Jason Miller from Living Well on the importance of staying mental health conscious
“The Pride Festival is in full swing and many of us are taking the opportunity to show our friends and family just how fantastic it is to be a gay man in 21st Century London. But when the celebrations end and all the parties are over, what then? How we choose to live as gay men and meet the day-to-day challenges of daily life has a significant impact on our health and wellbeing.
We currently have equal rights in sex, marriage and having a family, but compared to the rest of the population, the evidence shows us that gay men have increased risks of mental health problems, isolation, substance abuse and sexually transmitted infections.
Happiness is not a constant state but just one part of life’s range of emotions and it is by making the effort to increase self awareness and developing healthier coping skills that we can find out what really makes us happy. Happiness is not about what others think of you but what you think of yourself. Therefore, as the saying goes, the journey starts within and as gay men it is important that we accept ourselves. We should be less self-critical and more self-valuing. However, this requires a choice, a little effort and some support.
Living Well offers a range of holistic health and wellbeing therapies with experienced practitioners that can support you on your journey to true happiness.
Our clients are welcome to attend any of our services and frequently attend more than one as they may have a number of different challenges to address. We fully assess each of our clients so that their needs and expectations are discussed – giving them a full understanding of our services before matching them to those that are most appropriate. Services include: traditional Counselling that supports clients to come to terms and address a range of issues; Life Coaching where our skilled practitioners motivate and encourage clients to live the life they want to live and achieve the goals that they aspire to; Hypnotherapy that helps reduce stress and anxiety; Dramatherapy that encourages the use of client’s imagination and creativity to help them grow; and Wellbeing Workshops that help clients build confidence, create greater resilience and offer on-going support, motivation and social networking opportunities.
Wellbeing Workshops are currently the most popular service offered by Living Well. Based on specific themes, these interactive peer support groups promote positive health messages and empower clients to make healthier lifestyle choices. We also offer one-day Mind, Body, Spirit workshops that combine a number of Wellbeing Workshops while giving clients an opportunity to try stress-reducing techniques such as Qigong and Tai Chi.”
Living Well’s next Wellbeing Workshop is on 15th July in Soho. Places are free for anyone living with HIV in Brent, Camden, Ealing, Hounslow, Islington and Wandsworth. Otherwise places cost £45 per person.
