World Mental Health Day – October 10th, 2024

Celebrating World Mental Health Day with Smart D8 and Inchicore College of Further Education

On Thursday, October 10th, 2024, Smart D8 teamed up with Inchicore College of Further Education to mark World Mental Health Day with a series of engaging and impactful events. The day featured a range of activities designed to promote mental health awareness and provide practical tools for managing wellbeing. Smart D8’s Tutors and Facilitators led three key sessions: a mental health talk, a psychoeducation workshop for students, and a workplace wellness session for both staff and students.

Mental Health Initiatives delivered by The Smart D8 Tutors and Facilitators Panel

  • Empowering Minds: Mental Wellbeing Talk

Kicking off the day’s events, Smart D8 Tutor Deirdre McCormick led a Mental Wellbeing Talk from 11 am to 12 pm in the Main Hall. The session provided an insightful overview of mental health, focusing on the importance of self-care and the resources available to support mental wellbeing.

Deirdre’s talk centered around demystifying mental health, fostering an understanding of what contributes to mental wellbeing, and exploring effective coping strategies. Attendees appreciated the interactive start, which involved a grounding exercise using breathwork and somatic awareness, helping to create a calm and focused atmosphere.

Throughout the talk, Deirdre drew on her own lived experiences, which resonated with the audience and helped build a genuine connection. The use of accessible metaphors to explain mental health concepts, combined with a helpful QR code linking to additional mental health resources, ensured the session was both informative and practical. Participants left with a clearer understanding of mental wellbeing and a curiosity to explore further.

  • Navigating Emotions: A Workshop on Balancing Your Nervous System

From 1 pm to 2 pm, Smart D8 Tutor Evan Dwan took the stage with a workshop titled Balancing Your Emotions and Nervous System, designed to equip students with practical tools for managing stress, anxiety, and emotional regulation. Held in Room 30, this interactive session introduced participants to somatic-based techniques and the Window of Tolerance model, offering a toolkit for maintaining mental balance.

The workshop featured a range of exercises—Grounding, Tracking, Resourcing, Orienting, Breathwork, and Parts Practice—that proved highly effective, particularly the Resourcing exercise, which resonated deeply with participants. While the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, there was a suggestion for more reflective activities at the end, and a structured plan to help attendees apply their new skills in real life.

Looking ahead, future workshops could expand on the psychoeducational elements, including how the brain processes and internalizes experiences. Additionally, more emphasis on building secure relationships would enhance the learning experience.

  • The 4 Pillars of Mental Health: Building a Foundation for Wellbeing

The final session of the day, held from 3 pm to 4 pm, was a Workplace Wellness Workshop led by Margaret O’Brien, focusing on the Four Pillars of Mental Health—nutrition, movement, sleep, and relaxation. Designed for both staff and students, the workshop highlighted how these pillars are interrelated and essential for maintaining both mental and physical wellbeing.

Participants quickly warmed up to the session, engaging in discussions around the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The interactive format allowed attendees to share personal experiences and ask thoughtful questions, making the workshop both educational and relatable.

Margaret offered practical advice, including small, manageable lifestyle changes that could significantly impact daily wellbeing. From stress management techniques to dietary tweaks and sleep tips, participants left with actionable steps they could immediately implement. The “Four Pillars” concept was especially well-received, with attendees appreciating how a balanced approach to these areas could lead to improved mental health.

Conclusions

With around 150 participants engaging across the three sessions, the success of World Mental Health Day at Inchicore College highlighted the power of collaboration between local organizations. By leveraging shared resources and expertise, Smart D8 and Inchicore College were able to create an environment of learning, growth, and support for the Dublin 8 community.

The positive feedback from attendees underscores the importance of these initiatives in promoting mental health and wellbeing. As we look to the future, this partnership serves as a reminder that collective efforts can lead to lasting, meaningful change in our community’s overall health and happiness.