Turning Point helping mental health in Wakefield

‘How are you mate?’ might seem like a difficult question – but how often do we ask? Or how often does anyone ask you? In men especially, this simple question is sometimes taboo and have a stigma attached.

Turning Point Talking Therapies have partnered with Wakefield Trinity Community Foundation to launch Team-Mate during Men’s Mental Health Week, a health and wellbeing project aiming to support men and their mental health, with the project running for six weeks at The Mobile Rocket Stadium.

This project is about using the power of Rugby League to help break the stigma and challenges of mental health in both a supportive and friendly environment that will be welcoming for all men.

As a key provider of mental health support in Wakefield, Turning Point Talking Therapies are all too aware that there is a need to address mental health in and associated with sport.

“What we find, and this has been true throughout lots of sporting professions, there’s this image many men seem to have that if you’re a strong, fit man you’ve got nothing to worry about in terms of mental health problems,” said Finlay Swan, a psychological wellbeing practitioner with Turning Point Talking Therapies.

“We know for a fact that it really doesn’t work like that. You get all sorts of people on and off the pitch who struggle with their mental health and never talk about it, but they need to know there is this support available.

“This is about trying to give voice to people who maybe haven’t sought out mental health before, especially men as it’s a difficult demographic to reach, and we want to ensure men are able to open up about their mental health.”

The Foundation has partnered with Turning Point Talking Therapies on the project, with workshops being focussed on bespoke weekly ‘rounds’ for all to openly discuss, which will be followed up by physical activity straight after the workshop.

To explore and address these concerns within the district, they are proud to be partnering with the club to assist in delivering their emotional wellbeing project.

It is their hope that this collaboration will be a positive step in the journey to break the stigmas surrounding seeking support and help individuals to begin openly talking about the problems that they face with their mental health.

The project will offer insight into certain conditions and encourage individuals to find their voice, with struggling in silence no longer the only option.

Speaking upon the launch of the project in June, the Foundation’s head of health, wellbeing and inclusion, Colan Leung, said: “We are incredibly proud to be part of this project in association with TP Talking Therapies.

“This week of all weeks, it is really important to detach the stigma surrounding mental health and we are looking forward to playing our part.

“We urge anyone currently struggling to get in touch and seek the help they need.”

The remaining workshops will cover the following topics:

Tuesday, June 22 - Managing Anxiety and Worry

Tuesday, June 29 - Loneliness and Isolation

Tuesday July 6 - Assertiveness

Tuesday, July 13 - Panic

Tuesday, July 20 - Managing Sleep

The workshops are delivered by Turning Point Talking Therapies and will focus on men’s mental health with an open group discussion followed by physical activity. The workshops are for anyone over 18 and will run from 6-8pm at Wakefield Trinity RLFC, The Mobile Rocket Stadium, Doncaster Road Wakefield, WF1 5EY

Turning Point therapies can help with stress, depression, anxiety and worry, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), panic disorders and panic attacks, low self-esteem or low confidence, social anxiety post-traumatic stress disorder, health anxiety, sleep problems, chronic pain and long term health conditions and complicated grief.

They can advise people on a range of methods and treatments for these problems, including guided self-help, bibliotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy, interpersonal therapy counselling for depression, couples counselling, online therapy, one-to-one sessions, group therapy and healthy living workshops.

If you are aged 16 years or older and are registered with a GP in the Wakefield District you can access their services by contacting them directly.

Find out more by calling 01924 234 860, email [email protected] or visit the website here.