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.
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:
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.
A key aspect of the new UK government’s Plan to Make Work Pay legislation is its focus on improving support for women navigating peri-menopause and menopause within the workplace environment.
While mental and physical health support has improved in many workplaces, menopausal women are still often met with challenges such as misunderstanding, stigma, and even discrimination at work. This leaves many women feeling forced to leave the workforce at a time when their invaluable experience, knowledge, and skills are needed most.
Mature women bring a wealth of benefits to workplaces, including intelligence, wisdom, resilience, collaborative skills, multitasking abilities, and essential mentorship for younger generations of employees. By supporting menopausal women, you can retain these valuable assets while fostering a more inclusive, productive workplace.
Wellbeing Partners can help you create a comprehensive support program that not only aids menopausal employees but also ensures your organisation complies with the Make Work Pay legislation. We offer a range of tailored services designed to support the unique needs of your workforce:
Specialist Menopause Counselling Our menopause counselling services offer a safe space for peri-menopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal women to address their mental health and wellbeing needs. This can be offered on an ad-hoc or regular basis, depending on your organisation’s requirements.
Menopause Training for Line Managers A two-hour, live and interactive training session for your line managers and leaders, aimed at increasing awareness of menopause and its impact on women at work. The training includes key skills for having supportive conversations that foster a collaborative approach to accommodations and flexibility between managers and menopausal workers.
Surviving and Thriving in Menopause This one-hour awareness and self-care workshop raises awareness of menopause in the workplace. It focuses on the strengths and contributions that menopausal women bring to society and the workplace, offers insights into menopause symptoms that can impact work, provides a thorough understanding of HRT and other self care tips and techniques for reducing symptoms, as well as advice for creating a more inclusive work environment for menopausal women.
If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help your organisation support and retain menopausal workers, please get in touch by completing the form below, or email [email protected]
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.
Elevate Employee Wellbeing with Fully Qualified Workplace Counselling
At Wellbeing Partners, we understand the critical importance of mental health in the workplace. Our team of fully qualified and experienced workplace counsellors is dedicated to providing effective support that prioritises prevention and recovery for mental health and wellbeing challenges.
Why Choose Wellbeing Partners?
Qualified Experts: Our mental health clinicians all hold recognised qualifications and boast a minimum of 10 years of post-qualification clinical experience at master level. All team members are accredited by leading professional associations, including the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
Flexible Support Options: We offer ad hoc, flexible, and regular counselling services tailored to your organisational needs. Employees can access support quickly through online or in-person sessions, ensuring convenience and accessibility.
Value-Driven Investment: Our approach delivers excellent value, demonstrating a high return on investment in employee wellbeing.
A New Approach to Mental Health Support
Wellbeing Partners is at the forefront of transforming workplace mental health services, moving beyond traditional Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to provide timely and impactful support. Our clinical excellence, many years of experience, and our focus on prevention and proactive care distinguishes us from other providers.
Our counselling services empower employees to address a wide range of issues in a supportive and confidential environment. Our expertise encompasses:
Anxiety
Depression
Burnout
Bereavement and loss
Insomnia and sleep disorders
Trauma
Interpersonal relationship challenges
Chronic stress
Neurodivergent mental health
Menopause-related mental health issues
Health-related mental health challenges
Invest in Your Employees’ Wellbeing
Supporting mental health is not just a responsibility; it’s an investment in your organisation’s future. With Wellbeing Partners you can ensure your employees receive the professional guidance they need to thrive both personally and professionally.
We look forward to partnering with you to create a healthier, more resilient workplace!
To learn more about our services and how we can support your team, please complete the form below
We are excited to launch our new range of Seasonal Bite-Sized Lunch & Learns – a series of five x 30 minute winter wellbeing workshops for your employees to learn key tips and techniques for boosting their wellbeing throughout autumn and winter. The sessions are delivered by our team of fully qualified and experienced professionals.
These shorter sessions offer a timely and accessible way of reminding your staff about vital self-care actions for staying well and productive over the colder, darker months.
Bite-Sized Lunch & Learns – 30 minutes each, live online for your employees
Combatting Loneliness in Winter: Loneliness and isolation are common experiences felt by a growing number of people, particularly over the autumn and winter months. Loneliness is a risk factor for anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.. This session looks at how loneliness can develop, and practical steps to bolster connection and a sense of belonging. Topics include:
Intentional connection – how to boost engagement with friends, family and community
The importance of warmth and exercise
Conscious social media usage
Self-care for supporting mental wellbeing
Movement for Mental Health: Humans evolved to be active every day, but the colder months see most working people moving and exercising less, impacting mood and mental wellbeing and overall health. This session explores strategies for how employees can incorporate movement into break times, and find time for enjoyable, regular exercise throughout winter, bolstering both mental and physical wellbeing. Topics include:
The link between movement and mental health
Stepping up outdoors activity in daily life
Gentle movement and stretching for stress relief
Mindful movement, flow state and resilience
Nutrition Basics for Winter: As we move into the autumn and winter there’s a shift what we desire and require in terms of food and nutrition. This session helps your employees to gain knowledge and skills for planning and preparing for eating well over the winter months for enjoyment, warmth, immune system, physical health and mental wellbeing. Topics include:
When to consider supplementation
Immune-enhancing foods
Balancing your plate
Get Your Sleep Sorted: Good mental health is underpinned by heathy sleep, and in the winter months our sleep drive and sleeping patterns can change. This short masterclass teaches the basics of becoming a “good sleeper” using psychology-based techniques – a highly successful method designed to combat insomnia, to cultivate the foundations of rest needed for good mental health wellbeing. Topics include:
Steps to become a good sleeper
From poor sleeper to good sleeper – the process
The psychological connection between bed and sleep
Avoiding Anxiety in Winter: Fewer daylight hours, a seemingly monochrome environment, the damp, the cold and the relentlessness of the winter months are often associated with depression, however the winter environment can be a trigger for anxiety too. In this session, we explore a variety of anxiety reduction techniques, giving employees a toolkit to feel more calm and content during winter. Topics include:
Boost your serotonin and dopamine
Reframing anxiety – not an enemy to be defeated
The Mindful Pause – anxiety reduction in the moment
Grounding, and settling the mind
If you would like more information on these Lunch & Learns, please complete the form below:
The ‘Malingering Myth’: Why employees keep mental health struggles hidden in the workplace
There is a disturbing narrative gaining traction in professional circles that argues that many employees suffering from mental health issues are “malingering” – exaggerating or even faking symptoms to facilitate time off work.
The idea that large numbers of people are using mental health as a convenient excuse to avoid work is a myth. Whilst there has always been (and always will be) those who “pull a sickie” and exaggerate mental and physical ailments, this is very much the minority and should be acknowledged as such.
However, this myth persists and, more seriously, it serves to divert attention away from a much more serious issue – the fact that many employees with genuine mental health challenges are avoiding disclosing these issues or seeking help for fear of how they will be perceived.
The growth of mental health awareness in the workplace has encouraged more open conversations on the subject, but it has also sparked a backlash. Increasingly the discussion around employee mental health is tinged with scepticism and even hostility, with many in senior management dismissing mental health issues as exaggerated at best, and, at worst, completely fabricated.
This ‘malingering myth’ is inaccurate and dangerous. It allows people to dismiss what are real health concerns, to ignore discussion around modifying work practices that may be causing mental health difficulties and, perhaps most concerning, it stops people who are really suffering from speaking up.
A series of studies from across the globe have highlighted that, contrary to what the ‘malingering myth’ suggests, people with mental health issues are unlikely to seek time off work, with many employees loathe to even disclose they are suffering for fear of the stigma and consequences it may bring in the workplace[i].
One study highlighted that 91% of Britons, 92% of Americans and 90% of Australians believe that people with mental health issues are treated differently in the workplace and therefore do not disclose or seek support[ii]. The impact is highlighted in the conclusion of a study by the American Psychiatric Association:
“More than half of people with mental illness don’t receive help for their disorders. Often, people avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood. That’s because stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness are still very much a problem“.[iii]
So, contrary to the unhelpful idea that people are likely to use mental health as an excuse to avoid work, the truth is that people are so concerned with how they might be perceived in the workplace, they continue to work, whilst suffering in silence.
Research shows that in-house support for employee mental health reduces the recovery time in comparison to employees who seek external professional support.[iv] Employees who soldier on in silence risk worsening their mental health and reducing their engagement and performance. Organisations that sustain a culture of suspicion and stigma will therefore perform worse than those that recognise and support employee mental health.
It is therefore both a duty of care for your employees and good business sense to offer open support for mental health at work, and there are three clear approaches to achieve this.
Employee Counselling is an intelligent, supportive and economical option for organisations. 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.
To compliment employee counselling organisations should consider training their managers and leaders. Our flagship Mental Health for Training for Managers is highly effective at giving managers the confidence, knowledge and skills to support a team member who may be struggling with a mental health issue. Participants will become adept at identifying when a team member is in crisis, learn the conversational skills required to help them, and develop the know-how to signpost them to professional support.
Finally, it is good forward planning for organisations to offer programmes that empower employees to support themselves if they are concerned about their mental wellbeing. Our How to Improve your Mental Healthworkshop uses straightforward, evidence-based strategies and techniques to provide employees with practical steps for enhancing all aspects of their mental health. These techniques help people take timely actions to stop these issues developing into crises.
If you would like more information on our Workplace Counselling Service, Mental Health Training for Managers or the How to Improve your Mental Health workshop, please complete the form below:
World Mental Health Day 10 October 2024 – this year’s theme is “Workplace Mental Health”
World Mental Health Day 2024 is 10th October
This year’s theme is “Mental Health in the Workplace”
Workers are experiencing higher levels of exhaustion, stress and burnout, anxiety and insomnia
Prioritising events and specialist counselling in your workplace to celebrate World Mental Health Day key to setting the right tone
October 10th is World Mental Health Day 2024. This year the theme is “It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace”, a much needed opportunity to focus our attention on the mental health challenges faced in the modern workplace.
Unfortunately, the number of people experiencing mental health issues in the workplace remains high. A quarter of UK workers have reported being unable to cope with the stresses and pressures of the workplace, whilst last year, 1 in 5 employees took time off work because of mental health issues[i]. Shockingly, over 50% of all sick leave in the UK is a result of stress, depression or anxiety[ii]. Part of this is the mental health legacy of the pandemic, but there is much in the day-to-day demands of the workplace that is contributing to these issues.
Long hours, being on-call for emails and messages outside work hours, the shifts in energy required by hybrid working, a lack of work-life balance and troubles with workplace relationships are all factors contributing to mental health pressures and if people do not have the support and tools to cope, then the workplace mental health crisis will continue.
If you would like to put on some events in your workplace to celebrate World Mental Health Day and help support your employees, you have come to the right place. Wellbeing Partners are workplace mental health specialists. We have a range of workshops and training services as well as a specialist workplace counselling service, all of which are available to support employee mental health.
Workshops
Central to the work of Wellbeing Partners is empowering people to support their own mental health through our wellbeing workshops. These 60-minute interactive sessions give your employees practical skills, and they cover a range of topics. Some that you may want to run for World Mental Health Day include:
How to Improve Your Mental Health – mental health a continuum and this session explores how certain behaviours and techniques help us move towards, and sustain, good mental health. Focusing on practical day-to-day changes and tips, this session provides a thorough overview of how we can take back control over our mental health and help ourselves be happier, engaged and productive.
Overcoming Burnout– this session provides an overview of the condition, the underlying causes, signs and symptoms, and focuses primarily on a range of practical, evidence-based solutions to reduce the symptoms of burnout.
Finding the Right Work-life Balance – a lack of work-life balance is a key driver of workplace stress, and this workshop shows how we can ensure we are engaged and productive at work whilst also setting the necessary boundaries needed for rest and good mental wellbeing.
Introduction to Mindfulness/Mindfulness for Stress Reduction – mindfulness is clinically proven to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. These workshops demystify mindfulness, put it in its scientific context and show people how to use this powerful skill to support their mental health.
Get Moving for Mental Health – a sedentary lifestyle will negatively impact your mental health, an increasingly bigger issue as many of us work from home and move less frequently. This session shows the importance of regular movement and how it can be incorporated into a busy working day.
Managing Stress and Enhancing Resilience – the session provides participants with the knowledge and tools to reduce their stress and anxiety and increase their sense of mental wellbeing, and to improve and enhance their own resilience and mental health.
Resilience: Taming the Inner Critic – utilising traditional resilience skills, growth mindset techniques and cutting-edge research into self-compassion and resilience, this session endows individuals with practical skills and a deep rooted sense of strength in the face of life’s challenges, both professional and personal.
Neurodivergent Mental Health – neurodivergence is a risk factor for mental health issues and emotional dysregulation due to the slight differences in how the nervous system functions for those with ADHD, autism and other neurodivergences. This one-hour workshop provides a comprehensive range of self-care tips for your neurodivergent employees to effectively manage their mental health and wellbeing.
Mental Health Training Services
For World Mental Health Day, you might also consider using our training services that allow managers, people teams and employees to explore how they manage mental health challenges in the workplace and how to encourage psychologically safe and appropriate discussions on these issues.
Mental Health Training for Managers – This two-hour course provides your managers with the confidence, knowledge, skills and boundaries to support a team member who maybe struggling with their mental health. The course teaches managers how to create a psychologically safe environment and how to signpost individuals onto the professional support services in an effective and appropriate way.
Talking Mental Health – This 90-minute session for all employees focuses on mental health issues, the recovery model, plus the skills for supporting others and improving our own mental health. It covers a wide range of aspects around mental health and mental health issues and provides participants with practical steps and advice to enhance their own mental wellbeing.
Workplace Counselling
Wellbeing Partners are experts at providing specialist workplace counselling that is distinctly different to the EAP model. Our broad approach to workplace wellbeing means that smaller issues can be prevented from developing into crises and more complex issues. Our counselling services focus on creating the framework and confidence that people need to maintain their mental health once the sessions are concluded, reducing likelihood of later relapses. In-House Workplace Counselling is not a luxury, but an intelligent, supportive and economical response to mental health issues. It offers both short and long-term gains for individuals and organisations.
For further information on World Mental Health Day and any of the workshops and services we provide, please complete the form below.
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...
The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (12th – 18th May) is 'Community' and the importance of community for our mental health is the central theme of our new Community, Connection and Belonging...
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