Prioritizing and talking openly about mental health is all the more important, especially in the aftermath of the global Covid-19 pandemic, noted a psychological therapist at a forum hosted by the World Innovation Summit for health (WISH), the Qatar Foundation (QF) global health initiative.

Nimo Omer, psychologist at the Doha-based International Medical Center (IMC), said: “Creating an environment in which people feel safe is essential because when we do, it’s easier to talk about concerns without fear. , which in turn increases access to support. This is backed up by strong evidence which clearly shows that workplaces with higher levels of mental well-being are more productive – up to 12%. “
Omer was speaking at the first of three workshops which include a new series on ‘Cultivating Emotional Well-being’, developed specifically for all QF staff. The series is designed to raise awareness and promote psychological well-being, build resilience and improve quality of life in and outside the workplace.
The first session focused on explaining and understanding the concept of emotional hygiene: paying attention to your psychological health and adopting simple daily habits to monitor and treat psychological injuries.
Omer stressed the importance of adopting good emotional hygiene practices and said “we truly flourish psychologically once we understand and deal with uncomfortable emotions using compassion, openness and curiosity.”
The workshop discussed many ways to cultivate emotional and psychological resilience to enhance emotional agility.
“Recognizing your inner experiences and connecting with your body in the moment is essential when you are going through a difficult time. Just taking three minutes to do a deep breathing exercise can help us anchor ourselves so that we can deal with a stressful situation, without letting negative emotions build up, ”Omer noted.
Omer has extensive experience in the treatment of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. She also works with people and couples with other emotional and behavioral challenges, including depression, anxiety, phobias, and eating disorders.
Sultana Afdhal, CEO of WISH, commented: “As we celebrate the fact that prioritizing mental health continues to gain global recognition, we have all seen the toll that the events of the past two years have had on our well- be collective. .
“At WISH, we have a strong focus on mental health research, and we wanted to expand it to have a positive impact on the entire QF team. As a community, we have a specific set of challenges and challenges. ‘experiences, so we wanted to deliver a tailor-made program that sought to address these issues for the benefit of our colleagues, and therefore our workplace.
Over the next few weeks, the second workshop will focus on raising awareness and understanding the challenges faced by parents or people in a caregiving role. The third will examine how to create emotional and psychological well-being, manage stress and anxiety, support colleagues, and build stronger relationships at work.