On Friday, May 12, and Thursday, July 13, the Winter Park Health Foundation hosted Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW) at its Center for Health & Wellbeing for a series of Mental Health Skillshops for community members invested in the health and wellness of their communities. Hosted by Dwight Bain, Mental Health Counselor and Founder of The LifeWorks Group Inc., these skillshops empowered attendees with tools and skills to lead impactful discussions around mental wellness for rapid stress reduction. Attendees also learned ways to support those around them, including colleagues, family members, and friends. Bain also advised on ways to develop coping mechanisms, including learning ways to manage stress and navigate the post-COVID-19 fog.

“In this community, there’s a lot of stress, a lot of burnout and there’s not enough mental health workers,” HFUW CEO Jeff Hayward said. “If someone said to you in passing, my family would be a lot better off without me, do you know what to say,” he questioned. “What if you say the wrong thing?”

Tickets to these half-day-long skillshops were just $9.88 in commemoration of the 988 crisis line, a national public resource that connects those in need to crisis counselors 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The new, easier-to-dial 988 replaced 1-800-273-TALK, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, in July o 2022. Learn more about HFUW’s mental wellness initiatives, including upcoming skillshops, at www.HFUW.org.