how small-business owners are looking after their mental health

You’re probably sick of hearing the phrase, “New year, new me!” The pressure to kick goals and transform your life in January can be overwhelming for anyone, but it feels particularly stressful for small-business owners. After all, you probably spent November prepping for the holiday sales period, and December trying to make those sales happen – all while trying to squeeze in quality time with your family. And now that it’s finally January, you’re supposed to find the energy to be your best, most productive self? Sigh.

It's understandable if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. But there is support available: Beyond Blue has launched a free, confidential mental health coaching service, NewAccess for Small Business Owners (NASBO). Over six sessions, a trained mental health coach will work with you (over the phone or video call) to manage stress and overwhelm using problem-solving approaches. All coaches have a background in small business, so they understand exactly what you’re going through and how to help.

We spoke to two NASBO participants and one mental health coach to find out more about how small-business owners can utilise strategies to take better care of their mental health.TASMIN WATERHOUSE, NASBO MENTAL HEALTH COACH

Hi Tasmin! Please tell us a little bit about your background. I started my portrait photography studio Lightbox when I was 27 and at the time I didn’t know what I was doing, except for wanting to help families capture beautiful, affordable portraits. I absolutely loved being self-employed and working in a creative industry, but I quickly learnt that this came with difficult challenges like financial stress, staff management, poor work-life balance, and constantly feeling like I needed to be working.

How did you get involved with NASBO? I was talking to a close friend who mentioned the program at a barbeque. She had started working on this new pilot program, which was providing low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy for small-business owners.

I had always known long-term that, in some capacity, I wanted to transition into mental health support for small business, as I had been there myself and had so many friends who ran their own businesses.

When COVID hit, my studio was delivering some of Brisbane’s biggest schools’ formal photography which, of course, generated the largest portion of our revenue. I remember flying back from a Melbourne event and I stepped off the plane feeling so grateful to be back in Brisbane with my son. Then the emails started to come in fast, advising that the formals and all our large events were being placed on hold until further notice. It was such a difficult time.

All our projected income paused indefinitely. My small business wasn’t the kind of business that had lots of finance behind it, so I knew straight away the future was looking different and my transition plan had to take priority. I enrolled in a Diploma of Counselling, started studying again and signed up to the NewAccess Job Alert mailing list and waited. I was fortunate to get the coach role in the NASBO program.

What kind of work do you do through NASBO? I work as a NewAccess coach with small-business owners and deliver low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy over six consecutive weeks. The structure of the NewAccess program is guided self-help and it’s just incredible, as it helps the small-business owner identify some of their current challenges and how they might be stuck in a cycle they might find difficult to get out of. I support them to develop goals, achieve those goals and hopefully break the cycle they had been in.

The area we work in is early intervention, supporting people before the problems became unmanageable, which can be ideal for small-business owners. The real core of my work as a coach is to help the client identify that by engaging in behaviour-change to positively impact the way they feel and think.

We have a range of workbooks we work through with small-business owners during each session. They focus on psychoeducation regarding anxiety and depression and supporting small-business owners to engage in the workbook activities.

What’s the most common struggle that you’ve noticed in small-business owners and what’s your advice for overcoming it? There are so many mental health challenges out there for small-business owners, like financial pressure, work-life balance, sense of being alone and imposter syndrome. But one of the most common problems I see is small-business owners getting stuck in a cycle of catastrophising their situation which then leads to anxiety and worry.

Worrying about things that haven’t happened yet or might not even happen can really impact our mental health. Through this program, small-business owners learn the difference between ‘real’ and ‘hypothetical’ worry, and this can be a game-changer for improving our mental health.

One of the biggest tools that I see clients benefit from is being able to identify “what’s actually within our control” and “what’s outside our control”, and being able to sit more comfortably with the uncertainty of things outside our control.

How can business owners and their communities better support each other? By talking openly. Small-business owners can feel isolated when they are facing challenges, and sometimes they can feel a sense of shame or failure when things become really challenging. So, what is essentially helpful is simply knowing that you are not alone and that others around you may have experienced the same things, and share learnings with each other about ways to navigate through challenges.

How can small-business owners get involved if they want support through NASBO or if they’re interested in becoming a mental health coach? Participation in NASBO is free, confidential and no GP referral is required. Small-business owners who want to know more can visit the Beyond Blue website or call 1300 945 301. Experienced small-business owners who are interested in becoming a mental health coach can start the process by signing up for job alerts on the Richmond Fellowship Group website. SAMUEL EDMONDS, OWNER OF BENDIGO RECORDS

Hi Sam! Please tell us about your business. We are a record store located online and with a shopfront in Bendigo. We sell music, HiFi and host live all-ages gigs on weekends. We’ve been around since 2021.

Why did you decide to take part in the NASBO program? In May last year, I experienced an irreparable fallout with my business partner which caused great distress. It has been a very stressful time financially as well with a retail downturn. The stress was starting to impact my life and relationships very negatively. I saw an ad for the NASBO program on Instagram and signed up immediately. 

What are some of the wellbeing strategies that you’ve learnt through the program? Learning new coping mechanisms and retooling old ones – learning to differentiate what is a real worry to what is a hypothetical worry has saved me from catastrophising and spiralling into stress.

After a long day at work, what’s your favourite way to decompress and relax? Hanging out with my daughter or playing music.

Do you have any advice for fellow small-business owners who are struggling with their mental health at the moment? You’re not alone – and there are strategies that can help. The financial struggles won’t magically disappear, but your ability to cope with them can improve dramatically. Even if your business fails, you can still protect your mental health.

Small-business owners have a lot on their plate. Do you have any tips for finding time to look after yourself? Lock in set days to not work. That’s what was there before and what will be there after – prioritise that time.EMILY ROSE YATES, NATUROPATH

Hi Emily! Who are you and what do you do? I’m a women’s and children’s health naturopath specialising in moving women from a place of surviving to thriving.

As a naturopath, you look after people all the time. How do you look after yourself? Yes, it is very much a caring and compassionate role. I hear people's life stories which can be super-inspiring and also very sad sometimes. I have loads of self-care practises which are non-negotiables: movement, sunlight, hydration, rest, meditation and good nutrition to keep myself buoyant.

Why did you decide to take part in the NASBO program? It was during COVID and my business increased tenfold. I had three children at home needing schooling and my husband wasn't sure whether he could keep his job.

Do you have any tips for avoiding burnout that other small-business owners could use? Yes: take care of yourself. Change your diary to suit you, because when you are thriving, so is your business. Do therapy to keep yourself aware of your patterns of behaviour that aren't serving you or are self-sabotaging.

What have you learnt from taking part in NASBO? I’ve learnt the patterns of behaviour to watch out for when I’m overwhelmed and how to regulate myself again.

Being a small-business owner can feel quite isolating at times. How do you find a support network? I reach out and have regular meet-ups with other business owners who are in the same boat.

For more small-business stories like this, visit frankie.com.au/strictly-business, or sign up to our monthly e-newsletter. Have a small-business story you’d like to share? Pitch it to us.