How we take action to support our mental health - Mental Health Awareness Week 2026

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme this year is Taking Action. I asked our counsellors to share how they take action to support their mental health. Here are their responses, and mine!

Gill Wier: "I go for a walk every day and find it especially helpful to walk along Rivelin Valley. I find the sound of the river soothing and enjoy spotting birds. Being close to nature helps me feel calmer and more grounded.”

Laura Hickman: “One of the biggest things I do for my mental health is prioritise my physical health. Going for a run helps me reconnect with myself - it’s movement, structure, and a kind of forced meditation that allows me to switch off”

Rebecca Goodwin: “I often drive out to a nice view, grab a pastry and a coffee on the way and read my book or watch a podcast in peace.”

Alistair Thain: “There's a few different things that help me manage my mental health. I love being in the outdoors, I like to remind people that we are after all animals and our natural environment isn't indoors. However, I also love losing myself in other worlds, be that a book, movie or video games. Sometimes escapism does wonders for my mind.”

Gillian Trueman: “I am 45 this year and decided to take charge of my health physical and mental.  I have taken action this year to support my mental health through my diet and now try and make all my meals from scratch to reduce inflammation. I have given up refined sugar for nearly 2 months now. I have started a running group to build a social circle after moving here. I also have started park run and go to the gym.”

Nicola Harpin: “Where should I start?! As a menopausal woman I feel my mental health fuels the whole of the rest of my life. I carve out time for yoga and mindfulness everyday and see them as being as important as brushing my teeth!”

Keeley Mountford: “I think one of my favourite concepts I’ve learnt in the last year is ‘Hormetic Stress’. The idea is to build small, physical stressors into your life to help your nervous system learn to recognise and handle ‘real’ danger (not the idea that the Costa barista doesn’t like me!). What I use is cold plunges and cold showers on a regular basis.”

Elly Sinclair: “A big yes to exercise, cold showers and nature from me.... but also just putting myself up the list of priorities has been great. Without that ability to put some importance on myself none of the things I know I find helpful get prioritised against the endless cycle of parenting /household labour!”

Dave Ducker: “My happy place is a bench in a garden. I love to soak in the view, let my mind and eye wander until it alights on something which often turns into contemplation.”

Judith Caul: “My early-morning dog walk is crucial for my mental wellbeing. Getting out into nature whilst exercising... usually combined with some litter picking!”

Pat Jones: “I have a good couple of undisturbed hours to myself for a quiet time, read and to catch up with a few minor things early hours of the morning because I'm unable to sleep beyond a certain time anyway. It was an accidental discovery but has become an intentional choice.”

Sarah Saatzer: “My meditation has always been my top priority too and has really sustained me throughout my adult life. Recently getting out on the garden first thing after meditation with my hot matcha latte has felt great for my mental health. I enjoy it so much!”

Laurence Keith: “I go to yin yoga most Mondays, play football most Tuesdays, which both help in getting me into my body, obviously in different ways. I'm a big fan of sitting down for a read but not really reading and letting my mind wander, the book being more of a container than the main point!”

Heather Schofield: "I make sure I'm 'filling my cup' with reflection, nourishment, connection, alone time, creation, nature, movement and rest."

When it comes to supporting our mental health, small actions can make a big difference, especially when they are built into our daily routine and repeated over time. Is there something from the ideas we have shared that you would like to try?