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Time to Talk Day

Posted on 3 February 2020

Talking about your feelings can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times when you feel troubled. Thursday 6 February is Time to Talk Day.

Choose talk, change lives #TimeToTalk

Time to Talk day was established by Time for Change to encourage everyone to be more open about mental health - to talk, to listen, to change lives.

Talking can be a way to cope with a problem you’ve been carrying around in your head for a while. Just being listened to can help you feel supported and less alone. And it works both ways. If you open up, it might encourage others to do the same.

Top tips for having a conversation

1. You don't have to be an expert
You don't need all the answers. Just being there means a lot.

2. Keep it simple
Small actions can make a big difference. Chat over a cuppa, take a walk, or send a text.

3. Don't try and fix it
Resist the urge to offer quick fixes. Often just listening is enough.

4. Ask questions and listen
Asking questions shows that you care and want to know how someone's really doing.

Help and support

The University can help if you need to talk to someone. You can find all the contacts you need on our staff support pages.

Health Assured, the university's employee assistance provider, are available for staff to contact 24 hours a day on a free confidential helpline 0800 030 5182. They have written an article with more information about the campaign.

University staff can also access the Mental Health First Contact Network, a network of trained staff who are a first point of contact for colleagues experiencing emotional or psychological distress.

Remember – you don’t have to be in crisis to talk to someone about your mental health.