GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)- Tuesday, Oct. 10, is World Mental Health Day. The overall objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.
eightWest talked with Christy Buck from the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan. She says their focus today is resilience. She says this is one day to bring awareness but think about these aspects of your life and see where and how you can make changes to nurture your mental health year-round.
5 ways to empower resilience:
– Practice optimistic thinking
– Practice gratitude
– Volunteer
– Live with purpose
– Strengthen social connections
Buck and her team at the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan created a four-step action plan called be nice. Their team says when used effectively, the be nice. action plan – to notice, invite, challenge and empower – encourages individuals to challenge themselves and others to get professional help with their notice changes or concerns.
They have several tools to help, including a crisis text line. You can text “nice” to 741741 and talk to a trained counselor who is waiting to listen. If you or a loved one is thinking of harming themselves, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
In May, eightWest talked with workers and company leaders at Weller Truck Parts after they joined forces with the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan. Their goal is to take mental health out of the shadows and place it front and center at their facility. As a result, the company made sweeping changes to its work culture and even hired a chaplain to be a part of the Weller team. We got the chance to visit Weller Truck Parts to learn how their partnership with the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan helped transform their workplace and how employees have embraced those changes too! You can can see that story here.
