headspace offers online support for drought impacted communities

Communities across the country are experiencing some of the worst drought conditions in Australia’s history and while this has economic and physical impacts, headspace recognises these conditions have contributed to significant impacts on the mental health of many Australians.

Drought can have long lasting impacts on mental health and wellbeing for entire families, and in regional and rural communities it can often be difficult to find the help and support needed to get through these tough times.

In response to this need, headspace is hosting a ‘group chat’ about coping with stress from the drought. An eheadspace group chat is an online discussion, hosted on the headspace website and dedicated to anyone wanting to get support and learn ways of coping with mental health challenges.

This group chat provides the opportunity for people to learn and share experiences with others who’ve also been impacted by drought in some way, with professional support from eheadspace clinicians who moderate the experience and provide advice and responses to questions. 

The group chat will take place this Thursday 5 December between 6:30–8:30 pm AEDT, with local communities encouraged to get involved and bring in others who might need support.  

Kristal Chenery Online Community and Digital Coordinator at eheadspace – the platform that hosts group chats said, “We know the impact of mental illness in local communities can be greater due to barriers in accessing mental health care, but we want all people across Australia to know headspace is here to support them, and we’re encouraging anyone who’s going through a tough time to participate.

“The great thing about these online chats is that anyone, no matter where they are, can access this support and connect with other people who have had or who are perhaps experiencing stress due to drought.

“Anyone in the (insert community name) community is welcome to sign up, log in and actively participate or even just read the transcript and possibly relate to the experiences of others.

“It’s really important young people know there is support available, and that with the right support, they can get through these difficult periods.”

To set up an account to participate anonymously or view the chat as a guest, visit: https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/group-chat/coping-with-stress-from-the-drought/

You can also send a question before the session to groupchat@headspace.org.au or organise a community event, or a catch up with your neighbours, to participate in this chat together.

For media enquiries please contact:

Sasha Fox, headspace Media & Communications Advisor: media@headspace.org.au