Our Mental Health Stories: Standing Up Against Stigma

16/05/2022
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“Our Mental Health Stories: Speaking Up Against Stigma”, is the first event of its kind featuring 10+ story-sharing sessions with Mind HK ambassadors. Hosted by Mind HK and MINDSET Hong Kong and sponsored by Jardine Matheson Group, in honour of their antistigma campaign “More Than a Label”, the event will feature a series of personal stories on stigma and mental health from Mind HK’s very own ambassadors.

Lived experience stories of stigma, conversations with loved ones on having experienced a mental health challenge together, what it’s like to be living in recovery from depression, anxiety and an eating disorder, managing a mental health diagnosis as a neurodivergent person, and many more topics surrounding mental health, will be covered through the sessions!

We hope to use these stories and conversations to showcase, encourage and empower more conversations and actions around mental health.

The event will be free to the public, and participants can choose to sign up for any or all events they are interested in.

 

//Event details//

Date: 25 May, 2022(Wednesday)
Time: 11 AM – 8 PM
Language: English and Cantonese
Cost:  Free

Event link: https://bit.ly/mtal-our-mental-health-stories

 

Questions? Email [email protected] to contact the team.

 

 About ‘More Than a Label’

“More than a Label” is Mind HK campaign in partnership with MINDSET Hong Kong, which stems from its goal of changing and influencing the public’s perception towards persons with diagnosable mental health conditions. Funded by Jardines Matheson, this campaign encourages the public to look beyond the typical, stigmatising, labels associated with mental health diagnoses. Through personal stories of mental health journeys, we want to showcase realistic portrayals of people who have faced mental health problems and recovered and depict their holistic identity.

What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

Our Mental Health Stories: Standing Up Against Stigma

“Our Mental Health Stories: Speaking Up Against Stigma”, is the first event of its kind featuring 10+ story-sharing sessions with Mind HK ambassadors. Hosted by Mind HK and MINDSET Hong Kong and sponsored by Jardine Matheson Group, in honour of their antistigma campaign “More Than a Label”, the event will feature a series of personal stories on stigma and mental health from Mind HK’s very own ambassadors.

Lived experience stories of stigma, conversations with loved ones on having experienced a mental health challenge together, what it's like to be living in recovery from depression, anxiety and an eating disorder, managing a mental health diagnosis as a neurodivergent person, and many more topics surrounding mental health, will be covered through the sessions!

We hope to use these stories and conversations to showcase, encourage and empower more conversations and actions around mental health.

The event will be free to the public, and participants can choose to sign up for any or all events they are interested in.

 

//Event details//

Date: 25 May, 2022(Wednesday)
Time: 11 AM - 8 PM
Language: English and Cantonese
Cost:  Free

Event link: https://bit.ly/mtal-our-mental-health-stories

 

Questions? Email [email protected] to contact the team.

 

 About ‘More Than a Label’

“More than a Label” is Mind HK campaign in partnership with MINDSET Hong Kong, which stems from its goal of changing and influencing the public’s perception towards persons with diagnosable mental health conditions. Funded by Jardines Matheson, this campaign encourages the public to look beyond the typical, stigmatising, labels associated with mental health diagnoses. Through personal stories of mental health journeys, we want to showcase realistic portrayals of people who have faced mental health problems and recovered and depict their holistic identity.