“When someone asks you how you are, instead of the trite answer ‘fine how are you?’…stop, pause and reflect on how you are really.” – David Paterson, Pastoral Care, Northern Health.

Conversations on Mental Wellness continues tomorrow on R U OK DAY, with Dr Eric Levi speaking at NCHER at 8 am.

“This time the spotlight is turned on us, the Medical Community, on how we care for each other. Our patients deserve to be cared for by mentally and physically healthy clinicians, working in safe workplaces,” says Dr Levi.

In the afternoon at 2 pm at the same venue, Sonia Gangi speaks along with Jo Gibbs.

Sonia, a Registered Nurse and volunteer speaker for beyondblue, will share her personal experience of anxiety and encourage others to open up the conversation about mental health conditions in their workplace, and with family and friendship groups.

Sonia believes that creating a mentally healthy workplace is everyone’s responsibility.

“It starts with individuals building a positive culture where everyone feels supported and able to do their best work,” she said.

Jo has a lifelong career in healthcare and developed Treat, a mindfulness based self- care and recovery program for health care professionals that has successfully run at Alfred Health.

Jo will address the question, “how can healthcare professionals rebound and recover from stressors so that they don’t burn out or leave the profession they are committed to?”

Conversations on Mental Wellness is an important initiative to promote wellbeing, address mental health concerns and protect the mental health of Northern Health staff.

As Will Halpin, Director Occupational Health and Safety, said at the opening session, “it’s easy to forget in the caring profession, we sometimes need to take care of ourselves.”