The theme for this year’s Queensland Mental Health Week is take time for mental health. Here are five options for taking time for mental health, which cover taking time for yourself, your loved ones and the community.

1. Get expert advice in our free mental wellbeing program

Our number one option supports you to self-care. EMERALD is an evidence-driven program for adults who have recently started feeling ‘not quite themselves’. If your mental wellbeing has recently dipped, our expert practitioners can teach you strategies to regain your wellbeing, and nurture it for life. The eight-week program offers personalised one-on-one coaching and online learning modules backed by science. It is offered by USC’s Thompson Institute – the home of The Alliance for Suicide Prevention – Sunshine Coast.

2. Book free suicide-alertness training

Learn the often-subtle signs that a person might be at risk of suicide and how to connect them to help. We offer LivingWorks suicide alertness training free to the Sunshine Coast community as a part of our efforts to create a suicide-safer Sunshine Coast. There are two free options:

If you’d like something more in-depth, we offer offer two-day ASIST suicide intervention training. It’s not free but we do heavily subsidise it for Sunshine Coast residents.

3. Get researcher insights into COVID-19 and mental health

USC mental health experts will share their latest research on staying well during COVID-19 in a free online seminar. Our colleague, Professor of Youth Mental Health and Neurobiology Daniel Hermens, will feature in this community-friendly event.

WHEN: 6-7pm 15 October
FORMAT: Online seminar
REGISTER: www.usc.edu.au/research-unmasked

4. Visit us at a Mental Health Week event

Visit us at the Hip to C-Square event organised by Community Mental Health Nambour and STEPS (who are members of the Alliance). There will be arts, crafts, live music, cooking demonstrations and hampers. There will also be information stalls like ours.

WHERE: Centenary Square ground floor, 52-64 Currie Street Nambour
WHEN: 10am – 1pm, Wednesday 14 October

5. Participate in our community wellbeing survey

How are you doing? We’re taking the pulse of the wellbeing of the Sunshine Coast in a survey that will be launched during Queensland Mental Health Week. Learn more and take part.