In a world that moves faster than ever, it’s easy to forget one simple truth — we thrive when we are connected: to ourselves, to one another, and to the earth that sustains us.

This #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, the South African Association for Counselling Psychology (SAACP) invites us to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the rituals that ground us in joy, gratitude, and belonging.

Because mental health is more than the absence of illness — it is the presence of connection and community.

Read more below:

“Rooted in Connection: Honouring Mental Health Awareness Month”

The South African Association for Counselling Psychology (SAACP)

The Disconnected World We Live In

In today’s always-on, information-saturated world, it is easy to forget what humanity has always known: we thrive when we are connected – to ourselves, to one another, and to the earth that sustains us

“Sometimes our comfort becomes our enemy — disconnecting us from the earth, the people who grow our food, and the rituals that once nourished us deeply.”

Why Connection Matters for Mental Health

Mental health is not only about the absence of illness. It is also about the presence of belonging. Across cultures and generations, humans have found healing and meaning through:

• Storytelling
• Shared rituals
• Practices of gratitude and presence

Belonging is central to wellbeing – shaping how we sustain relationships with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us

Reclaiming Rituals of Wellbeing

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we are invited to:

• Pause and become still
• Slow down and breathe mindfully
• Reconnect with rituals that ground us in joy and gratitude
• Practice self-compassion, intimacy, and rest

These are not luxuries. They are practices that root us back into what is sustainable – for our health, our relationships, and our planet.

“We are asked to step away from an identity built on performance and rediscover joy in knowing we are worthy – simply by being human.”

A Question to Carry With You

What small ritual could you weave into today?

• Gratitude for your food?
• A moment of mindful breath?
• A practice of self-kindness?

Sometimes, it is in these simple, repeated acts that we rebuild connection and belonging.

For more information and resources

 The Wellbeing in Higher Education Network (WHEN) is a coalition of richly diverse, leading higher education institutions and organizations that are committed to catalyzing a culture of inner wellbeing within the social change education field. We believe that a flourishing life arises from the integration of well-being, contemplation, and social innovation, and that it occurs via engagement within ourselves, in our relationships, and with the world. When successful, it has the power to positively change individuals, communities, and societies.