Mental Health Matters: A Note From Your Friendly Practitioner

As a healthcare professional, I have spent years walking alongside people as they navigate some of the most challenging seasons of their lives - from fertility journeys to family pressures, burnout, trauma and everything in between. What I’ve seen time and again is this: mental health is foundational to well-being and it deserves just as much care and attention as our physical health.

Recently, I completed my Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and am now stepping into the role of a qualified MHFA Instructor. This training hasn’t just deepened my understanding, it’s reaffirmed something I already knew in my bones: people are doing their best but many are carrying too much, often in silence.

🌿 Accessible Mental Health Support - For Everyone

That’s why I want to personally let you know about the MHFA Wellness Hub, a psychology clinic that offers $30 sessions with provisional psychologists and counsellors. It’s affordable, offers quick access, available via telehealth or in-clinic and designed to be a soft entry point for people who need someone to talk to.

They support children, teens and adults whether you’re struggling with anxiety, identity, trauma, grief, low mood or you’re just not feeling yourself.

You don’t need a formal diagnosis. You don’t need to be in crisis. You just need to take that first, self-empowered step.

📍 G1, 10 Yarra Street, South Yarra📞 (03) 8825 3501🌐 wellnesshub.mhfa.org.au

👁 What to Watch For - In Others and In Yourself

As a practitioner, I often see people overlook the early signs of mental strain. Here’s what I encourage my patients, and myself, to watch for:

In Others

• Withdrawal or disconnection from social contact

• Changes in mood, energy or motivation

• “Snapping” more easily or seeming constantly on edge

• Talking about being overwhelmed, exhausted or feeling like a burden

• Avoiding responsibilities or seeming “not themselves”

In Yourself

• Feeling persistently tired, flat or unmotivated

• No longer enjoying things that once brought you joy

• Feeling emotionally numb or overly sensitive

• Inner talk that’s harsh or overly self-critical

• Constant tension, worry or the sense that something isn’t right

If any of these resonate, please don’t brush them off. Early intervention is powerful and accessible care is available.

✊ A Holistic and Feminist Approach to Wellness

In my practice, I view health through a whole-person lens; one that honours body, mind, identity and environment.

That means:

• You are the expert on your own experience

• Your feelings are valid

• You don’t need to justify why you’re struggling

• Your healing path may not look like anyone else’s and that’s okay

As a feminist-informed practitioner, I also acknowledge the structural and emotional labour many carry - especially women and gender-diverse folks. The pressure to “hold it all together” can be crushing. But I want you to know:

Asking for help is not a failure. It’s a form of strength.

🌸 Final Thoughts: You Deserve Support

Whether you're navigating a fertility journey, work stress, relationship changes or simply feeling “off” - you don’t have to do it alone. Mental health care is not just for crisis. It’s for maintenance, growth, prevention and clarity.

I believe in empowering people to make choices that align with their values, their stories and their health. This includes you. If this resonates with you, or someone in your life, please consider connecting with the Wellness Hub.

There is affordable support. There is accessible space. There is hope.

And, as always, we are here for you too.

With compassion and kindness,

Petra, Jen, Nat, Em & Jordi xx