Tag: employee mental health

9 May 2025
anxiety • employee counselling • employee mental health • employee wellbeing • mental health • mental health at work • mental health awareness • stress • workplace counselling •

A New Approach to Employee Mental Health

Wellbeing Partners offer an unique and expansive counselling service with sessions that can be ad hoc, flexible or ongoing and regular and that can be held online or in-person.

Our team offers expert support in areas including:

  • Neurodivergent mental health
  • Menopause-related mental health
  • Burnout and chronic stress
  • Sickness absence due to mental health issues
  • Anxiety, depression, OCD
  • Bereavement
  • Trauma
  • Insomnia
  • Workplace relationship difficulties

In today’s fast-paced work environment, the need for timely, expert mental health support has never been more critical. At Wellbeing Partners, we go beyond traditional EAPs to deliver specialist workplace counselling that’s flexible, proactive, and clinically robust.

With many years of experience and a clear focus on early intervention, our service empowers employees to navigate a wide range of challenges — from common wellbeing concerns to more complex or specialist issues — in a confidential, supportive environment.

Sessions are typically held online for ease of access, but we also offer on-site counselling by arrangement. Whether you need ad hoc support, flexible access, or regular sessions, we tailor our service to your organisation’s needs.

If you’re ready to move beyond reactive support and create a workplace culture where mental wellbeing is proactively protected, we’d be happy to help. For more information please fill in the form below.

2 May 2025
anxiety • burnout • employee mental health • mental health • mental health at work • mental health awareness • stress • summer • workplace stress •

Summer Stress: the surprising truth about employee wellbeing

For many the arrival of summer is embraced as a positive change.  The emergence of sunnier weather conditions brings a sense of optimism that can be felt in the workplace.  Thoughts inevitably turn towards summer breaks, holidays and the chance to get away.

However, despite these positives, research shows that nearly 60% of employees experience higher levels of stress, anxiety and burnout across the summer months[i]. This is due to a number of factors.

Summer is mistakenly viewed as a bit of a slower time for business as many members of staff take leave to go on holiday, with non-urgent work being sidelined for a while.  However, the reality is that the work demands stay the same but the reduced staffing means added burden for those left in the office. 

Employees often receive increased workloads and responsibilities to cover for colleagues who are on leave. This exacerbates work-life balance issues with people working longer hours to meet their professional demands, impacting their performance, focus and mental wellbeing.  Added to this many employees are also coping with increased childcare responsibilities over the summer holidays, adding further time and financial stressors.  It is no wonder many employees experience sleep issues, burnout and increased stress and anxiety over the summer months.

At Wellbeing Partners we have a variety of workshops that can support your employees through times of heightened demand:

From Anxious to Calm:  This 60-minute interactive workshop focuses on helping individuals understand anxiety and how it impacts us, delivered by our workplace mental health professionals who specialise in anxiety.  The session provides actionable and effective techniques and skills that can help people reduce anxiety in the moment and develop longer term resistance to anxiety triggers.

Avoiding Burnout: A 60-minute interactive workshop that takes an expansive look at burnout causes and symptoms, and highlights key areas in which the participant can affect change in their lives to avoid and recover from burnout. It focuses on how small but effective changes in behaviour, mindset and emotional intelligence can be utilised to make us more resilient in the face of challenges.

Coping with Stress – a 4 part bite-sized course: This course features 4 x 30-minute sessions, each one building on the skills of the previous session. Led by experienced mental health professionals who specialise in managing stress and thriving in stressful situations, the course has four distinct parts covering analysis of stress, mindset techniques to cope with stress, actions to reduce stress, and sleep psychology for increasing resilience to stress.  

If you would like more information on any of these workshops or courses, please complete the form below or email [email protected]

[i] https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/06/12/what-employers-can-do-to-make-your-summer-less-stressful#:~:text=Summer%20stress&text=A%20recent%20study%20of%20HR,add%20to%20their%20workplace%20woes.

11 April 2025
employee mental health • employee wellbeing • loneliness awareness week • lonliness • mental health • mental health at work • stress •

Loneliness Awareness Week 2025 theme revealed: “Reducing the Stigma Around Loneliness”

Loneliness Awareness Week (9th – 15th June, 2025) is the annual event dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of loneliness on our mental health.  This year the theme is reducing the stigma associated with loneliness, a stigma that can stop people seeking support, leaving them to suffer in silence.

At Wellbeing Partners we have developed a one hour wellbeing workshop for your employees called Improving Connection and Belonging to help reduce the stigma around loneliness and to give your staff the tools to build connections at work and in their personal lives and communities, and to bolster their self-esteem and confidence.

Loneliness is often seen as a personal issue, but it impacts our professional life as well as the issues crated by loneliness cannot simply be left at the door when we enter the workplace. At Wellbeing Partners we noticed a worrying increase of employees struggling with issues around loneliness, a lack of connection and feelings of separation.  Loneliness often underpins issues around stress, anxiety, burnout and depression and if not manged effectively, will continue to impact the individual and their engagement and performance at work.

Our Improving Connection and Belonging Workshop is an interactive 60-minute session.  It gives participants the necessary understanding of why we experience loneliness and how we can rebuild a sense of belonging and form new bonds, personally and professionally.  The session looks at:

  • Connection, Belonging and Loneliness: Puts the human need for connection into its evolutionary context and explains that loneliness is a normal part of the human condition
  • The Impact of Loneliness: A brief overview of the impact of loneliness upon our physical and mental health.
  • Intentional Connection: Highlights a variety of ways in which we can build connection, starting with small steps and then widening the circle – looks at hobbies, community projects and volunteering.
  • Self-Care to Combat Loneliness: Here we explore how self-care practices can help people develop resilience to the difficult feelings associated with loneliness and highlighting that it is ok to struggle, reducing the stigma.
  • Conscious Social Media Interaction: Shows how social media can exacerbate feelings of separation, inferiority and loneliness but that through conscious engagement we can use it as a connection tool.
  • Express and Process Emotions: Provides effective emotional intelligence practices that allow us to process difficult thoughts and emotions that might feed loneliness
  • Professional Support: To emphasise the importance of talking about our difficulties, we highlight the professional support that is available for people struggling with loneliness and a lack of connection.

If you would like to know more about this workshop, please complete the below form.

7 March 2025
anxiety • community • employee mental health • employee wellbeing • mental health • mental health at work • mental health awareness • sound bath • soundbath • stress •

Why a SoundBath Session in Your Workplace is a Brilliant Way to Bring Your Employees Together

In today’s fast-paced, high-pressure work environments, employee wellbeing has never been more important. Amid deadlines and constant demands, organisations are adopting innovative solutions to support their teams and create a balanced, productive workforce.

One such solution gaining popularity is SoundBath Sessions from Wellbeing Partners. This unique sound therapy promotes relaxation and mental clarity, offering employees a shared experience that fosters calm and a sense of community. Here’s why SoundBaths are an effective way to enhance workplace wellbeing:

What is a SoundBath?

A SoundBath is a meditative experience where participants relax for 20-30 minutes, surrounded by the soothing sounds of glass, crystal, and metal bowls. These instruments produce overlapping sound waves that induce deep relaxation, reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and promote mental clarity.

Enhancing Workplace Culture

Integrating SoundBaths into your wellbeing programme fosters a supportive culture and encourages a sense of community. Employees will engage in a shared experience, sparking conversation and boosting morale long after the session.

Boosting Mental Clarity and Focus

SoundBaths help clear mental fatigue by promoting relaxation, allowing the mind to reset. This mental refreshment improves clarity, concentration, and creativity, leading to better decision-making and enhanced focus in the workplace.

Stress Relief and Reduced Anxiety

Sound therapy has been shown to lower cortisol levels, helping employees combat stress and anxiety. SoundBaths activate the parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging relaxation and a clearer, calmer perspective for tackling tasks ahead.

Physical Relaxation and Improved Wellbeing

The vibrations from the SoundBath bowls help ease muscle tension and promote circulation, making it especially beneficial for employees who spend long hours at desks. Regular sessions offer a holistic approach to both physical and mental wellbeing.

A Quick, Effective Solution for Busy Teams

SoundBaths are efficient—just 20-30 minutes is enough to reap the benefits. This makes them ideal for busy employees and easy to incorporate into the workday, whether during breaks, after meetings, or as part of a wider wellbeing initiative.

In-person sessions also create a sense of collective experience, particularly beneficial for hybrid workers who may feel isolated.

By reducing stress, enhancing focus, and supporting physical relaxation, SoundBaths provide a holistic solution for a healthier, more productive workplace. Bring this calming practice into your office and offer employees the gift of relaxation, focus, and community.

For more information on Wellbeing Partners’ SoundBath Sessions, please complete the form below:

19 February 2025
employee mental health • mental health • mental health at work • resilience • sleep • stress • stress audit • stress management • stress reduction •

Coping With Stress: a bite-sized four-part course for employees

Stress in the workplace is on the rise, with increasing numbers of workers reporting that they’re struggling to handle the stress and pressure of the workplace. This rise in workplace stress can be fuelled by increasing job demands, reduced staffing, long hours, and pressure to be always available, in addition to societal uncertainty and rising mental health issues that can reduce our resilience to stress.

If left unchecked, stress levels that exceed our capacity to cope can impact mental and physical health, increase the risk of burnout, and fuel a drop off in engagement and productivity.

Our new Coping With Stress course is a series of 4 x 30 minute bite-sized sessions – provide your employees with key evidence-based tips and techniques for coping better with stress and increasing their resilience and robustness, improving effectiveness and productivity and reducing illness and sick leave.

The sessions are delivered by our team of fully qualified and experienced workplace mental health professionals (registered by the BACP and with a minimum of 10 years post-qualification experience in workplace counselling) These shorter 30 minute sessions offer an accessible way of empowering staff to manage their own stress levels and develop the skills needed to build sustainable resilience.

Session 1: How to assess your current stress and resilience levels (30 minutes)

We all have a certain capability to absorb the stresses of life, but problems arise when the demands and stressors placed upon us exceed our resources for coping.  In this session participants are helped to understand where their pressures arise in their personal and professional lives, what coping strategies are in place and how we might begin to build greater resilience.

The session looks at:

  • The Resilience Jar – Understanding our stress levels
  • What is our stress signature?
  • Coping strategies and their efficacy

Session 2: Coping with Stress – Mindset (30 minutes)

How we think our way through stressful situations and experiences often inadvertently sustains and exacerbates the experience of stress.  How we feel about stressful situations is the trigger point of the stress response. Simple but effective changes in mindset can help us make better decisions in the face of stress, cultivating greater equilibrium:

The session looks at:

  • Recognising when our thoughts are the trigger for our stress
  • Gaining perspective
  • Developing the skill of being present in the moment

Session 3: Coping with Stress – Actions (30 minutes)

There are a variety of behavioural changes that we can weave into our life than can help us manage and reduce stress, and dramatically improve our resilience.  Exploring the role of physical activity, knowing when and how to take breaks and having the confidence to talk about your stresses and mental health are all covered in this session.

The session looks at:

  • Exercise and stress reduction
  • The importance of breaks
  • Setting and communicating boundaries
  • Connection with others

Session 4: Improving Sleep for Greater Resilience (30 minutes)

Stress can impact our sleep, and sleep deprivation increases our susceptibility to stress! This session focuses on practical psychology-based techniques which are proven to improve sleep and maintain good sleep over the long term. We use principles from the model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i).

The session looks at:

  • The psychological connection between bed and sleep
  • How to create automatic behaviours that facilitate good sleep
  • The circadian rhythm and consistent wake up time

The Coping With Stress course offers employees a practical, evidence-based approach to managing stress and enhancing resilience. Through four accessible 30-minute sessions, participants will gain essential skills to not only cope with workplace stress but also foster long-term mental wellbeing. By providing tools to assess stress, shift mindsets, introduce positive actions, and improve sleep, this course empowers employees to take control of their health and productivity. If you’re interested in supporting your team in building a healthier, more resilient work environment, please get in touch for further details by completing the form below:

14 February 2025
community • connection • connection and belonging • employee counselling • Employee engagement • employee mental health • mental health • mental health awareness week •

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 theme is Community

Book our “Community, Connection and Belonging” Wellbeing Workshop for your employees

What does “community” mean for your mental health and  why is that such an important question?  Well this year, Mental Health Awareness Week (12th – 18th May) explores this significant topic.

The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is “Community” and emphasises how feeling connected to others and feeling safe and supported is vital to our mental health. Humans evolved to make connections, and we thrive when we have a sense of belonging.  Community and its shared values and experiences reminds us that we are not alone, especially when we are struggling or feeling isolated.

Our one hour wellbeing workshop for employees is called “Community, Connection and Belonging” and aims to bring awareness and support for those who may be feeling isolated, disconnected and lonely, both personally and professionally.  Digital platforms have allowed more flexible, hybrid working, and whilst this has many positives, it has also meant reduced interaction for many. Furthermore, at a time of political instability and polarisation, there is scope for increasing separation and fracturing of communities. These realities have seen the sense of community, connection and belonging diminish and this has boosted levels of loneliness, anxiety and depression.

The workshop takes a dual approach that offers encouragement and support. We help people recognise community and to develop bonds and connections whilst also providing practical and effective techniques to help people manage the emotional and cognitive pressures they can experience when feeling disconnected.

The Community, Connection and Belonging workshop looks at:

  • The importance of Community for mental health
  • How to find community and build a sense of belonging
  • Rebuilding/bolstering existing connections
  • Making new Connections and joining community projects
  • Emotional Support for loneliness and lack of connection
  • Strategies to reduce ruminative thinking
  • Confidence and elf-Esteem boosting techniques

For more information about this flagship workshop for Mental Health Awareness Week and our selection of further mental health workshops, please complete the form below:

4 February 2025
anxiety • doomscrolling • employee counselling • employee mental health • employee wellbeing • mental health • news • stress • uncertainty • workplace counselling •

Employee Counselling for Uncertain Times

In the past few months, a theme that has emerged in employee counselling as a major driver of stress and burnout amongst employees is that of “uncertainty”.  This feelings of not quite knowing what is going to happen and the sense of trouble on the horizon are great drivers of human unease.  The brain evolved to crave certainty and when uncertainty arises, it can lead to greater levels of stress, anxiety, depression and a spiral of negative thoughts and emotions.

It is not without reason that scrolling through the news and social media has been dubbed “doomscrolling”.  All around us and at our fingertips is news of threat, where daily updates about global insecurity, political instability, war, financial crises and escalating environmental damage are just part of fabric of daily life.

Our team of workplace counsellors have noted a rise in concern about this widespread uncertainty amongst employees at all levels of organisations, affecting not only the mental health of the employees, but also their ability to focus and meet their professional responsibilities. We cannot change the external uncertainties, but our highly skilled and experienced employee counsellors can help your employees find coping strategies to manage the perception of threat and stress levels, helping employees be happier, resilient and more productive.

The employee counsellors at Wellbeing Partners are all BACP certified and, crucially, have extensive experience in helping people manage uncertainties, both professional and personal, meaning these problems get the timely support required to help people overcome them.

Employee Counselling is not a luxury, but an intelligent, supportive and economical response to mental health issues caused by the pressures of an uncertain world. It offers both short and long-term gains for individuals and organisations.  You may find it useful to introduce regular employee counselling sessions for employees, each led by a multi-qualified specialist.  Alternatively urgent employee mental health sessions can be booked on a case-by-case basis, providing a cost-effective, high-quality alternative to the more familiar EAP approach.

For more information on our employee counsellign and how we can support your employees at times of uncertainty, please complete the form below.

29 November 2024
employee mental health • mental health at work • Mental Health First Aiders • MHFA • MHFAs • Neurodivergence in the workplace • neurodivergent colleagues • neurodiversity • Neurodiversity at Work • neurodiversity training •

Neurodiversity Training for Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs)

At Wellbeing Partners, we are excited to introduce our latest service offering: Neurodiversity Training for Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs). This comprehensive 2-hour training is live and interactive for a group of up to 20 of your employees. It is designed specifically to empower MHFAs with the knowledge and skills necessary to support neurodivergent colleagues in the workplace, addressing the intersection between neurodivergence and mental health.

Whilst neurodivergence is not a mental health issue, it is a significant risk factor for mental health and wellbeing issues such as anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, insomnia, burnout, and related health issues that can also affect mental health.

The trainers for this course are mental health professionals who specialise in supporting neurodivergence in the workplace:

Topics in the 2 hour course include:

  • Neurodivergence in the Workplace: Learn essential facts, statistics, and the importance of using both formal and informal language when discussing neurodivergence.
  • Neurodivergence as a Mental Health Risk Factor: Gain an understanding of why neurodivergence can contribute to mental health and wellbeing challenges, and how to spot potential risks.
  • Types of Neurodivergence: Discover the different neurodivergences, their strengths, and challenges in the workplace, and how they can impact team dynamics.
  • Supporting Conversations: Build key skills for engaging in supportive conversations with neurodivergent colleagues, fostering a more inclusive and understanding workplace culture.
  • Available Support Options: Learn about the various support options that can be offered to neurodivergent individuals to enhance their mental health and wellbeing.

This training is designed for Mental Health First Aiders and other workplace wellbeing champions who want to deepen their understanding of neurodiversity and be better equipped to support colleagues facing unique challenges.

For more information please complete the form below or email us at [email protected]

18 November 2024
employee counselling • employee mental health • employee wellbeing • mental health at work • recovery counselling • return to work • sick leave • workplace counselling •

Boost Workplace Wellbeing with Recovery Counselling for Employees on Sick Leave

Workplace absenteeism due to mental health concerns such as anxiety, stress, burnout, depression, and trauma is on the rise. In the UK, the average number of sick days taken by employees has surged by 55% since 2019[1]. For employees who are off work for extended periods, the lack of a tailored recovery plan can lead to avoidable prolonged absence, increased anxiety about returning to work, and diminished productivity upon their return.

Introducing Wellbeing Partners’ Recovery Counselling Service
At Wellbeing Partners, we understand the unique challenges that employees face when navigating a period of sick leave. That’s why we’ve designed a cost-effective, professional support service to help employees recover more effectively—both physically and mentally—while preparing them for a smooth return to work.

Our Recovery Counselling service provides employees on sick leave with a set of tailored, 50-minute online sessions with experienced workplace mental health professionals. Employees receive expert support to manage anxiety, burnout, stress, insomnia, depression, bereavement and grief, trauma, and interpersonal difficulties—issues that can significantly affect their health and productivity.

How We Help
Our Recovery Counselling service equips employees with practical tools to:

  • Recover and maintain their wellbeing
  • Build resilience and coping skills
  • Navigate the sometimes anxiety-filled process of returning to work
  • Restore their overall wellbeing and capacity to flourish in the workplace

Why Choose Wellbeing Partners?

  • Expert Support: Our team consists of fully qualified and experienced workplace mental health professionals, each with a minimum of 10 years post-qualification experience and professional association membership
  • Tailored Approach: Each employee is provided with confidential sessions to improve their mental wellbeing, including a wellbeing recovery plan that is based on their individual needs
  • Convenient Access: Sessions take place online, making it easy for employees to access support from the comfort of their own space
  • Cost-Effective: Our service provides a budget-friendly solution to help employees recover and return to work with confidence.

By offering Recovery Counselling, you’re not just supporting your employees during their sick leave; you’re also investing in their long-term wellbeing and productivity. Helping employees return to work with confidence and resilience benefits your business, too—by reducing the risk of longer-term absence and supporting a healthier, more engaged workforce.

Contact us below to learn more about how Wellbeing Partners can support your employees through their recovery journey.

[1] https://www.peoplehr.com/en-gb/resources/blog/sick-leave-report-how-are-different-industries-faring/#:~:text=The%20current%20status%20of%20sick%20leave%20in%20the%20UK,-To%20do%20a&text=Nationally%2C%20the%20report%20has%20revealed,compared%20to%20120%2he s0in%202022.

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