Trevi gets ready for a social media takeover for Mental Health Awareness Week

Trevi, the leading women’s charity in the South West, is handing over the reins to its social media to a brand-new Instagram Army for Mental Health Awareness Week which takes place this week, 10-16th May.

Trevi has been working with a group of social media influencers over the past month to prepare a special week of Instagram takeovers, with influencers such as Part Time Working Mummy, Georgia Millie and itsokay.needtotalk poised to go live and talk about mental health and their own self-care tips.

The aim is to reach as many people as possible and to open up the conversation on mental health so that people who may be struggling at this time can know they are not alone, that it is ok not to be ok, and also to discover a range of self-care techniques. Trevi also wants to get across the message to ‘open your eyes’ – raising awareness of those who may appear to be ok on the outside but actually need help and support. The charity wants to encourage people to ask, ‘are you ok?’ twice.

Mental Health Awareness Week is hosted every year by the Mental Health Foundation. This year the theme is nature. Trevi has a special Influencer, Wild Heather, @theimperfectlyperfectlife, who will be specifically talking about how she incorporates connecting with nature into her own self-care.

Trevi operates a Sunflower Women’s Centre in the community which provides a safe hub for connection and hope. Sunflower offers a wrap-around therapeutic service for any woman in need. The charity has been receiving 15 new referrals every day over the past year. The total number of women now registered with its Sunflower Women’s Centre has exceeded 700.

Trevi’s compassionate and aspirational team of Sunflower Practitioners ensures a personalised package of support which includes accredited training such as Heal and Thrive, group work, counselling, creative therapies, drop-in women’s space, fitness classes, parenting support, peer mentoring and much more.

Pre-pandemic, around one in five women experienced a common mental health problem such as anxiety however that figure has increased significantly since Covid-19 hit. Many of the UK’s most vulnerable women face a cross-section of disadvantages, including homelessness, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and low self-esteem.

During the pandemic, Trevi’s Sunflower Practitioners have observed a rise in women in crisis: they have reported a rise in issues relating to mental ill health including suicide attempts, social isolation – to the extreme where women are paralysed and cannot move outside of their house – and domestic abuse. Therefore, it is more important than ever to raise awareness of mental health and promote positive self-care techniques.

Carrie Tecza, Social Media Officer and Peer Mentor Coordinator, who has coordinated the Trevi social media takeover for Mental Health Awareness Week says: ‘It’s incredibly important to be aware of your mental health. This year we wanted to bring our followers real, everyday women to give their ideas on how they manage their mental health. A social media takeover allows us to give a face to our social media. Trevi is a charity that supports hundreds of women every year – it’s important that we show that we are not just one face.’

Sister influencers, Paige and Coral, @itsokay.needtotalk, who will be taking over Trevi’s social media on Tuesday, stated: ‘We are so honoured and excited to take part in Trevi’s “Open Your Eyes to Mental Health Takeover!” We are advocates for positive mental health and devoted to connecting people with the support they need and deserve. Trevi shares our ethos and we couldn’t be prouder of the work they do to bring about change for women and families.’

To keep to up-to-date with Trevi’s takeover event, please follow https://www.instagram.com/treviwomen