How to Empower Women to Speak Up About Mental Health

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For so many years women have felt the need to stay quiet about what’s going on in their minds. Fearful of being portrayed as weak, unstable or over emotional, women’s mental health is often overlooked and females are worried to step forward and ask for help.

Whether you’re suffering in the work environment or overwhelmed with situations in your family, your mental health should always be your number one priority. Empowering women to speak up about their mental wellbeing and share their struggles to the public is the best way to fight the problem and provide them with the support they need. If you want to join forces with other females and discover a few ways to empower those around you to talk about their mental struggles, here are a few ways to get started.

Surround them with role models

When women see other women speaking about their journeys in mental health, entrepreneurship and their careers, it can truly help them to open up about their own stories. Philanthropist Krissy Jones talks openly about her journey to becoming a successful business owner. When women are willing to open up and share their stories, it becomes so much easier for others in the same position to seek help, advice or support.

Create a supportive environment

Holding group conversation and therapy for women can truly help to create a supportive environment for those who are struggling. Having a safe space to talk about your experiences can be difficult to find, especially when you’re struggling to find support at home. Whether you create an online community or you hold regular meetings in local locations, these types of set-ups allow women to talk and open up about the things that matter.

Remove the stigma and judgement

When we remove the stigma and judgement surrounding women’s mental health, it gives females the confidence to step forward and talk about their struggles. The longer that mental health is seen as an untreatable illness, the longer people will suffer. This is why it’s so important to celebrate women’s success stories and cheer people on when they battle through their problems.

Celebrate women

Recognizing international women’s day on the 8th of March every year is one way in which we can celebrate women. In truth, women should be celebrated everyday, so make sure you find a way to show the women in your life how much you appreciate them. The more we can celebrate women the more we can move forward in supporting them with their futures. 

When public figures speak out about their mental health struggles or we create a welcoming environment for women to speak openly about what they're going through, it automatically creates a safe space for females. Over time, the stigma of female mental health should improve as more and more people grow in confidence and feel ready to open up. Ultimately, seeking help and support is the only way to heal and women should always feel empowered to speak up about anything they are going through.