World Mental Health Day is Saturday, Oct. 10, and this year’s theme is easy to act on: “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.”

The World Federation for Mental Health, which created the day and sets its theme each year, announced the theme in August. The federation says real progress in mental health depends on working closely with people who have lived it, and that listening is only the beginning. It is asking governments, organizations and communities to give people with lived experience a genuine platform to be heard.

The numbers behind the theme

Last September, the WHO reported that more than 1 billion people are living with mental health disorders. Anxiety and depression are the most common. They show up in every country and at every income level and age, and they are the second biggest cause of long-term disability worldwide. The same report found that investment in mental health has stagnated and that access to care is still uneven, even as telehealth becomes more available.

A free conversation, close to home

Being heard starts with having someone to talk to. In Nova Scotia, adults can book a free one-to-one counselling session through Access Wellness, which is provided by TELUS Health and administered by Nova Scotia Health.

The service covers everyday concerns such as anxiety, job loss, grief, relationship issues and substance use. Sessions can be held online, by phone, or in person in Halifax, Sydney, Kentville and New Glasgow. Couples and families can book together as long as everyone is 18 or older, and having private health coverage doesn’t rule you out. The counsellor listens, helps you work through what’s weighing on you, offers strategies for handling it, and can tell you about other services that might help. The service is in English and French.

Access Wellness is a free short term counselling service, so it can be a great way to get started. People who need ongoing or more specialized care can be pointed toward other services.

“You don’t have to wait until you’re in a crisis to seek support,” said Rachita Narang, a counsellor with Access Wellness. “Crisis services are incredibly important and necessary, but counselling does not have to be the last resort. If something is affecting your well-being, causing stress, or making day-to-day more difficult, that’s reason enough to reach out.”

To book, call 1-833-691-2282, seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., or visit accesswellnessnovascotia.ca.

If you need support right now

Access Wellness is for support, though appointments can usually be scheduled within 48 hours, and always within 5 days. There is no waitlist for Access Wellness.

Call or text 988 any time, day or night, if you or someone you know is in crisis. In Nova Scotia, the Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line is 1-888-429-8167 and runs 24 hours a day. The province keeps a full list of supports at novascotia.ca/mental-health-and-wellbeing.

What to do on Saturday

You don’t need an event or a hashtag. Ask someone how they’re doing, and then let the answer take as long as it takes. If you’re the one who has been meaning to say something out loud, Saturday is as good a day as any.

Access Wellness is funded by Nova Scotia Health and provided by TELUS Health.