“Listen to the person and be there.” See how the point of psychological assistance in the Minsk shopping center works

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. On the eve of this date, events and trainings for children and adults will be held throughout Belarus. One of the forms of work of psychologists is the provision of advice directly in shopping centers. We saw how such a point works in the Minsk shopping center "Capital".

Today, experts of the Minsk City Social and Pedagogical Center Yulia Volskaya and Kristina Konopatskaya are ready to listen and help everyone. On the big screen, a video is broadcast in which visitors to the shopping center are told where and how to get help. A banner with the words “We are near” attracts attention and eloquently voices the main goal, says Kristina Konopatskaya:

- Sometimes, to help cope with a crisis situation, it is enough just to listen to the person and be there. Therefore, on Tuesdays and Fridays, the specialists of the center come to the shopping center and consult everyone for free. Most often, teenagers and their parents turn to us: difficult relationships with peers, misunderstandings between adults and children - we give advice on how to act in such situations. This is not therapy, but rather an express consultation to help cope with feelings, relieve tension.

Specialists also developed booklets with helplines and emergency psychological assistance, work exercises for self-relief of tension in a stressful situation, adds Julia Volskaya:

- For children, the Health Committee of the Minsk City Executive Committee has developed a chatbot “Territory of Trust”. If a child is afraid to contact a psychologist directly, you can write a bot and anonymously get help. For moms and dads on the website of the center there is an information block "Modern parent". There are collected tips on education, crisis management, addresses and contacts of psychological care centers.

Experts remind: if you feel unwell, anxious or going through difficult times, do not be alone with your thoughts. There are people ready to listen and support, to help cope with the situation. You can contact the staff of psychological centers or call the single number of emergency psychological assistance 133. Calls are received around the clock. It's free and anonymous.