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As it’s Halloween, we thought we’d post about something scary…fears and phobias. Did you know that according to the NHS, 10 million people in the UK have phobias? From social phobia, to fear of heights, spiders, small spaces, flying, and driving, phobias can affect anyone, and they can be debilitating. People with phobias often go to great lengths to avoid what they are afraid of, and this limits their day-to-day life, often leading to anxiety and depression. Being in a situation where they are confronted with what they fear most can also provoke overwhelming feelings of panic. The good news for people with phobias is that talking therapy can help, particularly Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT can help people change the way they think about what they are afraid of and identify the underlying reason for the fear. To find help and support for fears and phobias, you can self-refer to us https://lnkd.in/e7Aydq5X #CBT #cognitivebehaviouraltherapy #therapy

Recently, there’s been a lot in the news about the rise in health-related sickness benefits. In the last financial year, the bill for working age health-related benefits soared to £48bn, up from £36bn before the pandemic. Much of the increase is attributed to a rise in claims for mental health problems, especially among younger people. Now there are fears that an entire ‘lost’ generation of young people will drop out of the jobs market. There is no silver bullet to dealing with this issue and we can all point to factors that contribute to the problem-the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and long NHS waiting lists for mental health support to name just a few. A lot of the focus seems to be on getting people back to work, but we think it needs to go deeper than that. Workplaces need to be supportive and flexible, and employers can lead the way in creating working environments where people can thrive, not just feel like they have to power through when they are barely hanging on. At Talk Works, we are your wellbeing partner. We work with leaders, occupational health, and HR teams to provide bespoke mental health training and support for teams. Imagine that your employees could get rapid access to therapy before the burnout hits. Or that mental health awareness training helped you spot mental ill health in your team members before it got much worse. We can make this a reality by working with you to create a bespoke mental health and wellbeing plan for your workplace that really meets your needs. Get in touch to find out how we can help you lead the way in being an employer that truly cares about your workforce’s wellbeing. talktous@talk-works.org.uk

Do you experience low mood and a lack of energy when the seasons change? It’s normal to feel lacking in energy when the days are shorter and the nights are longer. But if you feel low? or unable to function properly most days, you may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. SAD is a type of depression that affects people in the colder and darker months, and it’s more common than you might think. If you are experiencing SAD, we look at what can you to feel better in our latest blog. https://lnkd.in/ey5ErPRK #SAD #Seasonalaffectivedisorder #counselling #therapy

In our last post, we talked about SAD, a condition where sufferers experience a significant dip in mood and energy levels at this time of the year. As promised, here are some of our clinicians’ top tips for beating the blues as the nights draw in. 🚶♀️ Get outside whenever possible. You don't have to factor in an hours trek, even on your coffee break can help to take the edge off and get you outside. 🌄 Walking surrounded by nature can have an even more significant effect. Any type of exercise is a no brainer to help release those endorphins too, which will no doubt also have a positive impact on your sleep. 🌦️ Get outside as much as possible, take a walk in nature as Alfred Wainwright once said “There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” #SAD #therapy #nature

Does your mood and energy seriously dip when the clocks change? Are you suddenly craving comfort food, especially stodgy carbs? It’s common to feel like your energy is lacking at this time of the year, but if you’re experiencing low mood and you’re finding it hard to function, you could be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of depression that occurs at the same time each year, usually in the autumn and winter, when sunlight is reduced. Symptoms include fatigue, low mood, difficulty concentrating, and changes in sleep and appetite. Lack of vitamin D is thought to be one of the factors that can exacerbate these symptoms, alongside the disruption of circadian rhythms and melatonin production. The NHS estimates that around two million people in the UK experience SAD every year. Experts don’t completely understand the condition, but it’s believed to be caused by a lack of sunlight, particularly in the morning, which interferes with your body clock and can affect levels of serotonin and melatonin, hormones that regulate mood and sleep. Researchers at lab test company York Test recently compiled data on mental wellbeing from the ONS and data on the average number of sunlight hours per UK region from the Met Office, and the findings seem to back up this theory. People living in regions with fewer hours of winter sunlight like Scotland and Wales reported higher levels of SAD-related symptoms. London also featured highly on the list, and though it gets more sunlight than regions further north, it’s generally a more stressful place to live. We were sad to see that people in our lovely North East reported the lowest overall mental wellbeing score of any UK region. For anyone who thinks they may be experiencing SAD, the Royal College of Psychiatrists suggests some things that may help: ·        Going a walk during daylight hours ·        Exercising regularly ·        Talking to friends and family about how you’re feeling ·        Talking therapy If you struggle with mood and motivation at this time of the year, look out for our next post where our clinicians share their expert tips for beating the blues as the clocks change. #SAD #therapy #mentalhealthatwork

This World Menopause Day, we’re re-sharing an article from the wonderful Sharon Macarthur, menopause educator, Founder of Miss Menopause, and the menopause training facilitator for Talk Works. If you feel like putting menopause provision on the agenda in your organisation seems like ‘another thing’ to add to a very long to do list or just too complicated, here’s her take on how you can keep things simple. https://lnkd.in/eUrxEzPJ #menopause #mentalhealthmatters #therapy

There’s a clear case for supporting employees who are going through menopause at work. IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO-menopause symptoms range from physical symptoms such as hot flushes to psychological symptoms like depression and anxiety. Many people don’t disclose these for fear of negative judgement. Offering support can make a huge difference and let your employees know they don’t have to suffer in silence. MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS CAN BE CONSIDERED A DISABILITY-Earlier this year, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published menopause in the workplace guidance which stated that if menopause symptoms have a long-term and severe impact on a person’s ability to carry out day-to-day activities, they could be considered a disability. This means employers are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments in these cases. THERE’S A STRONG BUSINESS CASE-Offering the right support to employees going through menopause increases productivity, reduces sickness absence, and helps you retain skilled and experienced employees. What support are you offering employees who are going through menopause? Talk Works provides menopause awareness training for organisations and therapy for individuals to help them as they go through what can be an incredibly difficult life transition. Talk to us to find out how we can support your organisation talktous@talk-works.org.uk Stats: menopause in the workplace.co.uk #menopause #therapy #mentalhealthatwork

Are you surprised by that statistic? Maybe we should all be, given that menopausal women are the fastest growing workplace demographic. Statistics suggest that of 33 million employees in the UK, almost 6 million are going through menopause. That includes the manager who’s worked for decades to get to where she is now, yet she’s suffering so much with brain fog and fatigue that she’s considering quitting her job. Or the colleague who’s trying to pluck up the courage to ask if she can go part-time because struggling with night sweats throughout the night means she can’t wake up in the morning. What about the line manager who has finally handed in her notice because she is fed up at having to lie to her male manager about why she’s been having to take time off sick? Situations like this could be avoided if menopause awareness and support in workplaces was better. Here’s some food for thought: how menopause friendly is your organisation? 📄 Is it clear how you support menopausal employees e.g. through dedicated menopause policy or through your flexible working/sickness policies? 🗨️ Is there a culture where menopause can be talked about openly? 🙋 Do managers have the knowledge skills, and confidence to talk about menopause? 🧠 Do you provide access to wellbeing support, i.e. Occ health, EAP, or counselling & therapy? 👩💼 Can uniforms or dress codes be adapted where necessary for hot flushes, cold sweats etc? 🥵 Is the working environment suitable for menopausal employees-is there access to fans , access to cold drinking water, and adequate washrooms/toilets? How menopause friendly is your workplace? What do you do well, and what would you improve if you could? Stats: menopause in the workplace.co.uk #menopause #therapy #mentalhealthatwork

There are a few important awareness events happening this month, and Baby Loss Awareness Week is one of them. Few experiences in life are as painful and traumatic as the loss of a child. This year’s theme is ‘Together, we care’ and it’s about finding time to look after your physical and mental wellbeing after the loss of a child, as well as looking out for others who have been affected by loss. To mark the week, we wanted to reshare our article on coping with the loss of a child as well as reminding you that Talk Works’ clinicians are experienced in helping people find their way through bereavement and grief. To read the article, go to: https://lnkd.in/epemVw-B To find out more about how you can access therapy for bereavement and grief, visit: https://lnkd.in/edSt8ND7 #babyloss #bereavement #grief #therapy

Today is World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is workplace mental health. Work has a huge impact on our mental wellbeing, for better or worse. It can give us a sense of purpose and opportunities to connect with others, but it can also be a source of stress and anxiety which affects mental health. Did you know that in 2022-23, there were 875,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression, and anxiety? Many of us spend a lot of time at work and that’s why it’s important that we create workplaces that support our mental health and overall wellbeing. We asked a few members of the Talk Works team to name one thing organisations could do to improve workplace mental health, and this is what they said...... 💚 Have an open and honest approach to talking about mental health and well-being from the top down. It helps to know that everyone in an organisation no matter their position struggles from time to time and for this to be normal. 💚 Celebrate their successes, no matter how small, and ensure the support is there during difficult times. 💚 Ensure that all managers have the confidence and skills to have conversations about mental health with their teams without feeling like they have to be the expert in fixing it for them. 💚 Make staff feel valued. We’d love to know your thoughts. Stat: Health and Safety Executive (HSE) #worldmentalhealthday #therapy #mentalhealthatwork #counselling