Reflecting on an impactful World Mental Health Day, where over 120 people joined us in a hybrid panel conversation on how deep listening offers the pathway to prioritising mental health and holistic wellbeing.
On 10 October, ALIVE National Centre members together gathered in local groups on World Mental Health Day for an event hosted by the Implementation and Translation Network. Over 120 people (both online and in-person) engaged in a deep conversation about “It’s Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace”, a theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health.
Josh Reid Jones moderated the discussions with Dr Mark Cross, Prof Angela Martin and Dr Alicia King. The day concluded with a reflection from Prof Bircan Erbas and the playing of Dadirri Reflective piece for deep listening and reflection with permission from the Miriam Rose Foundation.
Miriam Rose Ungerrnmerr’s words “to listen deeply, is to connect” is a reminder of the power of deep listening — a foundation for prioritising mental health and holistic wellbeing. This resonates not only on World Mental Health Day but throughout the year.
Key reflections from the day included:
- Addressing hierarchies that perpetuate imbalances
- Balancing work conditions and pay with education and awareness campaigns—acknowledging the structural environments we work within
- The struggle of concealment as a norm
- The importance of adaptivity within integrated teams
- The challenges of sharing lived-experiences of mental ill-health and the burdens faced by carers
- The significance of new workplace regulations, such as the right to disconnect, in shaping workplace culture
- Fostering relational skill sets as part of systemic change
It is clear that embedding lived-experience is vital yet the reach of this model across sectors remains uneven. The ALIVE National Centre will continue to cast the net for organisations, researchers, government, policy makers and communities to support the implementation of our Actions to the Call, to deliver Relational Systems, Safe Policy, and Holistic Wellbeing.