Workshop for business wellbeing

BENDIGO’S chamber of commerce is doing its part to help alleviate mental health issues in the workplace.

A new workshop, run by Be.Bendigo mental health consultant Sharmi Cantwell, is all about removing the stigma around mental ill-health, and normalising conversations around emotions.

“The approach I’ve taken is to start talking about what our feelings are, what they represent, and how we can memorise the ups and downs we feel every day,” Ms Cantwell said.

“I am using an approach from R U OK? Using that framework to teach people how to have the conversation if you are concerned about anyone. But the context around it is all about what are emotions, what is good mental health what does that look like?

“I think sometimes we assume that we need to be diagnosed with a mental illness to be feeling flat or sad, but there are various times in our week, days, month where we may feel sad or disappointed or frustrated or angry and all those emotions are actually normal.”

While the workshop is designed for workplaces, Ms Cantwell said the skills taught on how to notice mental ill-health and improve wellbeing can be applied anywhere.

“It’s a skill we all want, whether you’re a stay-at-home mum or a teacher at a school or a supervisor in a workplace. Those skills we take everywhere with us,” she said.

“It becomes almost critical to our overall wellbeing to be checking in with ourselves … and then understanding what it is you need to do to experience an uplift in their feelings.”

The workshop will run from 10am to 12pm on Monday, 5 July at the National Hotel Complex. To book a spot head to bit.ly/3jjs4ie.