When Someone's Struggling - A Manager's Guide to Supportive Mental Health Conversations

You don't need to be a mental health expert to have a conversation that helps.

We're more aware than ever of the importance of mental health in our lives and our working worlds. We're talking more openly about anxiety, stress, burnout and the things that affect our wellbeing, and that's a really positive change.

But what does that mean if you're the manager or leader someone chooses to talk to?

For many managers, this is where things can start to feel a little less comfortable. What should I ask? What if I say the wrong thing? How much do I need to know? What if there's nothing I can actually do to fix the problem?

If any of that sounds familiar, you're most definitely not alone.

When Someone's Struggling

Is a practical two-hour workshop designed to take some of the fear and uncertainty out of mental health conversations at work. We'll spend a little time building essential awareness and understanding, before concentrating on the simple human skills that can make a surprisingly big difference when someone needs our support.

Drawing on her many years of experience as a counsellor, coach and facilitator, Cami Rose will help you explore:

Mental health – what it is, who has it and why it matters.

Common terms and what they mean.

How to notice when someone may be struggling and make room for a conversation.

Asking meaningful questions and listening to understand.

How to be helpful when there's nothing you can 'fix'.

Knowing your boundaries and what happens next.

The aim is simple: to help these conversations feel a little less scary and leave you with practical skills you can use straight away.

A little bit about how we'll work

This is an interactive workshop and we'll encourage you to have your camera on and join the conversation where you feel comfortable. We'll spend time together as a whole group and may also use smaller breakout conversations, so you'll need access to a microphone.

We also know that we're talking about something personal and potentially sensitive. We won't call on you without your permission and you won't be expected to speak or share anything you'd rather keep private.

Our job is to create a warm, relaxed space where you can learn, ask questions and think things through without worrying about getting it wrong.

After all, that's rather the point of the workshop.