Mental Health Matters
Often, we only talk about mental health as an individual responsibility, but lots of things outside our control contribute to mental health.
Things like discrimination, inequality, intergenerational trauma, access to services, and government policies can negatively impact people’s and communities’ mental health.
During Mental Health Month we all have a chance to Tune In to things we can do as individuals for our own, and others’ mental health,
Tuning in means being present. It means being aware of what is happening within you, and in the world around you. Being present by tuning in has been shown to help build self-awareness, help make effective choices, reduce the impact of worry, and build positive connections.
You can tune in to many things
- Tune in to yourself – What can you sense right now? What can you feel?
- Tune in to others – What might people around you be feeling? How can we connect?
- Tune in to your communities – What is happening that you can be part of, or that you can help others be part of?
- Tune in to stigma – How do attitudes and understandings of mental health and wellbeing impact on people’s ability to live the lives they want? How can we help?
To promote Mental Health Month, Council collaborated with our local community organisations to host Street Stalls across the Shire and run a photography competition.
Photo competition
In support of Mental Health Month, we invited you to submit photographs, along with words, that shared a message about your direct or indirect experience with mental health and how it linked to this year’s theme of “Tuning In”. Entries will be on show at each of our Bellingen Shire Library branches (Bellingen, Urunga and Dorrigo) throughout the month of December.