Everymind is an Australian not-for-profit Institute focused on the promotion of mental health and wellbeing, the prevention of mental ill-health and the prevention of suicide. For 30 years the Everymind Institute has been changing lives through the delivery of world-leading prevention programs and research from their base in Newcastle, NSW.
The Minds Together Program
Minds Together is a new self-paced and interactive program from Everymind that helps family and friends build the skills, knowledge and confidence to support a loved one, and look after themselves.
The program is comprised of two arms:
- Supporting the family and friends of someone who has attempted suicide, and
- Supporting the family and friends of Australia’s paramedics.
Support for family and friends of someone who has attempted suicide
Family and friends play an important role in caring for the estimated 65,000 Australians who attempt suicide each year. This support role is often fulfilling but it can also be challenging.
“Australians in this position may be feeling overwhelmed, worried or unsure of what they should say to their family member or friend. These feelings may be increased during recent events like COVID-19, natural disasters, financial stress or the holiday period.”
Everymind Program Manager and Clinical Psychologist, Dr Sally Fitzpatrick.
Everymind has launched Minds Together, a free online program to help family and friends supporting someone who has attempted suicide. Minds Together features practical tips from suicide prevention experts to help family and friends talk about suicide, respond to stigma and navigate complicated feelings. It also features personal stories from fellow Australians who have supported people who have attempted suicide.
This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health National Suicide Prevention Research Fund and is managed by Suicide Prevention Australia.
Find out more about the program at https://everymind.org.au/programs/families-and-caregivers-programs/minds-together/family-and-friends-supporting-someone-who-has-attempted-suicide
Support for the family and friends supporting the mental health of Australia’s paramedics
Paramedics play an essential and irreplaceable role in our community and are regularly ranked as one of the most trusted professions in Australia. But due to the high stress work with exposure to trauma, long and shifting work hours and low rates of help-seeking – they are nearly twice as likely as the general population to experience mental ill-health. Most of the practical, and emotional support for Australia’s 21,000 registered paramedics is provided by family and friends.
“These unique challenges faced by paramedics mean that they experience higher levels of psychological distress, trauma, PTSD and suicidal behaviour, and they generally turn to family and friends as their primary support. Family and friends of course want to help by may feel overwhelmed, worried or unsure of what they should say or do.”
Everymind Program Manager and Clinical Psychologist, Dr Sally Fitzpatrick
To help support family and friends of paramedics Everymind has developed a new, free online program and is currently seeking participants to help test it.
The online program is self-paced and interactive and helps build the skills, knowledge and confidence of participants to support their family and friends and look after themselves. It provides practical ways to find out more about mental ill-health and suicidal distress, strengthen coping, communication skills and relationships, reduce stress and worry and connect with other people supporting a family member or friend.
The program is funded by Movember (through the Veterans and First Responders Mental Health Grant Program, provided through collaboration between Movember and The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride).
Find out more about the program at https://everymind.org.au/programs/families-and-caregivers-programs/minds-together/family-and-friends-supporting-the-mental-health-of-paramedics
Get involved
Family and friends can take part in the research trial of the new online program by visiting mindstogether.org.au
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