29 Oct A doorway to meaningful mental health discussion – my most important pin yet

“I didn’t realise that even though I was qualified and experienced in my home country, that I was a no-body in Australia and needed to start again.”

The journey can be lonely and the days roll into months without the right guidance, which is why I love talking at universities to their international students before they graduate and start the next stage of their journey.

The right conversation at the right time could be the motivational boost you need.

Mental health awareness for employers:

It’s hard enough having to manage a business, manage your staff, manage your own life, and never drop the ball when it comes with professional interactions, but maybe those other business professionals you are in discussion with are struggling just as you are. Sometimes letting a little of the ‘real you’ be shown beyond the professional wall can help manage the endless day-to-day a bit more bearable. I couple months ago I attended a networking event and learned about the Johari Window, and I encourage all business owners to look into it. It is a technique business leader’s use that helps you understand your relationship with yourself and others. Whilst I’ve made it relevance for mental health, the Johari Window technique is first and foremost for personal branding and I encourage all business owners, managers, and fellow entrepreneurs to read up on it here.

Mental health awareness for migration agents:

It is an emotionally rough profession to work in, having to manage everything that I described above that a typical employer has to handle, but also the emotional stress of ‘make or break’ the Australian-dream for our clients. Sometimes, it can be reuniting couples or parents with children, or helping individuals and families to escape their countries whose claim for international protection as a refugee has not yet been determined. Legal Training Australia (LTA) have started running webinars this year about mental wellness and fatigue specifically for our profession, which is huge step towards awareness and assistance that Registered Migration Agents are not immune to mental health challenges. It is alarming how needed such a topic is, and I applaud LTA for identifying and servicing such need.

If you’ve read this far then good on you, seems the topics of suicide prevention and overall mental health and wellness are just as important to you too! I hope I’ve inspired you to make your next few conversations meaningful ones.

Readers seeking support and information about mental health or if you ever need someone to talk to then you can contract two fantastic not-for-profit organisations for FREE 24/7, they are Lifeline on 13 11 14 and also Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. Both free, both 24/7. A helpful trained person to speak to is only a phone call away. You don’t need to be an Australian citizen or PR, you just need a telephone.

Evan fully recommends Mem at work, a part of the Mace Energy Method and Causism institute, a non-invasive and non self disclosure therapy method that can put you back in charge of your own life to live your own dreams. You can also read Evan’s introductory statement to Mem at Work here.

Authored by Evan Bishop (MARN 1679414), owner of Worldly Migration and Recruitment Consultancy, and believer that no one should ever feel like they are truly alone.