Time to talk about Mental Health
There is a lot of talk about mental health in the media these days. Celebrities are coming forward and talking about their own personal mental health stories. This includes members of the Royal Family (Prince Harry) who not long ago opened up about his own mental health. Ten years ago very few people talked about it. But more so lately people are a lot more open about the topic.
Sharing what is going on for you can be difficult. Are you going crazy? The doubts going around in your thoughts, worrying about what will people think of you.
Finding someone you feel safe with, that you can trust to keep your information confidential and not to gossip, is important. You may have a close family member or a trusted friend. Just being able to say how you feel without being judged, or told to ‘get over it’ or ‘to forget it and move on’ may seem helpful to other people. However, when it is you going through something that is affecting your mental health, just having someone who will listen is massively important.
FLexercise is a supportive family.
Not only do our teachers get support from the organsiation, they also support each other on social media, over the phone and when they see one another on CPD courses. There is no competition between the teachers, they are a team all striving for the same thing. Each class is a family group with members ranging from all ages.
All our classes are led by an experienced teacher, with a ‘safe pair of hands ‘ to bring the class together each week. FLexercise classes are a great way to meet people and make new friends. In fact, you’ll probably end up making friends for life and share life experiences with them.
Being able to be there for someone who is going through difficult times that you may recognise in your own life can be healing in itself. Even a quick text or message could make all the difference to their day. Taking the plunge and talking to a stranger can feel intimidating. However, sometimes by just being brave enough to be the first to make contact, your own self esteem can receive a well-earned boost.
So with all of this in mind, the next time you attend a class, take a chance and ask someone how they are. 
Remember to listen to them, without judging or trying to fix them. Simply smiling and saying ‘hello’ may be enough to make someone feel a million dollars.
Claire Ballardie
MBACP