Excellence in Mind wants people to have accurate information about all the things that can help their emotional wellbeing. Our health system emphasises using medication over other ideas and solutions. We believe a system where people have many more options is possible.
There are many ways of understanding mental health. Current explanations of mental health rely on a medical interpretation. Support for people comes mainly from our medical system.
We want to create room for different stories. In order to do that, we need to address people’s mental health in a wider wellbeing context — family, friends, economic circumstances, education and environment all play a part in people’s wellbeing. They need to be part of the solution.
We know that avoiding our feelings creates and exacerbates mental health problems.
We want people to be able to live peacefully alongside their emotions, and to support friends and family to also be at peace with theirs.
People are social creatures who need support when they’re having a tough time.
Mental health professionals can help. But our reliance on them has de-emphasised the value of friendships. We need to give more support and recognition to the most important person, a friend who is willing and able to listen.
We partner with people and groups who address the social, economic and environmental factors of collective and individual mental health.
While Excellence in Mind focuses on the three projects above, we know that psychological distress is lower when resources are fairly distributed; people can meet their basic needs; and they are not subject to prejudice or violence.
Collaboration
Courage
Honesty
Respect
Persistence
Skill development
Patience
Fun
Excellence
Science
Love
We believe that people, organisations and institutions need to know what helps and what exacerbates psychological distress. In our current context, which emphasises the use of medication and the lack of therapists, we want people to have accurate information about what we know helps reduce distress.
The cost of pathologising normal responses to stress
The risks of psychiatric medicines
approaches to mental health/psychological distress that normalise human responses to difficult situations and take account of contextual, social and situational factors
enhanced emotional literacy in our communities
choices of non-medical, evidence-based treatment
the benefits of non-professional peer support
Mental wellbeing as a shared goal of all government agencies
