Mental ill-health and the power of words
The language used to talk about mental ill-health can play a key role in reducing or enforcing stigma. And it's constantly evolving. But what terms should be used and when? And by whom? The wrong word can not only deeply hurt a person's feelings. It can end careers, destroy relationships, cut access to support systems. This special World Mental Health Day PsychTalks event was presented by the Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network (MISRA), the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, and the Melbourne School of Global and Population Health, with the support of SANE’s StigmaWatch program. Speakers Professor Nicola Reavley Principal Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health Dr Michelle Blanchard Chief Executive Officer of VANISH, Honorary Senior Fellow in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne Professor Nick Haslam Professor of Psychology, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences Fay Jackson General Manager of Inclusion at Flourish Australia Sandy Jeffs Author and poet, advocate in the mental health system for many years Dr Chris Groot (host) Senior Lecturer in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
May 6, 2025
53 min
12 of 248
May 6, 2025
Mental ill-health and the power of words
0:00 / 53:28
Excerpt playback isn’t available for this episode — use the full-episode link.
Search the Record
Moment search isn’t open for this episode yet
When it opens, you’ll be able to type any phrase and jump straight to the second it was said.
Progressive Liberal Party Episodes Around May 6, 2025
Episode 12 of 248 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
Mental ill-health and the power of words
Summary
<p>The language used to talk about mental ill-health can play a key role in reducing or enforcing stigma. And it's constantly evolving. But what terms should be used and when? And by whom? The wrong word can not only deeply hurt a person's feelings. It can end careers, destroy relationships, cut access to support systems. This special World Mental Health Day PsychTalks event was presented by <a href="https://psychologicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/research/mental-ill-health-stigma-researchers-australia" target="_blank">the Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network (MISRA</a>), <a href="https://psychologicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/" target="_blank">the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences</a>, and <a href="https://mspgh.unimelb.edu.au/" target="_blank">the Melbourne School of Global and Population Health</a>, with the support of <a href="https://www.sane.org/get-involved/advocacy/stigmawatch" target="_blank">SANE’s StigmaWatch program</a>.</p><p>Speakers</p><p>Professor Nicola ReavleyPrincipal Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health</p><p><a href="https://vanish.org.au/our-people/">Dr Michelle Blanchard</a>Chief Executive Officer of VANISH, Honorary Senior Fellow in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne</p><p><a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/6837-nicholas-haslam">Professor Nick Haslam</a>Professor of Psychology, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences</p><p><a href="https://www.flourishaustralia.org.au/">Fay Jackson</a>General Manager of Inclusion at Flourish Australia</p><p><a href="https://www.spinifexpress.com.au/sandyjeffs">Sandy Jeffs</a>Author and poet, advocate in the mental health system for many years</p><p><a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/180024-chris-groot">Dr Chris Groot</a> (host)Senior Lecturer in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne</p>