Starting Conversations R U OK? Conversation Convoy Visits Hinchinbrook

R U OK?’s Conversation Convoy is coming to the Hinchinbrook region, aimed at raising awareness for suicide prevention and offering an opportunity for the community to come together, learn, and show support. The R U OK convoy will be at the Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre Afternoon Tea in Rotary Park on April 9th from 3:30 pm - 5:30pm.

The event offers a chance for individuals to learn, engage, and ask questions in a relaxed setting. Families, friends, and colleagues are encouraged to attend, whether to learn how to support others or to seek help themselves.

The R U OK? Convoy is part of a nationwide initiative to equip regional Australians with the knowledge and tools to start vital conversations around mental health. It’s not always easy to keep the conversation going when someone says they’re not OK, but doing so could change a life.

Mental health is important and Provisional Psychologist Aaron Christopher from Optimise Health and Wellness said it’s important for a number of reasons.

“If we have positive mental health, it allows us to view the world in a better way, allows us to be our best selves, and appreciate the world around us,” he said.

“If we fall into poor mental health. Those negatives start to stick a bit more, the world becomes a bit darker, and our options seem a bit more bleak. So, being able to have those conversations to improve our mental health allows us to be more open to the more positive aspects of the world.

“Having those initial conversations are ridiculously important, because sometimes we just need to be able to talk to someone and just feel heard.”

Aaron and his wife Kara, who is director of Optimise Health and Wellness, recently worked at the Recovery Centre and Aaron said 90% of people there just wanted to share their story and, by talking, people were able to lift that burden.

Aaron said being able to talk to someone is one of the key benefits of improving mental health.

“When we are in our own head, it spirals, and that becomes what we obsess about, we have the conversations inside ourselves," said Aaron.

“When we are in a negative head space, and it builds on itself like compounds. When you talk to someone else and feel heard, that connection allows you to feel like you're not alone. Being heard and hearing someone empathise validates your feelings.

“Lifting that burden allows you to be more open and expand those thoughts. So once that burden is gone, you stop thinking about those negatives, you stop ruminating, and you are then more open to other thoughts and more positive things.

“You’re able to be more appreciative and have that gratuity for the world and that gratefulness is now more apparent.”

Bring along your loved ones or just yourself, enjoy some chat and come together to support the message of hope and help in a safe space.

WHAT: R U OK? Conversation Convoy
WHERE: Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre Afternoon Tea
WHEN: Wednesday 9th April 3:30 pm - 5:30pm