Child's plight with mental health struggles gives Highland's mum inspiration to help others
International Women's Day takes place on March 8. To mark they occasion we are celebrating the stories of incredible women in the Highlands. Meet Donna:
It is said that the hardest part of being a parent is watching a child go through pain and suffering and not being able to fix it for them.
When Donna Brady’s son went through a period of poor mental health she did everything that she could to help him. She was in the fortunate position to have the support of friends and family around her to help her with this, as she helped him as best she could.
After three years of ordeal, Donna’s son entered recovery and after her family's personal experience she felt compelled to do something to support others in a similar position, who may not have access to the same help she did – so she became a volunteer at Mikeysline.
Donna explained more: “I was very fortunate to have the support of friends, family and the wider community around me during the experience with my son, however I was aware that not everyone is in this position, and I wanted to put my lived experience to good use.
“I joined Mikeysline as a textline volunteer three years ago, during the first lockdown.
“I spent three months training from home before my first textline shift, and spent one year as a volunteer.”
After this year, Donna decided to apply to become a member of staff at Mikeysline; for the last two years she has been working as a support worker at the Inverness Hive.
She sees people for appointments, offering them support and signposting them to other relevant services. For Donna, there is nothing like a good conversation to help people who feel like they are alone.
She said: “Being able to be there for someone and just listen to them when they are struggling can do so much for them.”
Donna is particularly passionate about helping other women, who are experiencing struggles in life. She said: “There is a saying ‘when women support women, incredible things happen’, which rings very true to me.
“Women connect on so many levels, due to their shared roles as mothers, wives, sisters, partners, daughters, and all the responsibilities and experiences that we share.
“There is a huge variation of issues that women seek support for, from mothers of children experiencing mental health issues to relationship problems to drug and alcohol dependency and young people in need of support. Each woman that comes through the door has different needs, but they all benefit from the power of a good chat.”
Explaining more about the work that she and the team at Mikeysline do, Donna said: “There are substantial benefits to be gained from peer support.
“We provide a safe, non-judgmental space to have open and honest discussions that might be more difficult with those we are closest to.
“Being able to really take time to listen and make women feel empowered is a huge privilege and one I don’t take lightly.”
One in five women struggle with their mental health. You don’t have to struggle in silence, text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55.
