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Karys, a trainer for The Mental Health Toolkit, explains techiniques and toolks to regain focus, harness our attention resource, and create space for our interests. Karys has autism, has previously worked as a head teacher, and now works with workplaces through training, and, as a pschotherapist.

What does attention mean for our wellbeing?

Have you ever been told you need to focus more, or that you concentrate too much on one thing? Perhaps you find it hard to begin a task or uncomfortable to stop something you are enjoying.

Attention is one of our emotional needs. It helps us feel connected to others and acts as a resource we use to meet other needs. We direct it towards people, learning, tasks or even memories and future plans.

When we feel in control of our attention we gain a sense of achievement from completing work and managing the pace of modern life.

Neurodivergent people, including those who are autistic or have ADHD, may experience attention differently. I am autistic, and I sometimes find my attention locks onto a task, detail or topic. I can spend hours on a special interest or researching a work theme without realising how much time has passed. A friend with ADHD finds their attention can scatter in unexpected directions. They may feel unable to start what looks like a simple task, such as making a cup of tea.

What can help us manage our attention?

First, we can support our nervous system.

How can breathing and movement help?

7/11 breathing is a useful way to regulate the fight or flight response. Neurodivergent people often manage significant sensory input or navigate unclear social expectations, which can affect calmness and the ability to focus. I used to dismiss breathing techniques because they sounded too simple for complex problems. Once I realised they helped my brain and body feel calmer, I became a convert. A couple of minutes of 7/11 breathing before a task or busy environment helps me feel more in control of where I place my attention.

Add movement

People with ADHD may find 7/11 breathing combined with short bursts of movement helpful when they feel stuck or frozen during a task. Activities involving the hands, such as tapping or knitting, can provide a useful reset.

Find something that supports you to feel calm

Tools such as muscle tension relaxation or mindful movement, including yoga, tai chi or qi gong, can support those who struggle with sitting still. For some, martial arts provide structured movement that supports a calmer state and builds attention skills.

How can we reduce our cognitive load?

Many day-to-day tasks are effortless for neurotypical people because their executive functioning works differently. Reducing the load on working memory can make tasks easier.

Visual prompts can be very effective. A colleague or friend could help create prompts for daily tasks, placed in locations you use regularly. They remove the need to hold steps in your head. I use a whiteboard to timetable my day so I rely less on active memory. Others prefer apps or diaries and may vary the time of day they complete tasks for extra stimulation.

Labelling cupboards and drawers or keeping key items in view can reduce working-memory demands. This also helps people feel organised and in control.

How can timers and alarms support focus?

Timers and alarms can help with starting and stopping tasks. If you know you may become locked into a task, alarms can signal when to step back, eat, rest or switch activity. If stopping abruptly is uncomfortable, a countdown can help you transition gradually out of a focused state.

The Pomodoro techinique for example breaks tasks down to 25 minute blocks with breaks between.

Why do we need to rest our attention?

Everyone needs daily privacy to problem solve, reflect or simply recover from stimulation. This rest replenishes our attention.

Some people benefit from short cycles of focus and rest, such as 25 minutes of attention followed by a five-minute break. Others may not notice they have exhausted their attention until they pause and feel suddenly tired. Timers can help prompt breaks before this happens.

Whether you walk, listen to calming music, enjoy a sensory activity or practise 7/11 breathing, resting your attention allows you to return to work and relationships with more energy.

How can we build these habits over time?

Learning what works best takes practice. Neurodivergent brains often need more time to establish new patterns, so patience is essential. Good days and less good days are normal, yet each provides insight into how we function best.

Asking for help is also part of healthy attention. Humans are social, and trusted colleagues, friends or mentors can help us explore strategies that support our focus.

How can employers support neurodivergent attention at work?

Employers can explore how each employee’s attention resource works best for them. Productivity and creativity increase when people are supported to focus in ways that meet their needs.

Supporting physical and emotional needs benefits everyone, not only neurodivergent employees. You may want to explore resources such as Suffolk Mind’s Mental Health Toolkit to help create an inclusive environment.

Modelling a positive attitude to neurodiversity and offering reasonable adjustments helps meet people’s needs for security and control. In return, you gain a committed and innovative workforce. You may also discover new ways to support your own wellbeing.

How can friends and family offer support?

It can be difficult to watch loved ones navigate daily life, and neurodivergent experiences can be challenging. Supporting your own needs will help you feel more able to support others.

Recognising different attention styles is key. You might help someone build timetables, set up visual reminders or create spaces for privacy or sensory comfort. Joining in with a special interest can also be a meaningful way to exchange attention and strengthen connection.

Understanding that each of us has different needs around attention can relieve the pressure to fix things. Often the most supportive action is to accept someone as they are and explore together the ways each of you can meet your needs.

What next? If your workplace hasn’t had The Essentials workshop from The Mental Health Toolkit yet, it’s a great place to start. We explore the Emotional Needs and Resources approach, stress, sleep, trauma, depression and anxiety. If you want to dive a bit deeper into stress reduction and management, our Stress Management workshop could be right for you.

Are your employees’ emotional needs being met for better mental health?

Just like all living things, human beings require certain essentials to thrive.Beyond physical needs, emotional needs play a crucial role in wellbeing, resilience, and overall performance—both personally and professionally.

The Human Givens Institute, an international psychotherapy organisation (www.hgi.org.uk), identifies nine emotional needs that all people share. Ensuring these needs are met in balance supports both mental and physical wellbeing, which in turn influences engagement, productivity, and workplace culture.

Nine emotional needs for mental health

These emotional needs are: security, control, attention, status, community, privacy, emotional connection, achievement, and meaning & purpose. In future posts, we’ll explore some of these in more depth, but here’s a brief overview and how they relate to professional life.

Mental health survey

If you want to explore which emotional needs you’re meeting, or not, take our short anonymous survey to find out. Emotional Needs Survey.

Security

Security isn’t about eliminating all risk—life and business always involve some level of uncertainty. It’s about ensuring employees feel safe in enough areas—physical, emotional, financial, and in the workplace—to operate confidently and take calculated risks that drive growth and innovation.

Control

Control isn’t about micromanaging every detail; it’s about providing employees with choice and autonomy where it matters. When people can influence their work while knowing what is beyond their control, stress decreases, and engagement rises.

Attention

Attention is about recognition and being genuinely heard. Employees who receive consistent, non-judgemental feedback and acknowledgment feel valued and supported. Without it, people may settle for negative attention or disengage, impacting morale and performance.

Status

Status is about respect and appreciation rather than hierarchy. Celebrating contributions, recognising effort, and showing respect for employees’ skills and ideas strengthens engagement and loyalty.

Community

Belonging matters. Healthy workplace communities encourage collaboration, innovation, and employee satisfaction. Encouraging employees to connect across teams, departments, or interest groups helps meet this need while reducing reliance on less supportive networks.

Privacy

Privacy is essential for reflection, focus, and mental recharge. Employees need space—quiet moments, flexible schedules, or the ability to step back from constant demands—to think, process, and maintain wellbeing.

Emotional connection

Emotional connection is about trusted relationships at work—mentors, managers, or peers with whom employees can share challenges openly. Even one or two authentic connections can significantly improve workplace engagement and loyalty.

Achievement

Achievement fuels motivation. People need opportunities to progress, develop new skills, and experience measurable wins. These don’t have to be monumental; even small, consistent successes contribute to engagement and satisfaction.

Meaning and purpose

Meaning and purpose come from understanding why work matters. Employees who see the impact of their efforts—whether in their team, organisation, or community—feel more fulfilled, motivated, and resilient.

Our mental health doesn’t need to be perfect

It’s not about meeting every need perfectly. Excess or neglect of any need can be counterproductive. These needs overlap, and the balance shifts as circumstances change.

When needs are unmet, employees may experience stress, disengagement, or conflict, which can further disrupt performance. Recognising and addressing these needs is the first step toward building a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and capable of thriving.

Take a moment to reflect: how well are your teams’ emotional needs being met? Even small interventions—feedback, recognition, or opportunities for connection—can create meaningful improvements in engagement, wellbeing, and overall business performance.

Did you know that we offer interactive, friendly training courses about mentl health and wellbeing?

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What shows like Traitors can teach us about Emotional Needs and listening skills

Warning – spoilers ahead (up to episode 4, season 3)

High-stakes reality shows thrive on twists, deception and sudden shifts in loyalty. Viewers gasp, alliances crumble, and trust evaporates in seconds. But beyond the entertainment, these betrayals reflect deeper human themes: unmet emotional needs, suspicion, and the longing to feel heard and understood.

At Suffolk Mind, we believe these reactions are not just dramatic plot points, they’re rooted in universal emotional needs. And with skills such as reflective listening, active listening, and sensitivity to body language, we can better understand others, reduce conflict and rebuild trust — on-screen or in real life.

Traitors. Reality TV or real psychology?

Programmes like The Celebrity Traitors UK — featuring names like Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr, Cat Burns and Clare Balding — may appear to be just glitzy entertainment. But look closer and you’ll see emotional dynamics at play.

From teamwork to accusation, from laughter to suspicion and side-eye looks, every interaction reveals which emotional needs are being met… and which are not.

Want to find out which needs you are meeting well or not? Take our short survey to find out.

Emotional Needs & Resources: A lens for Faithfuls and Traitors

Our Emotional Needs & Resources framework includes 12 core needs and 9 innate resources we’re all born with and need to meet to stay mentally well.

Here’s how they show up in the castle setting:

• Emotional Connection: The need to feel accepted “warts and all.” Once Traitors are chosen, that foundational trust evaporates. Even close friends hesitate. (Sorry, Paloma.)
• Value, Meaning and Purpose: Everyone has a role to play. Whether Faithful or Traitor, everyone wants to contribute. Challenges offer recognition; winning for charity offers purpose even for those playing the villain.
• Community Spirit: Group challenges and Roundtables meet the need for belonging, even if alliances are uneasy.
• Security & Control: Completely absent. Who can be trusted? Will you be “banished” by breakfast?

Reflective & Active Listening — could they catch the Traitors sooner?

We watch deception unfold in plain sight and yet so often the Faithful miss glaring clues. Why?

Because listening isn’t just hearing words, it’s noticing how they’re said.

• Reflective Listening. Paraphrasing (“So what you’re saying is…”) helps ensure clarity and makes others feel heard. It prevents misinterpretation, something multiple contestants could benefit from. Ask clarifying questions to aid understanding and help someone feel heard (“Can I check I’ve understood you here…”)
• Active Listening. Being fully present rather than mentally preparing the next argument. It requires slowing down and listening to understand, not to respond.

How does the body language of the Traitors and Faithful communicate without words?

In tense Roundtable discussions, what isn’t said is often more revealing:

When applied beyond entertainment, such as in teams, families or leadership settings, noticing these cues allows us to respond with empathy instead of accusation.

From breakdown to repair

In the show, a moment of hesitation can spark suspicion. But in reality, a pause, rather than a reaction, can create space to re-establish trust.

This is where our Observing Self resource becomes powerful. By stepping back from our emotions, we gain clarity and can respond, not react.

Final thought and what to do next

TV betrayals may be staged but the emotions they trigger are very real. They mirror everyday dynamics at work, at home, and within communities.

By applying tools like reflective listening, active listening and body language awareness, grounded in our Emotional Needs & Resources approach, we don’t just decode drama. We build bridges, restore trust, and meet the needs that often go unseen.

👉 Want to strengthen your communication or leadership skills? Explore our practical workshops here.

👉 Talk to one of our friendly team about the courses we offer, and how we can support you. Email hello@thementalhealthtoolkit.co.uk

In today’s high-pressure work environments, mental health is no longer a bonus benefit or nice-to-have, it’s a business priority.

According to the 2024 Deloitte’s ‘Mental health and employers’ report (page 23), the average return on investment (ROI) for workplace mental health initiatives is £4.70 for every £1 invested. For businesses aiming to improve employee wellbeing, reduce absenteeism, and build high-performing teams, this figure is not just encouraging, it’s powerful.

Mental health training: a proven return

At The Mental Health Toolkit, we offer a suite of mental health training solutions tailored to your organisational needs. Whether you’re looking to introduce long-term culture change or provide targeted support, there’s strong evidence to support your investment:

Culture Change programmes

For those seeking transformative, organisation-wide impact, our Summit Package delivers. Universal early interventions like culture change and mental health awareness campaigns can yield the highest average ROI at £6.30 for every £1 spent, according to Deloitte. These programmes shift attitudes and behaviours across your entire workforce, forming the groundwork for sustainable wellbeing.

Targeted one-to-one interventions

If your business requires more focused support, options like one-to-one coaching or enhanced EAP strategies are highly effective. These interventions line up with Deloitte’s analysis showing that tailored support for individuals can result in an ROI of £5.90 for every £1 invested. Early intervention and targeted help can stop small issues from becoming long-term problems. We are working with a number of businesses to offer counselling sessions to their staff members, as part of an EAP, through Suffolk Mind’s outstanding counselling service.

Workshops and line manager training

For a practical, scalable approach to training, courses like The Essentials and Supporting Mental Health provide cost-effective solutions. Deloitte’s report confirms that training and upskilling employees, particularly managers, delivers an average ROI of 5.0:1. This makes it a reliable starting point for businesses of all sizes.

Quick wins are still wins

All staff presentations, like the Introduction to The Mental Health Toolkit, and short workshops like Sleep Well, Work Well and Keeping Calm are brilliant places to start your workplace wellbeing journey with us. Budget and time friendly, these workshops are full of lightbulb moments and useful insights and skills.

To explore the full range of ROI-backed training options, visit The Mental Health Toolkit. Now is the time to turn wellbeing into a measurable business advantage.

Our new e-learning platform has been officially launched to help make mental health training more accessible for businesses.

The E-Toolkit was unveiled to guests at a business breakfast at Uniserve Group in Felixstowe on Thursday 6 June.

The online learning platform is designed to offer business employees easier access to training

Jon Neal, CEO of Suffolk Mind, said: “This unique platform has been in development for several years and is full of useful information to help employers and employees better understand their mental health and wellbeing.

“Through the E-Toolkit we want to make mental health education more accessible, meaning people can dip in and out without the time pressures of a more traditional course.

“In particular, we know businesses with teams working shift patterns find that time is the main barrier to staff accessing vital mental health training.

“A huge thank you goes to the teams at both the University of Suffolk and the University of Essex, alongside our partners at StrategiQ for making this possible.”

Training offered through the E-Toolkit includes an introduction to the Emotional Needs & Resources approach, as well as the Mental Health Continuum, split over 15 bite-sized modules.

Those cover the causes of stress, the warning signs to look out for and tools which empower people to better support themselves and those around them.

Each module includes videos, animations and articles to support different learning styles

There is also a link to take the Emotional Needs Audit, a survey to help people check in with their wellbeing while supporting Suffolk Mind’s research.

Jon added: “Since launching The Mental Health Toolkit in 2022 we have provided mental health training to businesses across the country – and the introduction of the E-Toolkit will further extend our reach.

“Feedback so far has been fantastic – including a second-place Innovation Prize from national charity, Mind – and we are confident that the E-Toolkit will prove just as  popular as our existing offering.”

Enquire about the E-Toolkit via The Mental Health Toolkit.

We all have 12 physical and emotional needs which must be met for us to stay well, and a set of skills and resources we’re born with to help us meet those needs. We call this understanding the Emotional Needs & Resources approach.

One of those needs is Control. To meet the need for Control, we need to feel that we have some say over our lives and personal choices. A healthy way to meet the need for control is to recognise what we can take personal responsibility for and what we can influence and accept that there are some things which we cannot control.

Jo Flack, Trainer of The Mental Health Toolkit, shares her story and some tips on how to meet your need for Control.

Several years ago, when I was suffering with anxiety, a therapist I was working with referred to me as a ‘control freak’.

Perhaps not the most professional, appropriate or empowering terminology to use but she did have a point. I am very aware that I have a tendency towards needing a high level of control. And I’m not alone – the need for control, to have autonomy and a say over our lives, is a deep-rooted need we all share.

But like all our emotional needs it should be met in balance. That means accepting that there will always be some things that are beyond our control, such as the weather, or time.

I know all too well how we can get into difficulties when we try to control everything. My attempt to control my environment to an unhealthy degree led me to become seriously unwell with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

People affected by OCD experience a combination of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. The obsessive thoughts are fuelled by anxiety and focused on things which might go wrong in the future.

The compulsive behaviours are actions which seek to prevent those things from happening. Sometimes people only experience the obsessive thoughts, which is called Pure ‘O’ OCD.

My experience of OCD began as a reasonably rational dislike of ‘dirty’ things but evolved into a situation where I was attempting to sanitise my entire environment through ritualistic cleaning of myself, my possessions and spaces I inhabited.

Control is one of our 12 needs, part of the Emotional Needs & Resources approach

So, it is crucial to recognise that there are things beyond our control that we need to accept.

We might not like them, but we will not meet our need for control in a healthy way if we do not accept that some things are uncontrollable.

By accepting the things we cannot change and focusing on the things we can have an element of control over, we can help meet our need for control in a healthy balance. For example, although we cannot control the news, we can all do our bit to help control how much news we take in – such as turning off notifications on our phones, or avoiding the bulletins on TV.

For those who find their OCD symptoms worsening, take notice of what you’re thinking, label them as ‘OCD thoughts’ and try your very best to avoid giving in to the urge to control.

Here are some tips that may be helpful to meet our need for control:

• Accept the things you can’t control. This includes other people’s behaviour. It can be challenging to accept that other people’s behaviour is not ours to control, but it helps to remember that behaviour is an attempt to meet needs, whether healthy, or otherwise.
• You are in control of your exposure to media content that might ramp up worry, so you can choose to give your attention elsewhere.
• Some people find getting into a regular routine helps meet the need for control and the need for security. We feel safer when we feel in control of our day-to-day life.

And finally, remind yourself when you need to that it is enough to do the best you can.

Want to learn more?

Find out more about your Emotional Needs & Resources by booking The Essentials – our half-day workshop providing a foundation for mental wellbeing.

This workshop also forms the basis of our next-level courses, Supporting Mental Health and The Comprehensive Toolkit, to equip you with even more skills to support your own wellbeing, and the wellbeing of others.

You can also purchase a pack of our Emotional Needs & Resources cards, to help you check in on your mental health, or together with colleagues, friends or family.

Representatives from 50 local, national and international organisations highlighted their commitment to supporting and improving mental health at our networking event on Tuesday 28 November.

We welcomed more than 70 professionals to our fully booked Business Breakfast at All Saints Hotel in Bury St Edmunds, hosted in partnership with Ellisons Solicitors and Beckett Investment Management Group.

An attendee reading our Quick Tips to help meet Emotional Needs

Together, we shared approaches to creating, practicing, and maintaining good workplace wellbeing – with engagement and insights from a range of sectors, including:

• Recruitment
• Legal
• Financial
• VCSE
• Arts and Entertainment

Jon Neal, CEO of Suffolk Mind – our parent organisation – says: “Supporting our mental health is a crucial part of our lives, and our workplaces can play a big part in that.

“As we spend much of our time working, it’s essential that companies help their teams meet their physical and emotional needs.

“The huge number of attendees across numerous industries shows companies are serious about mental health.”

Julian Outen from Ellisons Solicitors

The morning included guidance from Julian Outen, Partner and Head of Employment at Ellisons Solicitors, on the legal responsibilities around workplace wellbeing. Later, Jon presented our interactive Introduction to The Mental Health Toolkit session, to give attendees a taster of our approach to mental health training.

Ian White, CEO of Beckett’s, chaired the event. He also highlighted how his company has committed to workplace wellbeing through incorporating The Essentials into their induction process.

Ian has previously said of this half-day workshop: “[The Essentials] ensures that everyone begins to understand their own mental health and creates a common language amongst the team.

“I believe it is an important foundation of creating an open culture within the organisation.”

Ian White from Beckett Investment Management Group

Jon adds: “Employers have a duty to ensure their teams are supported, and through our training they can access the skills and knowledge to do just that.

“There are also business benefits to having a team who are meeting their needs. For example, people with good mental health will often be more productive.

“Not only that, but a supportive environment can also lead to improved staff retainment.”

That’s where we come in.

The Mental Health Toolkit provides practical mental health training for organisations and individuals across the UK, helping people to support their wellbeing both at work and at home.

Explore the Toolkit to find out more about the training we offer.

And to keep up to date with our upcoming events, follow us on LinkedIn, or contact our team to sign up to our newsletter.

Wellbeing washing: what is it, and how can your organisation avoid it?

As you skim past article headlines or posts on LinkedIn, you may have seen the phrase ‘wellbeing washing’ and wondered what on earth it means. We might assume the term is promoting the benefits of personal hygiene for mental health, but that’s not the case.

‘Wellbeing washing’ borrows from the term greenwashing, used to describe companies who portray their practices as being kind to the environment, when closer scrutiny reveals that they are anything but.

In the case of wellbeing washing, examples can include leaving fruit bowls in the staff kitchen or offering lunchtime yoga, while doing little to tackle staff stress and burnout from excessive workloads, or demotivation from a lack of work that stretches them.

But employers can also be accused of wellbeing washing when their wellbeing strategies haven’t led to meaningful action, or changed employees’ working lives for the better.

What does AI say?

ChatGPT defined wellbeing washing as a ‘deceptive’ attempt to give the impression that an employer champions wellbeing. However, at time of writing, AI has yet to develop the algorithmic awareness needed to diagnose deliberate deceitfulness.

It can’t tell when it, or other people are lying. So, it’s safe to assume that ChatGPT is only regurgitating human opinions about the motives behind employer’s attempts to support colleague’s mental health and wellbeing.

It’s not that employers don’t care…

Is there a more charitable view? It’s true that our ability to empathise can be compromised when we become stressed, or when our own Emotional Needs are unmet.

With The Mental Health Toolkit, Suffolk Mind began working with CEOs, managing directors and HR professionals to address workplace wellbeing more than 10 years ago, and in that time, it’s been rare for us to meet people in senior roles whose concern and expressions of empathy felt insincere. 

Arguably, employers who care only about profit margins would be unlikely to engage with The Mental Health Toolkit. Our impression is that 99 percent of people care about the mental health of their colleagues and genuinely want them to receive the help they need. So, what else could explain ‘wellbeing washing’?

Burning fires

One explanation is that people are too busy putting out fires to give attention to making effective changes to workplace wellbeing. Perhaps their workforce is still reeling from the effects of lockdown. Or, there may be lots of staff off sick with stress or recovering from personal tragedies.

If an employer is navigating a major change to their business, such as a merger, recruitment challenges, or unavoidable redundancies, they may not have the headspace to really explore the options and develop a clear strategy. And this is where we see another explanation for ‘wellbeing washing’.

Too much choice

The workplace wellbeing market has expanded so rapidly that the choice faced by potential customers is overwhelming. If we’re under pressure to decide on a solution, it’s natural to reach for the first training package with a strong brand and reputation.

Yet, while some training can raise people’s confidence when talking about mental health, this is unlikely to bring about meaningful change. Studies of some of the market leaders in mental health training show that it may make little or no difference to employees who seek support when experiencing mental ill-health from trained colleagues.   

In fact, at The Mental Health Toolkit, we’ve been approached by employers who’ve tried other well-known brands to address workplace wellbeing, but found it did little more than lift people’s spirits for a day or two following the training. They then come to us because they recognise a need for an approach which changes the workplace culture overall.

And once they’ve attended a taster session, they can see that the key to change is an understanding of Emotional Needs, and how we can use our Resources to help meet them.

The workplace tribe 

Management consultant, Peter Drucker, is alleged to have said: ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ But why is this? One reason is that a culture is a shared agreement – often unsaid – about how the members of that culture behave to meet their needs. As social creatures, humans learn to behave in accordance with the rules of the tribe to ensure that their emotional needs for community, attention and respect can be met.

If employees see that exchanging emails after working hours is the norm, they will assume that this is what is expected and do the same. If meetings are scheduled back-to-back and over lunch breaks, people will feel compelled to skip lunch to ensure that they are seen to be obeying the ‘rules’ of the workplace tribe.

The risk is stress, burnout and mental ill-health. And, if the culture is particularly unhealthy, people seek to meet their needs at the expense of others, which can lead to bullying and toxic behaviour.  

Mutual needs satisfaction

So, how can we use this understanding to improve workplace wellbeing? The key is to reach a shared agreement about how people behave to meet their emotional needs. This includes everyone from the shop floor to the boardroom. As Duke University Psychology Professor Michael Tomasello explains, for everyone’s role in the tribe to be appreciated, the ‘we’ must supersede the ‘me.’

To reach this agreement, employees need to understand emotional needs – their own and other people’s.

This is where attending training by The Mental Health Toolkit comes in.

By developing a deep understanding of the relationship between meeting emotional needs, reducing stress, and protecting mental health, a healthy workplace culture begins to take root. People then begin to act with consideration for other people’s emotional needs. This goes beyond a strategy plastered on the office wall or repeated on everyone’s lanyard every day of the week.

No employer wants to be accused of ‘wellbeing washing,’ but there’s a bigger goal besides avoiding unwanted labels. If we’re aiming to create mentally health workplaces, where people thrive and enjoy coming to work, then satisfying the mutual needs of the employer and the employee must become our shared aim.

Explore the Toolkit to find out how our workshops and courses can help your organisation go beyond wellbeing washing and make a real difference.

Written by Ezra Hewing, our Head of Education

Senior Trainer of The Mental Health Toolkit, Penny Tyndale-Hardy looks at managing the menopause, and how to navigate the changes it can bring.

At last, it seems like society is talking about the menopause. High-profile celebrity focus, increased press coverage and storylines in soaps and dramas have put the menopause centre stage.

And let’s get this straight – the menopause affects everyone, directly or indirectly.

50% of the population will experience the menopause themselves, while the other 50% will have friends, family and colleagues affected, so it’s important that we all understand it and can talk about it in a useful way.

What is the menopause?

Like adolescence, the menopause is a natural hormonal transition – in this case caused by the fall in the hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Physical symptoms range from the well-known hot flushes and brain fog to less reported things, such as itching and a decrease in bone density. Psychological symptoms can include anxiety, depression, loss of confidence and loss of libido.

Almost 80% of people experiencing the menopause report that at least one symptom is very difficult [1] and the whole process, from perimenopause (when symptoms begin but periods may still be occurring) to post-menopause (when symptoms end) may last a number of years. 

But, with such a wide array of symptoms (and there are over 35 that have been identified) how do you know whether what you are experiencing is the menopause or something else?

Some menopause symptoms are also symptoms of different medical conditions. So, it is important that when anyone experiences a significant change in physical and/or emotional health that they check with the GP to rule these out.

Equally, not everyone will experience the same symptoms in the same way. The menopause is different for everyone, which can make it difficult to navigate the journey yourself, and equally difficult to support others, even if you have been through it.

And, while the focus on symptoms is important, it’s also vital that we don’t medicalise what is a natural process. The menopause is not an illness, and although there are medical treatments that can help, this is not always the right way for everyone.

Tips for managing the menopause

So, what’s the best way for us to manage our own symptoms, or to support someone else? If we come back to the understanding that we feel healthy and well when we are able to meet our 12 physical and emotional needs in balance, then we can begin to see some different and individual ways of managing the menopause.

For example, the menopause may affect our ability to meet our need for security, if our body is no longer behaving in a predictable way. This will also affect how in control we feel, which can in turn increase our anxiety.

If menopausal symptoms are affecting our sleep, then this has knock-on effects for both our physical and mental health and we may need to change our patterns and habits in order to prioritise our sleep in a different way.

Experiencing brain fog may well affect our sense of achievement and our attention capacity, while others may find that withdrawing from some activities means we’re not meeting the need for community or emotional connection.

When we don’t meet these needs so well, it affects how we respond to other aspects of our lives. Our ‘window of tolerance’ for managing the everyday ups and downs of life may become narrower as we are dealing with the uncertainties and discomforts of the menopausal symptoms as well as everything else. It is important, therefore, to be kind to yourself and find ways to help mind and body relax, such as through breathing techniques or relaxation exercises.

What help is available from The Mental Health Toolkit?

When there is a barrier – such as menopause symptoms – to meeting our needs, we need to look at what we can change so we can meet these needs once more. Because everybody’s symptoms are different, it follows that each person’s solution will also be different.

There’s loads of advice and interventions out there – including different HRT packages, nutritional supplements, exercise programmes, sleep support, relaxation and peer support groups. Getting access to all the options in one place is a great start.

The Mental Health Toolkit has designed a course to raise awareness of how the menopause affects people in your organisation.

Menopause in the Workplace is an interactive one-day course that will help you and your team to:

• Gain a new perspective on the menopause
• Learn practical tools to support colleagues experiencing the menopause
• Learn tips on how to write and implement a supportive menopause policy

Visit our webpage to find out more, or contact our team for more details.

References

[1] Statistics from the report by The Fawcett Society on peri/menopause (4,000 contributors)

At The Mental Health Toolkit, we work with organisations of all shapes and sizes, including other charities and not-for-profit businesses. 

In June 2023, we were invited to Orwell Housing Association’s summer staff conference, as part of their 60^th birthday celebrations.  

Orwell provides homes for more than 7,500 residents across East Anglia, as well as care, housing management, and property services, among others.

No surprise, then, that this was our biggest audience yet, with more than 300 colleagues in attendance at the atmospheric Thorington Theatre.

We joined the team after lunch to present an extended version of our Introduction to The Mental Health Toolkit session, which included:

• A Mental Health Continuum Q&A
• An Emotional Needs challenge
• A 7/11 breathing demonstration, to help colleagues keep calm

Using giant Emotional Needs & Resources cards, and our trademark interactive style, we were able to keep this large audience engaged, while getting them thinking about our approach to workplace wellbeing.

Wendy Evans-Hendrick at Thorington Theatre.
Credit: Orwell Housing Association.

Wendy Evans-Hendrick, CEO at Orwell Housing Association, said:

“At Orwell, we understand that wellbeing goes beyond physical health; it encompasses their mental health, emotional and social wellbeing. By providing opportunities, like working with The Mental Health Toolkit, we aim to cultivate a culture that celebrates diversity, encourages open communication, focuses on wellbeing, and fosters a sense of belonging.

“We found the session from Jon Neal and the team at The Mental Health Toolkit insightful and entertaining. It’s important to be aware of where you are on the continuum and that there are tools out there to support people back to feeling well.”

Jon, our Chief Executive who led the session, said: “Thank you very much to Orwell Housing Association for inviting us to be a part of your awesome event. What a great place to work.”

Meanwhile Wendy, our Corporate Relationships Manager who was on hand with the mic for the Q&A session, added: “It was great to be a part of it and thanks for your hospitality. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.”

We look forward to working with the team at Orwell Housing Association again in the future. You can read more about our work with them in our Case Study.

Find out more about our suite of workplace wellbeing workshops and courses by exploring the Toolkit.