Katarzyna Debowska

My 31 Miles in August challenge

Those who know me know that I’m not particularly active on social media. I post once in a blue moon, but this time I have a good reason. 😊

I’m taking on the 31 Miles in a Month challenge for Mental Health UK.

To be fair, 31 miles itself isn’t a huge challenge for me. I haven’t had much space for exercise lately, I drive pretty much everywhere, and somehow I still seem to do a fair amount of walking.

But this isn’t really about the miles.

I’m doing this challenge because I strongly believe that we need to talk about mental health.

I’m a psychologist and therapist, and every day I work with people facing all sorts of difficulties. And of course, we all struggle with something. Not everyone needs therapy, and therapy isn’t necessary for every difficult period in our lives.

But sometimes life becomes heavier than we can manage. Sometimes our past hasn’t given us the tools we need to cope with what is happening now. And sometimes it’s difficult to notice the moment when we cross that line between “I’m having a hard time” and genuine emotional distress, helplessness and loneliness.

And often, that’s exactly when asking for help becomes the hardest.

That’s why we need to talk openly about mental health. We need education, healthy relationships and safe spaces where people can find support without shame or judgement.

And that’s what this challenge is about — starting conversations, but also raising money to provide real support for people who need it.

So, if you’ve made it all the way through this exceptionally rare post from me 😉, please consider donating a few pounds to Mental Health UK if you can. Every donation makes a difference.

And I’ll get on with my miles. 🚶‍♀️❤️