Sun Life Commemorates National Mental Health Week

Sun Life Philippines joined the country in commemorating National Mental Health Week last October 10 to 14 with a series of activities for its employees and the general public.

The week commenced with Sun Life employees heeding the Philippine Mental Health Association’s (PMHA) call to wear blue, the color for mental health. To encourage more people to support the cause, Sun Life encouraged employees to share their photos on Workplace, its internal collaboration platform, along with their reflections on why mental health matters and how they take care of it.

Online consultations on mental health concerns were also conducted for free, while automated calendar reminders prompted everyone to take a break and do breathing exercises every day at 3 pm.

Sun Life likewise released Safe Space, a webinar series that it created in collaboration with PMHA, on its YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/SunLifePH). Safe Space features experts discussing issues that Filipinos are facing in the present, as well as practical ways to cope with the triggers that affect their mental health. Session 1, entitled “Love ’em, Hate ’em, Stress ’em: Mental Wellness for the Family,” delves into family dynamics and features PMHA Resource Speaker Dr. Sheila Marie Hocson and social anthropologist John Gappy. Session 2, entitled “Imperfect Balance: How Mental Wellness Bridges Work and Life,” tackles the new work set-up with PMHA National Executive Director Dr. Carolina Uno-Rayco and Gappy leading the discussion. Meanwhile, Session 3 delves into health beyond fitness with “You are Worth It: Illuminating a Path towards Holistic Health” featuring PMHA Lifetime Member Dr. Eric Marc Reyes and Gappy.

Moreover, PMHA’s awareness campaign and events were also promoted on Sun Life’s social media assets as a show of solidarity for the cause.

Advocating mental health aligns with Sun Life’s goal of helping Filipinos live healthier lives, given its importance in the pursuit of a brighter future.