About Healthy Mind
Healthy Mind is an online Easy Read tool developed by the Black Dog Institute to help people with Intellectual Disability (ID) recognise and regulate their thoughts and feelings and learn to have a happier and healthier life.
The initiative has been built on adapted psychological strategies used by doctors and psychologists, with input from people with lived experience and a wide range of health professionals. Following a successful feasibility trial, this program is now widely available for implementation.
Healthy Mind is unique in what it delivers, as it includes:
- An Easy English translation supported with images
- An audio function for all content
- Simple step by step guides, short videos and fun activities
- A design that aligns with the unique learning needs of its users
Enabled on desktop and tablet , free to use and accessible 24/7 without the need to register, the Healthy Mind step by step approach:
- Gives you practical strategies to help the ones you care for and about
- Facilitates a conversation about mental health in a safe way
- Provides support when face-to-face therapy is not available or accessible
- Can be used in conjunction with face-to-face therapy providing a supplementary level of support
There are five online learning modules to choose from:
- Breathe and relax – a series of short videos on how to breathe deeply and relax your body
- Tackling unhelpful thinking – a series of short activities to recognise unhelpful thought patterns
- Having more fun – an activity planner to schedule more enjoyable activities into your week
- Taming anger – a series of short videos and activities on how to recognise and regulate anger
- Recognising feelings – a series of short videos and activities to help understand your emotions
Who is Healthy Mind for?
Healthy Mind is aimed at adults with a mild to borderline ID.
Is there a cost to use Healthy Mind?
No, there is no cost to use Healthy Mind.
How to access Healthy Mind?
Healthy Mind can be accessed online at https://www.healthymind.org.au/#.
What is the evidence?
Healthy Mind was developed by the Black Dog Institute, Australia’s only mental health research organisation that works across all ages and abilities. Driven by science, compassion and action, BDI transform research and knowledge into accessible, practical programs and services to help change and save lives.
The concept of an accessible e-learning mental health tool for people with mild to borderline ID was evaluated for feasibility, accessibility and acceptability throughout 2018 with input from people with ID, carers, support workers, allied health professionals, and mental health clinicians (1). The study can be found here.
(1) Watfern, C., Heck, C., Rule, C., Baldwin, P.,& Boydell, K.M. (2019). Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mental Health Website for Adults With an Intellectual Disability: Qualitative Evaluation. JMIR Ment Health, 6(3), DOI: 10.2196/12958.
