Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 19
Following Up
Shows It Was
Genuine
One conversation
can be important, but
meaningful support
rarely ends there.
Helping Someone Find Their Next Step
A supportive
conversation is not
about taking control. It is
about helping someone
consider what might
make their situation
more manageable.
R U OK? suggests asking
questions such as:
“What has helped you in
the past?”
“How would you like me
to support you?”
“Is there something you
could do today that
might help?”
These questions
recognise that the
person may already
have coping strategies,
supportive relationships
or practical ideas they
can draw upon.
Checking in again
demonstrates that
the original question
was not simply
a polite gesture.
It shows that the
person has not
been forgotten and
that you remain
interested in how
they are going.
When someone is
really struggling, the
conversation may also
provide a bridge to
professional support.
You might encourage
them to speak with
their GP or a mental
health professional,
or offer practical
assistance such as
helping them 昀椀nd a
service or book an
appointment.
A follow up might
be as simple as
sending a message,
making a phone call
or inviting them for
coffee. You could ask
whether they have
taken the step they
were considering or
whether anything
has changed since
you last spoke.
The role of a friend
or colleague is not
to diagnose, counsel
or assume sole
responsibility for
another person’s
wellbeing. It is to listen,
encourage appropriate
action and help them
stay connected
with support.
Ongoing contact
can be particularly
valuable when
someone is facing
a continuing
challenge.
It reinforces
connection while
allowing support
to be offered
in manageable,
everyday ways.
