A Conversation Can Change a Life

13 Sept

Reflecting on the success of our latest event - The Accidental Counsellor

We are overwhelmed with gratitude following the incredible success of our recent event, The Accidental Counsellor. The audience was engaged and willing to learn about supporting mental health in our community. We all left feeling inspired to start a conversation now armed with the right tools and understanding the importance of self-care.

The stats on mental health are confronting, with suicide rates reaching alarming levels. Learning how to have difficult but essential conversations is more important than ever. The more we know how to support those in emotional distress, the better equipped we are to bring those numbers down.

Australia’s leading presenter and educator in Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Leanne Potter, provided an incredibly insightful presentation adapted from Lifeline’s Accidental Counsellor training. The discussion raised some raw but necessary questions about how we can all contribute to mental health awareness, along with the tools to cope with tough conversations and tips on self-care.

Our panel of extraordinary local leaders constantly champion mental health and other support services across Gippsland. They included Jane Barr from the Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault, Sam Marino from The Orange Door, and Joanne Verrill, a Clinical Social Worker with the panel facilitated by Maree McPherson OAM. Their insight into local services, knowledge of community support and self-care was invaluable.

Our panellists touched on some deep truths:

"Silence is powerful." Sometimes the best support you can give is simply being present without needing words. As Leanne said, be comfortable "sitting in the mud" with those who are struggling.
Community Support Matters: Joanne reminded us that mental health isn’t just about agency support; it’s about the whole community coming together.
Giving Grace: We all need to extend the same grace to others as we want for ourselves. As Jane wisely said, “How would we want to be treated?”
Collaboration Over Scarcity: Sam highlighted the importance of collaboration in a world where mental health services are often limited. Working together is key to creating solutions.

While these are tough conversations, we here at Gippsland Women in Business believe it's vital and will continue to hold events such as these in a safe space for all. And we certainly can not do it without the ongoing support of you - our incredible GWIB community 🫶🏼

A final thank you to our event partner, Lifeline Gippsland, and event sponsors Alan Wilson Insurance Brokers and Telstra, whose support was integral to this event's success.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to these vital resources: