Time to Talk Day is 6 February

This fabulous initiative is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, supported by the Co-op. Once again, we’re extending an open invitation to visit us in Teddington for pony cuddles, a cuppa, and good company.

Naomi Ghafoor is a mental health activist, horse fanatic and regular RDA participant, who has first-hand experience of horses helping her own mental wellbeing. She explains why this day is special, for her and for us:

Last year’s #TimeToTalkDay at Park Lane Stables was so uplifting, and showed how inclusive and accepting our local community is, particularly when it comes to talking about mental health.

We had dozens of visitors who joined us for a tea, pony cuddle and a chat. There was (and is) no pressure or expectation to talk about mental health, we just provided a safe space to do so for anyone who wanted to. As it turned out, many visitors really connected with one another and spoke openly about their struggles, touching on topics such as grief, nostalgia, body image and isolation.

Simply providing space for people to come along as their true selves, with no need to pretend to be okay, and having the support from the team and volunteers on the day to offload or access support felt rewarding for all involved. It also showed the power of community and the importance of having open conversations about mental health. After all, 1 in 4 of us will experience mental health difficulties in each year. That’s 1 in 4 of your friends and family members, people all around you who could be finding it difficult to open up about their problems and for whom a first positive step may be about finding time (and space) to talk.

One conversation can help someone turn a corner

I’ve had my own challenges with mental health and neurodivergence, and Park Lane Stables has always felt like a safe space where I can show up and be accepted, regardless of how I’m feeling.

Poor mental health can be very isolating and I often feel worried about burdening others with my difficulties, but I truly believe that building connections with people who can relate and being able to truthfully say “actually, I’m not okay right now” can feel like a huge weight lifted. It’s why I’m passionate about working with Park Lane and the RDA to foster open conversations around it.

It’s taken a long time for me to feel comfortable talking about my mental health problems, due to both internal shame and the stigma surrounding mental health that sadly still exists, but being honest and sharing my difficulties to help others has been transformative for me. Spending time at the stables, with its intuitive horses and wonderful humans, also helps keep me on an even keel. 

Our #TimeToTalkDay event is a perfect example of Park Lane’s ethos in practice. It’s about community building, mutual acceptance and celebrating what we can do. Do join us if you can!

Time to Talk Day is a joint initiative by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and supported by the Co-op. It’s ‘the UK’s biggest mental health conversation’, with events all over the country

Read Naomi’s blog post  A very personal story of how horses have helped my struggles with mental health