Asking for help is not only brave, but also vital for maintaining your mental wellbeing or recovering from and managing a bout of poor mental health.
Thanks to the farm and rural support groups across the UK, there is support available for you or someone you know who may be struggling right now. The National Directory of Farm & Rural Support Groups is a valuable resource and available HERE but the fact is that we are all different and how we choose to access that support can also differ – face-to-face, by phone, online communities, web-based platforms – There is literally something for everyone out there. It has been encouraging to learn how various organisations and individuals are innovating and creating solutions to meet the needs of an audience who are more aware of the issue than ever…
Matthew Vamplew, Co-founder of Paranimo
Mental health services are free on the NHS, but in some cases you’ll need a referral from your GP to access them and, with The Royal College of Psychiatrists reporting that one in four people with mental health problems have to wait at least three months to start NHS treatment, many people are needing and having to access this potentially life-saving mental health treatment privately.
But what happens when you need to access professional mental health support but that support isn’t readily available in your area? One person who has used his own experience to develop a solution is Romsey-based Matthew Vamplew. ‘Paranimo’ is a Bristol based mental health technology start up and the brainchild of Matthew who knew, from personal experience, that the process of accessing professional mental health support can be challenging, complex and confusing which can add stress and anxiety to the person seeking it – especially when support is needed throughout life.
Matthew and co-founder Daniel Condliffe (who was concluding his PhD in Neuroscience at the time) developed an all-in-one mental health platform designed to match people’s unique mental health circumstances specifically to UK-based therapists’ areas of expertise regardless of location. They built a secure and accessible therapy environment they call the “Virtual Therapy Room” delivered over video – meaning location is never a hindrance to accessing the mental health support people need.
Therapist Jo Hooper explains: “I was drawn to it because it’s evident Matthew and Dan have spent a lot of time understanding the challenges faced by both sides of the therapeutic relationship; people seeking mental health support and therapists wishing to provide it. Most of all, I like the ethical approach they have taken towards the business. Therapy is still a very difficult and often confusing service to access and unfortunately people still find it hard to find a therapist that’s right for them. Paranimo have accepted this challenge, head on, and carefully crafted a way of providing a quality product for matching the right client with the right therapist – which is so important for both parties. And the process is so simple! I honestly believe this will be a great way forward for growing my therapy practice and for those in need of mental health support.”
To find out more visit www.paranimo.co.uk
