In the month of October till November 2022, our mental health neighbours in Publika, Mont Kiara (where we’re located!) had a Virtual Walk & Run event to celebrate World Mental Health Day in 2022. The World Mental Health Day was officially on the 10th October 2022 with the theme of ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’ – but we know that mental health matters every single day of the year.
The Inner Lynk is a team of licensed mental health professionals providing counselling for those experiencing difficulties with the one thing we can never part with as long as we’re alive… Our thoughts and emotions! Just like how we provide physiotherapy and chiropractic therapy for the body, The Inner Link provides mental health therapy for the soul, all in the greater Mont Kiara region. We’re honestly quite blessed to have them right around the corner from where we work in Publika and they have become our go-to referral for any clients we have who may be seeking a combined mind-body approach as they also work out the pains in their body with us.
No one bats an eyelid whenever someone says, “I need to see a physiotherapist for my knee pain,” but there is still an underlying stigma when someone says, “I think I need to see a psychologist for some mental health issues I’ve been facing.” As healthcare providers, our team is always open to encouraging those we come into contact with to see a psychologist for an evaluation if they are starting to find it difficult to work through their mental muddle.
Fun fact: Did you know that part of our assessment also includes understanding if a client has fear or anxiety regarding movement – called ‘fear avoidance behaviour’ in clinical research – and our physical treatment approaches are also scaffolded to address those issues?
It’s really no different from coming in for a consultation with a chiropractor or physiotherapist to figure out the cause of your physical pain – is it a muscle, joint, or nerve? – a psychological assessment helps you to identify where your weak links are and even (mental) exercises to perform to strengthen your resilience to face the storms of life. When we say ‘No man is an island’, we can also allude to meaning that our total health does not only depend on being able to move well but also on being able to adapt our thoughts and emotions competently.
With this goal of supporting our Mont Kiara therapy neighbours, our team member, Daphne, decided to participate in their event to achieve a goal of 30km in a single month. In her words, the reason why it is important for her to support mental health care and advocate for it is, “Most of us grew up in an environment and a culture that doesn’t communicate, or rather maybe it’s that they don’t know how to communicate because it just wasn’t the norm. And that results in suppressed emotions, miscommunications, misunderstandings and maybe even generational trauma. That’s why it’s important to talk about it, learn how to overcome these and it’s time we break the cycle and learn to communicate openly & effectively especially amongst the elder generation”.
Well said! Learning to communicate well with ourselves allows us to have better relationships with others.
If you have been experiencing mental health difficulties, please know that it is completely okay to ask for help. Always consult a registered and licensed mental health professional to make sure that you are getting the best evidence-based care for your needs, and if you are in a life threatening situation (or know of someone who might be), please contact the 24-hour hotlines Befrienders at 03-76272929 or Talian Kasih at 15999 for immediate help. In an emergency situation, call 999 or go to your nearest hospital.
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