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With the COVID-19 status changing week by week in Tasmania, it’s understandable that many of us are feeling anxious and overwhelmed. No matter how you’re feeling it’s important to understand that we’re all feeling something, and that you’re not alone – there are people that share the same concerns as you.
 
We have created a website that provides information and advice to help you stay on top of your mental wellbeing during this uncertain period.

Jump online now and find out how you can stay on top of your mental wellbeing.
 
Mindarma - Discover real stories of personal resilience and growth in the Mindarma podcast series. Journalist Dean Yates speaks with workers in some of the world’s most challenging occupations about work, life and how they take care of their own mental health.
Check it out

Mental Health by Talklink - Conversations with mental health experts. We speak to psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, doctors, therapists and more. Their stories highlight the importance of thinking and talking about the mind - both for ourselves and to better understand those close to us.
Check it out
 
For more apps, websites, podcasts and other resources to help you stay on top of your mental wellbeing, visit checkin.org.au

What's happening in your community? Head to www.checkin.org.au to find more events happening near you.

Mental Health Week 2022


We're excited to announce that the dates for  Mental Health Week in Tasmania this year will be 8-16 October, encompassing World Mental Health Day on 10 October.

We had great feedback from event holders last year so we've decided to continue the same theme this year:  'Awareness, Belonging, Connection'.

We will be running the small grants program again this year, with plans to open application towards the end of June. Keep an eye out here, and on our social media channels for more details as they're announced. 

Until then, start thinking about what your organisation might do to celebrate Mental Health Week in 2022.

Giving positive support to families helps them provide warm and supportive environments for children and teenagers to support mental health and emotional wellbeing. The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program offers evidence-based ways to help all parents and carers with proven strategies to support children’s and teenager’s learning and development.
 
Local family support services may offer a wide variety of Triple P programs, including specialist programs to help parents of children with anxiety, parents of teenagers, parents who are experiencing stress and conflict after separation, and more. Parents can also access low-cost, evidence-based online Triple P support via the Australian Government’s Head2Health website, or directly from the Triple P parent website

For regular updates on positive parenting and children’s and teenagers’ emotional wellbeing, visit Triple P’s social media pages: Facebook and Instagram.


New 'Back to School' Asthma Resource

Did you know that anxiety and depression are twice as common in people with asthma, and having both depression and asthma can pose even greater difficulties?

At back to school time, there’s an unusual spike in asthma symptoms and hospitalisations in school-aged kids. With Omicron and vaccine rollouts being a major focus, it’s important to keep kids safe when it comes to their asthma by having an up-to-date written Asthma Action Plan, School Care Plan, spacer and reliever puffer ready for school. 

To help children set and achieve their asthma goal this back to school, we have created our new asthma adventure game, which lets them set their own personal goal and work towards achieving it. Being organised helps children alleviate the mental stress of having asthma and being prepared helps with their emotional confidence.

Click to download, print and play
 


Adults living in the Ulverstone area now have access to a free digital mental health support program as part of a pilot that aims to test new ways of engaging people with health and wellbeing coaching. 

Tasmanian-based organisation Healthy Business is delivering the HealthCi program to adults living within the postcode of 7315 under the pilot, which is funded by the Australian Government through Primary Health Tasmania.

HealthCi is a holistic program that supports people to make positive changes to their health and wellbeing. It aims to address early symptoms or indicators of poor health and wellbeing that may indicate a risk of mild mental illness.

Learn more.


Equally Well: Action and collaboration for hope and health

Equally Well Australia will be hosting the second Equally Well Symposium (in person and virtual) at the Gold Coast campus of Griffith University. 

Experts from the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia have been invited to share innovative practice and developments aimed to improve the physical health and wellbeing of people living with mental illness.

With the generous support of sponsors, this two day event is free for all attendees. This sponsorship also provides a limited number of bursaries available to consumers and carers to support travel and expenses to attend the symposium.

The draft program is available now, with a wide range of speakers and topics.

Learn more.



Torn between worlds, Ukrainian Australians are feeling the mental health impacts of war. Here’s how to help
Ukrainian Australians are experiencing a powerful emotional pull to the Ukraine with friends, family and history there. Previous research into the impact of global catastrophic events on the diaspora – scattered communities with shared cultural links – tells us much about the push-pull impact on local people of global events.

Social media can make anxiety worse for young people, but a 'healthy digital diet' can help
"There is an association with higher rates of low self-esteem, anxiety and depression in people who are excessively using a lot of these [platforms]," says child psychiatrist and researcher Dr Philip Tam.
Yet Dr Tam doesn't believe social media is inherently bad or harmful for children or young people. The real issue, he says, is "how we use it and what we use it for".

‘I didn’t let anybody know what was actually happening to me’
Women do nearly double the hours of unpaid work each week compared to men [...] And in 2022, women still earn an average of 13.8 per cent less than men who do the same work. Yet, many women in Australia manage to achieve incredible things. But, how they do it without burning out and sacrificing their mental health and wellbeing? For International Women’s Day, here is what four high-achieving Australian women had to say about managing their mental health.

Anxiety, stress, isolation: HR needs to revive their mental health policies in 2022
According to the Black Dog Institute, the Australian economy loses approximately $12 billion per year in reduced productivity and sickness absence related to mental health issues. “HR practitioners need to be educated and skilled in understanding the prevalence, impact and support available for employees but I see leaders supporting mental health awareness initiatives as more important.”



Tasmanian Communications Charter

 
Did you know that Tasmania was the first state to adopt the National Communications Charter?

The Charter brings the community sector together with government and people with lived experience, promoting a common language around mental health, mental illness and suicide in Tasmania, so that together we can work to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking behaviour.

Have you signed the Charter? Head to the home page to take the online Charter course. Signing up to the Charter is the first step in speaking together for mental health and suicide prevention. 
 
Sign the Charter, and help us reduce stigma and promote help-seeking behaviour in Tasmania.

MHCT has a diverse membership of community organisations and individuals and is always open to new members who want to engage further with the mental health sector in Tasmania.

As an MHCT member you get the opportunity to have your say on issues related to mental health in Tasmania, through groups such as the Tasmanian Mental Health Leaders Forum, the Tasmanian Mental Health Network and Regional Mental Health Groups. You will also receive a comprehensive monthly 'members only' newsletter, with updates on sector development, MHCT projects, as well as details on upcoming events and education opportunities related to mental health.

You can find more information about specific MHCT member benefits, as well as information on membership categories and how to become a member, on our website. You can also contact us by calling 6224 9222.
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