ONLYhealing Wellness Partners at UPTH World Mental Health Day Symposium
Theme: Lived Experience Heard: Real Voices, Real Changes 12 October 2026 | University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital
15 October 2026
ONLYhealing Wellness was proud to partner with and attend the World Mental Health Day Symposium organized by the Department of Neuropsychiatry at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) on 12 October 2026. The symposium created an opportunity to bring people together around an important message: mental health conversations must make room for the voices and experiences of the people who live them.
The theme, “Lived Experience Heard: Real voices, Real changes,” reminds us that mental health awareness is not only about sharing information. It is also about listening with empathy, recognizing people’s realities, challenging stigma, and creating environments where individuals can speak about their experiences without fear of judgment.
Why lived experience matters
Every mental health journey is personal. Listening to people with lived experience can deepen understanding, help communities respond with greater compassion, and encourage real-life conversations. When people are heard and treated with dignity, awareness can move beyond slogans and become a meaningful part of how families, institutions and communities support wellbeing.
Events like this symposium are valuable because they bring stakeholders together to reflect, learn, and strengthen the collective effort to make mental health a priority. They also reinforce the need for continued public education, accessible support and open conversations that reduce shame and misinformation.
We appreciate the Department of Neuropsychiatry at UPTH for organizing the symposium and creating space for this important conversation. We also recognize the other participating organizations and advocates whose presence contributes to a broader, more collaborative mental health movement.
ONLYhealing Wellness and fellow mental health advocates at the symposium.
Taking the message beyond the event
The impact of World Mental Health Day should continue long after the program ends. We can all contribute by checking in on one another, listening without dismissing people’s concerns, sharing reliable mental health information, and encouraging anyone who needs support to seek appropriate help.
At ONLYhealing Wellness, we believe that meaningful change begins when people are seen, heard, and supported. We remain committed to helping build a culture where mental health is discussed openly, compassion is practiced consistently, and seeking help is met with understanding rather than stigma.
A shared commitment to real change
Our partnership and attendance at the UPTH symposium reminded us that mental health advocacy is a shared responsibility. By listening to lived experiences, working across organizations, and continuing public education, we can help create communities where people feel safer speaking up and finding support.
Lived Experience Heard. Real Voices. Real Changes.
ONLYhealing Wellness
Healing minds. Transforming lives.