The most valuable thing is how the cards show that there isn't one single thing that helps me (or anyone), instead there are many that can help in all sorts of ways, and rather than being rigid and regimented, it's good to shake things up and throw anything and everything at the problem. There are some big themes in the cards: getting back in your body by doing physical things, connecting with others, doing creative work such as writing and speaking, along with common sense stuff such as going to bed early.

When I meet people I like to ask “How are you doing today?” rather than “How are you doing?” as I think it takes away the pressure for the person to find a “satisfying” answer to what can otherwise be an overwhelming question. Especially for people with anxiety like me, when someone asks how I am doing, I immediately panic and try to find a non-upsetting answer. For me this small difference in phrasing makes a huge difference for me.

There are a lot of skills people can learn to help cope with panic attacks, and it’s up to each person to try them out and see what methods work for them. I practice the skills when I’m not having a panic attack, in order to train myself for when an attack does happen. When I started learning these skills I tried to do them 3 or 4 times a day. 

I run a very open office. Mental health comes into play, daily, and sometimes people want to talk about it, other times not. That's absolutely fine. We are currently implementing mental health days into our contracts. You shouldn’t have to pretend you have the flu if you are struggling.