Today it is Time to Talk day — a day dedicated to opening up and having conversations about our mental health. Sometimes putting off talking about mental health seems to be the easy option, but charities such as Mind and Rethink Mental Illness encourage friends, families, communities and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and open up about how they are feeling — in the process, changing lives.
To celebrate, and encourage you to chat about mental health and check in with friends, neighbours and loved ones — we’ve brought together some resources
mind, breathe & mental health — in conversation with katy gilmour
We had the pleasure of talking to Katy Gilmour where we discussed the importance of sharing and talking about mental health. She talks in depth about the connection between the mind and breath, sharing some techniques that can support good mental health.
The podcast is available to listen to or read now.
tips to support good mental health
Staff members from At the Library and Sefton Libraries shared their tips on how they support their mental health. We have compiled a list below for you to take a look.
Clara, At the Library staff member:
“My tips would be to talk to someone – a friend or family member – who you can trust will listen and support you, and to prioritise getting a good night sleep, being sleep deprived always affects me more than I think it will!”
Faye, At the Library staff member:
“On a bad day, I like to go on a long walk round the park and then come back and have a warm tea. I try to ground myself in the moment with both the walk and the tea by listening to what I can hear around me, or paying attention to the warmth in my hands. I find it really soothing to focus on touch and sound to take my mind off things.”
Ben, Bootle library staff member:
To relax and promote wellbeing Ben likes to listen to comedy podcasts such as ‘kinda funny’.
Lily, Bootle library staff member:
To relax and promote wellbeing Lily likes to have a glass of wine on a Friday and watch tv.
Louisa, Bootle library staff member:
To relax and promote wellbeing Louisa likes top always start her day listening to feel good music to put her in a good frame of mind for the day.
Lucy, At the Library staff member:
“To support good mental health, I try to structure my morning routine to help start my day off right. This helps me to tackle any challenges I face during the day, knowing that I have prioritised the start of my day, making sure I take time for myself.”
resources to support good mental health
We have a number of resources available for anyone who would like to support their mental health. Take a look at our projects with artists Frances Disley and Bella Milroy, both with a focus on relaxation and ease from the everyday stresses of life.
Freshly cut grass with Frances Disley.
Soft sanctuary with Bella Milroy.
Our Wednesday yoga sessions with Katy Gilmour are available for anyone who needs a midday pause or would like to learn more about the mind and breath connection. There is no need to book, you can just drop in! Yoga runs every Wednesday up until the end of March, starting from 12pm and finishing at 1pm in Bootle library. You can find more information about sessions on our website.