{"id":4514,"date":"2026-01-29T15:01:33","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/?p=4514"},"modified":"2026-01-29T15:42:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:42:14","slug":"6-tips-for-supporting-someone-who-opens-up-about-their-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/2026\/01\/29\/6-tips-for-supporting-someone-who-opens-up-about-their-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"6 tips for supporting someone who opens up about their mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Talking about mental health isn\u2019t always easy \u2013 so being a calm, compassionate listener can make a real difference to someone who\u2019s struggling.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Here are six practical tips to help you support someone who starts a conversation about their mental health shared by\u00a0Rachael<\/span>\u00a0Rice<\/span>, Student Adviser (Mental Health and Autism) at Teesside University.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Home\"<\/p>\n

1. Create a safe, comfortable space<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

When someone opens up, the most important thing you can do is try to make them feel comfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can create a safe space physically by choosing a calm and private environment for your conversation. You can also make someone feel at ease by clearly communicating that you\u2019re here to listen to and support them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Speech<\/p>\n

2. Listen without judgement<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to have the perfect response. What matters most is listening with patience and empathy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Give them time to express themselves and avoid interrupting or rushing to offer solutions. Simply showing that you\u2019re present and willing to listen can be incredibly reassuring.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Thumbs<\/p>\n

3. Validate their feelings<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

It can be tempting to reassure someone by saying things like \u201cdon\u2019t worry\u201d or \u201cyou\u2019ll be fine\u201d but these phrases can sometimes make people feel dismissed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, try to acknowledge their experience. Let them know their feelings are valid, even if you don\u2019t fully understand or relate to what they\u2019re going through.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Directions\"<\/p>\n

4. Explore support options together<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to have all of the answers. You can explore different kinds of support together, whether it be wellbeing activities or professional services.<\/span><\/p>\n

Helping someone to think about their next steps can have a significant impact on how they\u2019re feeling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

5. Stay connected<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A single conversation can mean a lot, but ongoing support can make an even bigger difference.<\/span><\/p>\n

Checking in or arranging a follow\u2011up chat can help someone feel less alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

6. Look after yourself<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

When someone you care about opens up about their struggles, it can be difficult and upsetting for you too.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important that you keep making time for yourself and looking after your own mental wellbeing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Supporting someone who opens up about their mental health is a meaningful act of care. You don\u2019t need to be an expert \u2013 just being present, patient, and compassionate can have a real impact.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you know a Teesside University student who needs support, encourage them to get in touch with the Student Life team<\/a> to speak to someone and make an appointment. They can also access confidential support 24\/7 through the Student Assistance Programme<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

For urgent help<\/a>, call the emergency services on 999.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

You may be interested in this blog<\/a> about how to start a conversation about your mental health.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Talking about mental health isn\u2019t always easy \u2013 so being a calm, compassionate listener can make a real difference to someone who\u2019s struggling. Here are six practical tips to help you support someone who starts a conversation about their mental health shared by\u00a0Rachael\u00a0Rice, Student Adviser (Mental Health and Autism) at Teesside University. 1. Create a … Continue reading “6 tips for supporting someone who opens up about their mental health”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25094,"featured_media":4525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[102,257,12],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2026\/01\/Untitled-7.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4514"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25094"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4514"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4514\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4527,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4514\/revisions\/4527"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}