Providing a safe space to talk openly… that’s what Team Talk is all about at Derby County Community Trust. But the idea of socialising and interacting with others can be a daunting process for those who are struggling with their mental health.

People such as Dan, aged 32, who has Social Anxiety Disorder. There’s an overwhelming fear of social situations like meeting or speaking to people.

So how did Dan get involved in the programme? It all started when Dan felt like he needed more support in his life, with his mental health. ‘’I started to see a therapist for my problems and because I was struggling with Social Anxiety Disorder, I needed that extra bit of help. I had to give up work due to my mental health and my therapist started to get concerned I wasn’t getting the social interaction.’’

It wasn’t always going to be easy for Dan to change this, but there was always something telling him he would gain long-term by doing so. Dan said ‘’I had depression and lack of self-esteem and sometimes you must test your own fears. Often your brain makes things seem worse than what they are.’’

It was at this point Dan started to look at his options. Dan said ‘’ I’m a Derby season ticket holder, so I was already aware of what the Trust do. At first, I wasn’t sure about going to Team Talk. I was incredibly nervous when I got here. One of the things with SAD is that it means you try and avoid doing things and interaction. So I emailed Lucas before I arrived, and he was able to ease concerns that I had. He took me to one side and made sure I was as comfortable as I can be’’.

With support from the very first session, Dan knew he was in the right place: ‘I slowly started to introduce myself to people and, in a judgement,-free environment. I didn’t have to give a reason why I was here, but they still made me feel welcome’’.

One session turned into two, and two soon turned into weekly sessions for Dan. Each week he started to come out of his shell and open up more about his struggles. ‘’It was massive for me to come here weekly. I knew I could turn up and interact and if I hadn’t done anything else in the week, I knew coming here was an achievement.’’

It wasn’t just about talking about his mental health, but general interaction with others and playing games really helped Dan to supress the social anxiety. ‘’ You just be yourself and you not only start to see a difference in yourself but those around you too’’.

Dan feels Team Talk is more than just a group, saying ‘’It’s a men’s mental health group, but not a crisis group… it’s up to you what you share. Everyone’s made good progress and it’s created a bit of a community here and it’s very welcoming.’’

After taking the steps to get further help, Dan wishes he had only been able to do it sooner: ‘’I realised I went through a lot of pain that was treatable, if I just had the right support in place and opened about my problems at the time. Team Talk has been a massive part of that journey, and now I am making progress’’.

Dan has come a long way with Team Talk. He’s built his confidence and far away from the anxious person that first walked through the doors. He’s bounced back even stronger with new aims for the future.

He is now back working, with a career supporting others with their mental health. ‘’I have completed my first month back in a new job and now help young people with their mental health. It’s something new to me and I have never done it before, but now I get to see the other side of mental health. I sometimes see myself in people and I try and give them the help I needed at the time. This programme has given me the confidence to push myself and start looking for a new career, after so long out from work.’’

Team Talk continues to be a positive aspect in Dan life, and he believes it can have an impact for anyone who might be struggling: ‘’regardless of what your mental health problems are, I would recommend this programme to anyone who is struggling. The hardest thing is walking through the door, but I encourage people to do it''.

To get involved and to find out more about Team Talk, click below!

TEAM TALK