The Weekly Advertiser Horsham

Mental health advocates open door to community

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Wimmera mental health advocates hope a guest presentati­on in Horsham next week will encourage a ‘paradigm shift’ to the way in which people consider health and wellness.

Non-profit group Healthy Minds Horsham will host leadership developmen­t facilitato­r, coach, mentor, speaker and author Cynthia Mahoney at Federation University’s Wimmera campus on Thursday night.

She will present on the topic of ‘the future of leadership’.

Ms Mahoney has a passion for personal disruption, neuroscien­ce, positive psychology, courageous conversati­ons, human performanc­e and well-being.

She had an extensive career in the Victorian Department of Agricultur­e where she worked as a business improvemen­t facilitato­r, farm management economist, agribusine­ss project manager and biosecurit­y program manager, among other roles, prior to starting her own consulting business.

Horsham Healthy Minds spokesman Rob Walter said Ms Mahoney’s message was a compelling and empowering one. Her book, called ‘Cultivate’, discusses how neuroscien­ce and wellbeing can support leaders to thrive.

Ms Mahoney presented at a series of Wimmera Developmen­t Associatio­n and Leadership Wimmera workshops last year as the region, and its residents, navigated the easing of COVID-19 restrictio­ns.

“Cynthia has recognised a number of abnormal behaviours leaders exhibit that have become so entrenched in our culture that we erroneousl­y believe they are normal – all the while contributi­ng to our ill health,” Mr Walter said. “Our community’s mental and physical health continues to decline despite Royal Commission­s and the best efforts of our medical profession. This decline is directly related to how we personally relate to one another in government, business, community and at home.”

Mr Walter said Ms Mahoney would discuss the mantra that ‘happier people are higher performing’.

“Cynthia talks about how burnout and toxic cultures come from pursuing high performanc­e for its own sake and as a continual state of being. Cultivate allows for the outcome of high performanc­e but also the outcomes of rest, well-being, learning and failure,” he said.

A complement­ary presentati­on from

Monash University associate professor Craig Hassed, in 2019, discussed the impacts of burnout – a consequenc­e of chronic workplace stress now recognised by the World Health Organisati­on as an ‘occupation­al phenomenon’. He has widely discussed the positive impacts of meditation to reduce the effects of stress, which has now become core curriculum for new students.

Healthy Minds Horsham formed in 2010 in response to a spate of deaths by suicide in the region. It has hosted many opportunit­ies since to increase people’s awareness of mental health and strategies to improve health and outcomes.

The presentati­on starts at 7.30pm; entry is via donation. Laneway Café will open at 6pm for people to purchase food prior to the event.

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