can help you understand more clearly what is going on while also showing that you are listening to what has been said.
• Don’t seek the quick fix: It may be that just talking things through is what someone needs, or they might be on a longer path with their wellbeing, but either way the best thing to do is to genuinely listen without assumptions or building a list of suggestions in your head. You’ll then be able to really hear what it is they need.
• Have patience: If someone isn’t ready to talk, don’t push them. Demonstrating that you are there might encourage them to speak up in the future.

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