THE online Friday Forum this week will discuss the importance of good mental health and ways to alleviate stress.
The forum coincides with Mental Health Month and helps mark World Mental Health Day on Saturday.
To tie in with the 2015 Mental Health Month theme - "Value Your Mind" - the forum will focus on positive ways we can improve our mental health and wellbeing, which in turn helps us manage our stress.
Maintaining good mental health and achieving a healthy mind is an essential way to cope with stress.
We all have stress in our lives; it is how we manage it that matters.
Our expert panel is ready to answer your questions about a number of important issues including:
Tips to reduce stress and anxiety
- How to improve our mental wellbeing, such as by volunteering or learning new skills
- Ways to improve our mental capacity to help get through tough times
- Where to seek help
- How to identify if somebody needs help
This month's panellists have a range of skills and experiences catering to people of all ages, including Mentally Healthy Orange's Act-Belong-Commit senior project officer Victoria Smyth; Smiling Minds chief executive Addie Wootten; Col Jones, former president of the Dubbo chapter of the University of 3rd Age, and Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) co-ordinator Helen Sheather from the Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
The Friday Forum is a joint initiative of The Land and RAMHP.
You can ask questions on the day or submit your questions ahead of time.
If you don't feel comfortable joining the discussion, you can still follow the conversation.
Visit www.theland.com.au from 12pm on Friday, October 9, to take part in the Friday Forum.