Health / Podcast
New UWE Bristol podcast discusses mental health
A new podcast series called Let’s Talk Now has been created by UWE Bristol as part of its commitment to remove the stigma around mental health.
The first episode features vice-chancellor professor Steve West, and Marvin Rees, mayor of Bristol, having a broad and open conversation about the challenges of supporting health and wellbeing in large organisations in Bristol.
They also discuss how their own personal experiences have shaped their understanding of mental health.
is needed now More than ever
Touching on their childhoods, family backgrounds and relationships, the episode explores the importance of speaking up, building resilience and ensuring equal access to health services in Bristol.
“Having a conversation seems like a simple act, however for many a conversation about mental health is one of the toughest things they’ll ever do,” said Marvin Rees.
There are currently 11 episodes in the series, with conversations between students and staff on topics including depression, grief, loneliness and self-esteem. A new episode, each with a theme, is available to download each week.
One episode features a conversation about anxiety and why people should not feel like they are alone in struggling with their mental health.
Students Chelsea and Freddie talk about student mental health in episode six
Another episode contains a discussion on why students might struggle when they first come to university and another explores how the Movember campaign is helping to tackle the stigma around men’s mental health.
“It’s only by having the kind of honest and open conversations covered in this podcast that we can break down potential barriers and ensure everyone knows when and where to seek further support,” said professor Steve West.
The podcast is part of UWE Bristol’s Mental Wealth Lab initiative, which brings together activities across the University that look at new ways of promoting positive mental health.
Mental Wealth Lab is designed to help students and staff learn more about how they look after their own and others’ mental health and wellbeing.
The Let’s Talk Now podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify and SoundCloud.
Photos from the UWE Bristol website.
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