Facing severe and ongoing anxiety, depression and other mental health risks presented by COVID-19, The Space Between Us (TSBU) is launching a technology-enabled, built-for-purpose, clinically led behaviour change platform that provides mental health access, insights, community support, content and engagement for South Africans in the workplace and individuals on social media.
It is a safe space for people to connect and engage meaningfully with mental wellness tools and practitioners that are in touch with the African psyche.
TSBU is fuelled by a purpose to inspire everyone to make looking after their mental health as part of their lifestyle – the same way we look after our physical or financial health. It envisions a world where mental health is everyone’s business so that every person understands why mental health is core to their wellbeing.
Managing director and founder, Linda Mthenjane, a registered and practising clinical psychologist, says now more than ever managers are requesting toolkits and skills to make every employee more resilient, and to help them identify and help team members who appear to be struggling with mental illness.
The mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are staggering. More so when seen alongside a study by IDEA of the London School of Economics and Political Science that found more than R232 billion is lost to productivity – either due to absenteeism or attending work while unwell.
Mthenjane explains that the platform is designed to put people at the centre of everything. She adds, “At the centre of us as people, is our mental wellness. When we make it an engaging experience, when we create a sense of belonging infused with empathy, and when it is rich in tools that are both practical and impactful, it becomes a very real possibility.”
TSBU launches with a suite of nine online workshops developed by accredited mental health providers based on the latest clinical research and data. Each workshop carries a definitive perspective on COVID-related challenges that we are all facing.
They include best practice in managing a remote team; the adaptive leader; integrating home, work and play series; cultivating self-care; taking control in the COVID new normal; becoming a digital confident employee; dealing with loss and grief; building healthy relationships to thrive; and building resilience.
A core objective is to fight the misconceptions and stigmas around mental health and mental illnesses. In its workshops and training, TSBU educates and encourages non-judgmental phrasing, creating a stigma-free way to discuss mental health, extending this education to its strategic messaging on its social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Connect with The Space Between Us on their website here: www.thespacebetweenus.africa
