Meet the Team: Kalia Wright (. . . Luna & Alfie)

Hi, I’m Kalia Wright, one of the sales executives here at RHE Global. I have been working with the company since 2014 and I am also currently retraining as a counsellor. 

I recently gained my Level 3 in Supervising First Aid for Mental Health, with a view potentially to providing additional mental health support for my colleagues and friends. As someone who has experienced periods of poor mental health (as many of us have), I understand how important it is to recognise the early signs to avoid more significant impacts on our personal and work lives. 

However, when we are in crisis, we may not know where to go for advice, who we can speak to and what assistance may be available. Mental health first aiders are trained to support individuals in these moments of crisis, starting those conversations with compassion and empathy, providing a confidential listening ear, preventing the conditioning from worsening and signposting the appropriate guidance, whilst being there for them along the way. 

This qualification has enabled me to gain a greater understanding of the signs and symptoms of a range of psychological conditions and, with increased awareness of relevant resources available, has given me the know-how to support colleagues and friends.

A crucial element of providing mental health support to others is that of our own mental well-being, which starts with self-care. As mentioned by my colleague Ali Thomas in her blog, you cannot pour from an empty cup. 

Two things I do to bolster my own mental health are, first, to ensure I have a regular sleep pattern (although with a 3-year-old, this one can be hard to come by sometimes) and, second, to get out every single day with my dogs, Luna and Alfie. Whether it’s walking through the woods and across the fields, the beach or the coastal path, striding out and enjoying the sounds of nature gives me the opportunity to reset and recentre. 

We recognise the importance of eating and nourishing our bodies with food to ensure our physical health. Our psychological well-being is equally important: taking just a few moments each day to do something that gives us comfort is well worth the time. As we now begin our journey towards the darker and colder months of the year, where many may experience symptoms of seasonal depression, why not start your own self-care practices that will give you a boost through the winter months to come?