Mental health isn’t a fixed or static state, it moves back and forth across an individual’s personal range in response to different events that are happening in life. In recognising this complexity Beyond Blue have launched a mental health coaching program to support small business owners across Australia called NewAccess. 

NewAccess for Small Business Owners is a free six-week program that offers support by trained mental health coaches who have background in small business. 

It’s delivered confidentially via phone or video call and is designed for people who might not otherwise seek support for their mental health.  

Xero, Cloud based accounting software has been in partnership to provide a learning course as part of this initiative to deliver small business advisors like us, training to be equipped to help support small business owners and who to refer them to for more support. 

Depending on the type of small business that you have, these challenges may include:  

• Regularly putting in long hours and working intensely to meet the demands of your business. 
• Afterhours boundaries being blurred between work and home.  
• Feeling isolated with not always having someone to share business worries with or with someone who can understand the demands. 
• Managing ongoing cash flow and financial issues, including chasing invoices and feeling concerned over where the next job is coming from.  
• Having multiple roles. 
• Feeling responsible to yourself and to others such as family and employees. 

If you want to learn more about the program, here are a some resources:

New Access Program

Beyond Blue – Mental Health at Work