World Mental Health Day: Holding Space in an Unsteady World

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC | Founder, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.

As the crisp air of autumn settles in, we begin to turn inward, toward reflection, change, and preparation for the long season ahead.

Each year on October 10, the world comes together to recognize World Mental Health Day.  This is an opportunity to raise awareness, break stigma, and speak openly about the mental health needs of individuals, families, and entire communities around the globe.

But this year feels different. Heavier.  More urgent. Not because we’re less aware but, because we’re more aware than ever before, and the systems meant to support us haven’t kept pace.

Mental Health in 2025: A World Feeling the Strain

Globally, we are navigating a mental health crisis.  Not simply because more people are struggling, but because our world is shifting in ways that feel deeply unstable, and people are reaching for meaning, safety, and connection in a landscape that often offers the opposite.

We are witnessing:

·       🌍 Conflict and displacement, with millions forced from their homes due to war, persecution, or climate catastrophe

·       🌡️ Environmental anxiety, especially among younger generations who wonder what kind of planet they will inherit

·       🧱 Dismantling of public trust in systems and institutions—healthcare, education, religion, politics—once considered pillars of society

·       ✊🏾 The emergence of long-overdue social justice movements like Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, as survivors and marginalized groups finally find space to name their truth

·       ⚖️ Ongoing systemic inequities that impact Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, LGBTQ2IA+ individuals, and neurodiverse populations

·       💰 Widening financial disparity, poverty, and barriers to care

·       💬 Persistent stigma around mental health in certain cultures, generations, and professions

The impact? We are collectively carrying unprocessed grief, chronic uncertainty, vicarious trauma, and a sense that the ground beneath us is no longer firm.

The Emotional Fallout: Dysregulation, Despair, and Disconnection

As a therapist, I see it every day.

People are overwhelmed, not just by their individual circumstances, but by the state of the world.There’s a deep ache behind the eyes of many clients. 

Even the most grounded among us are reporting more:

·       Anxiety

·       Emotional exhaustion

·       Existential overwhelm

·       Difficulty focusing or finding joy

·       Trouble sleeping, socializing, or trusting

This isn’t just burnout. It’s a global grief response—to the losses we’ve experienced, the uncertainty we’ve lived through, and the change we know is still coming.

And for those already living with trauma, neurodivergence, or social marginalization, the load is even heavier.

A Personal Reflection: The Weight and the Work

I’ve carried many roles in my life—therapist, clinic director, mother of three boys, Oma, advocate, trauma survivor, and woman navigating the world as both healer and human.

There have been seasons where my own mental health felt fragile. Times when I was going through a divorce while attending post-secondary and raising neurodiverse sons. Times when I was holding space for my clients all day and returning home to overwhelm, grief, and guilt of my own.

But what I've learned—and what I hold onto—is that mental health is not about perfection or performance. It’s about staying in relationship with yourself, even when the world feels like it's spinning. It’s about asking: What do I need today? Who can help me carry it? Sometimes it’s just about breathing through the next five minutes and calling that success.

What We’re Doing at Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.

At Venture Counselling, we recognize that mental health care must respond not only to the individual, but to the context they live in.

We are committed to:

·       Offering trauma-informed, culturally aware care that acknowledges systemic harm

·       Holding space for neurodiverse clients, Indigenous families, survivors of violence, and those navigating marginalization

·       Working collaboratively with community partners and Indigenous bands through direct billing with NIHB and band funding

·       Staying current with evolving mental health research, training, and best practices

·       Providing low-barrier access wherever possible—including flexible scheduling, online therapy options, and compassionate intake processes

·       Encouraging staff wellness and debriefing, because those who care for others must also be cared for

We don’t have all the answers, but we are deeply committed to staying in the work, learning, and growing alongside our clients and our communities.

What You Can Do This World Mental Health Day

Mental health is a collective responsibility. While we each need individual care, it also takes community, policy, and compassion to truly support wellness for all.

This week, consider how you might contribute to a mentally healthier world:

·       💬 Talk openly about mental health with your children, co-workers, or elders

·       🧠 Take care of your own mental health with gentleness, not judgment

·       📚 Learn about how trauma, poverty, racism, and climate change affect wellness

·       💸 Donate to or support grassroots mental health initiatives in your region

·       ✍️ Write your MLA or MP about the need for universal mental health coverage in Canada

·       🤝 Ask someone how they’re really doing—and listen

·       🎨 Create space for joy, connection, and creativity—even if the world feels heavy

Final Thoughts

The truth is, we are not meant to navigate this world alone. We need safe spaces. We need real conversations. We need systems that honour both our suffering and our strength. And we need to believe in each other’s ability to heal, even when the world is messy, even when it feels too big, even when it hurts.

At Venture, we hold this belief close to our hearts. We believe in your capacity to grow, to heal, to rise, and we’re honoured to walk beside you on that journey—wherever it begins.

Holding space for your story, your struggle, and your strength,

Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC

Founder & Clinical Counsellor, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.