“WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY”
BY GILCHRIST MUZA
Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Mental Health Day this Saturday which is celebrated on the 10th of October every year.
This year marks 34 years of raising awareness since it was first observed in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health
The commemorations were running under the theme, “lived experiences heard : real voices, real change”
In observing this day, vhayeya.com had a chance to be part of the commemorations that were being held at the institute of lnternational Coaching and Monitoring Foundation(lCMF) at their headquarters by Karigamombe building in the Central Business District.
The event which was attended by Master Coaches, Mental Health Coaches, Professional Coaches, Aspiring Coaches, Psychologists, Health practitioners, from different parts of the country saw the gathering shifting from presentations to conversational allowing every person in the room to share their own mental health journey.
In an exclusive interview with Vhayeya.com, Representing the lCMF President, ICMF Board Chairman Master Coach Tafadzwa Rwizi explained what this year’s theme meant to them as an organisation that advocates for mental health campaigns;
“The theme is inviting people that have experienced mental health challenges to speak up, to be listened to. The real voices, the lived experiences that we should hear so this is what really makes it so special to us as coaches and to lCMF as players in the mental health space”, he said.
He added that as coaches they advocate for the ability to listen not only as a professional skill but as a life skill as active listening is one of the core competencies in coaching which in this case complements part of the theme where lived experiences are heard.
ICMF Board Chairman Mr Rwizi went on to outline some of the initiatives being implemented by lCMF inorder to make progress in raising mental health awareness;
“We are working with other organisations. We are putting our foot in different places like schools and colleges. We are also working with one of the leading organisations in Zimbabwe that serves as a hub for christian leaders to promote mental health in different ways. Every week on Tuesday we run physical exercises here at our headquarters, we have people coming in just to exercise which is an important component in this entire mental health field”, he said
Speaking at the same event, ICMF Ambassador and Mental Health Coach Mrs Jessie Mhaka spoke on the 5-letter acronym which she believes is a smart tool to raise awareness in a short time and help those dealing with mental health issues in silence on what they can possibly do:
“As l go around doing mental health sessions, l usually use the acronym ABCDE > A for Awareness – do you know the state of your mental well being. B > Belief – what you believe about life affects how you feel, think, behave and relate. C > Choices – what do you choose to do for your mental well being D > Dialogue – Are you able to talk about your mental health with anyone? E > Empowerment – You are like advocating for mental health everywhere you go.
She added that lCMF has a number of certified coaches that specialises in mental well being like herself who help those dealing with mental issues to develop resilience, the skills, the tools that help them get out of situations whenever they feel stuck.
World Mental Health Day is an international day of awareness, advocacy, and education. It is used to remember the struggles associated with mental illness, honor those with lived experiences, reduce social stigma, and push for better global mental health care.
