In October 2021, The Rights Practice is pleased to launch its new handbook “Talking about Mental Health: A Handbook for Civil Society”, an essential resource for anyone working in a job to help others. Where this work involves challenging injustice and abuses of power, it is difficult but essential to maintain good mental health to be effective. We encourage other NGOs and civil society organisations to share widely within their own networks.

Everybody needs good mental health. Just like physical health, mental health is something you can work to improve and maintain; and both impacts the other. Mental health difficulties are a common human experience, yet there is still widespread misunderstanding and stigma. 

We hope this handbook will be a good starting point for taking practical steps to address your own mental health. We include common problems and provide practical advice to look after yourself and simple ways you can help others. Chapters focus on areas such as stress management, trauma, family support and mental health of social activists. Each chapter includes exercises and tips.

We are working on translations of the handbook in various languages, including Chinese Mandarin. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact us.

Download the full English-language handbook here.

Illustration by emilykayeillustration.com