Mental health is a challenging topic. It raises complex issues. It involves a wide range of conditions. Each condition is complex. The impact of mental health conditions differs for each individual, across a wide spectrum. The subject of mental health is often emotional and difficult to discuss. For this reason, individuals often believe that the only support they can get for their mental health is support from the medical profession, therapists and counsellors.

Similarly, initiatives around mental wellbeing in a workplace and education setting reflect this complexity around mental health. Mental health strategies tend to focus on offering in-house training so that people are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of poor mental health. Then they can signpost to external specialist medical or therapeutic support.

As a consequence, managers & leaders in the workplace and tutors & teachers in an education context tend to feel a frustrated sense of responsibility when dealing with mental health. They would like to offer more direct support; but consider that the complexities of the way the mind works are outside their ability to assist.

This workshop approaches mental wellbeing from a different perspective. The starting proposition is that mental health isn’t just about the complexities of the mind; it’s about your environment too. In a supportive environment, someone with a mental health challenge can do well. In a difficult environment, even someone who might be considered resilient could find their wellbeing challenged.

So, there are now two possible strategies. One can deal with the way the mind works. The other can deal with the impact that the workplace or educational environment has on wellbeing.

Approaching wellbeing from a situational or environmental perspective opens up a world of new opportunities. Individuals are empowered to reflect on their environment and identify the situations that have the biggest impact on their wellbeing. They can then make guided choices about how to better manage their wellbeing and strengthen their resilience.

Equally, leaders, managers, tutors and teachers can feel empowered to offer support without feeling a sense of frustrated responsibility. In their role, they are able to directly influence the workplace or educational environment.

By shifting the conversation from the mind to the environment, organisations can provide in-house support and create a culture and a mindset that enables a positive approach to mental wellbeing.

This workshop is designed to help participants work out how to identify the things in their environment that have the biggest impact on their wellbeing. It helps them make choices about how to improve their wellbeing. And it enables them to have focused and mentally healthy conversations so that they can use the same approach to support others.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

The workshop is designed to enable you to:

• Explore the meaning of “resilience” in a wellbeing context
• Discover the benefits of reflecting on your daily environment to discover the things that have the biggest impact on your wellbeing
• Explore your options for addressing challenging situations in a way that enables you to manage your wellbeing
• Work through some tools, tips and techniques for strengthening resilience.
• Discover how to have mentally healthy conversations with others, in a non-medicalised way, which leads to you being able to give or get support for wellbeing.

Presenter biography:

Jonathan Phelan runs Evenhood which helps people manage their wellbeing, strengthen their resilience and have mentally healthy conversations. Evenhood works with employers and universities offering training and coaching. Jonathan is the author of ‘The Art of the Mentally Healthy Conversation’, ‘Be A More Resilient You!’ and ‘Boo-Bear’s Favourite Things’.

We can become very caught up in rushing from place to place, our heads full of jobs to be done and people to talk to. Sometimes, we just need a chance to switch-off and calm our busy minds. During this session we will use guided visualisation, a well-established relaxation technique, to step out of the hurly burly of the day to day, unwind and recharge.

Presenter biography:

For many years, Bridget Hazell has worked as a counsellor in Higher Education and has supported many students and staff at all levels at Loughborough University and beyond. Recognising that the challenges differ amongst different populations, Bridget is particularly interested in the pressures faced by doctoral researchers and academic staff.

The PhD Social Support Network is an informal, weekly lunchtime drop-in for any PhD student. You can stop by, eat your lunch, have a chat with other students from across the University and receive support from those who are also undertaking a PhD.

It offers you:

1. Information and signposting to support services
2. A time to share experiences with one another
3. Valuable time away from your desk to relax and chat

Where/when?

Online every Tuesday, 12:30-13:30. No need to book, just turn up!

This session is for Doctoral Researchers to ask the University’s Specialist Study and Strategy Support staff questions around neurodiversity (dyslexia, dyspraxia, AD(H)D and Autism). You may have a neurodiverse profile and want to understand the support available, or you might want to explore whether some of the challenges you experience academically, or in in your personal life, could be due to an unidentified neurodiverse profile.

This informal drop-in format will allow researchers to ask questions and where appropriate, be signposted to support.

Presenter biography:

Jackie Hatfield - I have been supporting neurodiverse (dyslexia, dyspraxia, AD(H)D & autism) students, in a 1:1 setting at Loughborough University for 13 years. In this role I engage with students ranging from those beginning their learning journey in Higher Education through to those pursuing the challenges of researching and writing their PhDs.

Tina Horsman - I have been assessing and supporting students with neurodiversity for over twenty years. At Loughborough University I work with students from all disciplines from undergraduate level through to PhD researchers and staff.