Sir John Kirwan advocates for more open, preventative conversations about mental health, arguing we should notice and ask about small signs before problems escalate. He references Groove, a business he co-created five years ago, which aims to change the dialogue away from crisis-focused questions (depression/anxiety) toward everyday check-ins and honest, low-stakes sharing at work and in daily life.
You know, and I think the world is pushing us all to think about ourselves. But if you're genuinely curious about someone, then you'll ask them, you know, good questions. And one of the things that we're trying to do, especially at Groove, which is a business that I co created five years ago, is we're trying to change the dialogue and trying to think about preventative mental health. But also we're trying to open a discussion that is not about how unwell you are or are you depressed? Right? Because most of the time we talk about depression and anxiety, it's already too late. It's ambulance, bottom of the. But how do I talk to you today? And how do I say, you know, are you okay, mate? And you won't give me the normal, yeah, I'm all good, mate, you know, good, bro. Or you go, I'm a bit flat today. Well, you need anything? Help? No, no, it's all good, you know, whatever. So you don't have to bring your whole self to work. Right. But you do. We do have to start opening up a little bit more about how we actually are.
