Show 37 – Improving mental health support in rural communities – an interview with Melanie Costa.

” There’s an assumption that people living in rural areas have a lovely outlook. It’s all, picturesque, calm, and healing, when actually it can feel the opposite. It can feel like a prison and assumptions kill people..”

Melanie Costas is the Founder of Rural Health Matters Ltd  established in Dorset in 2019 to provide a more equitable, inclusive and accessible mental health service that’s visible in rural communities.

In this frank and eye-opening conversation, Melanie explains how Dorset has a 46% rural population and the problems this county faces relating to isolation, accessing public transport to attend mental health support sessions – assuming you know where to find these – and the discrimination and lack of parity faced, when it comes to accessing adequate, preventative services, is also reflected in other rural communities around the country.

Don’t miss this important conversation about a community that many of us living in more urban populations need to understand more about.

If you are living in a rural community and struggling to find support for your mental health, you can access the Hub of Hope via this link and enter your postcode to find services close to you.

Listen to the entire show below, including music tracks specially chosen by Melanie

Listen to the show via Yowah Radio’s Podbean channel – this version is the interview only and no music

Listen to our previous shows

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