Anita Lyons has helped countless people navigate life's challenges.
As a Child and Family Therapist at Carinity Narangba, Anita said there's a common theme she sees when supporting people's mental wellbeing - a longing for connection.
"Human beings are literally wired for relationships. Connecting with others is a biological need and actually essential for our health and wellbeing," Anita said.
"We're naturally social creatures, but unfortunately it seems like there's more loneliness than ever before.
"Technology is great at giving the illusion that we're all connected as we can check in on the version of other peoples' lives that they choose to present on social media platforms.
"However, good social connection isn't about the number of people on our friends list, but how truly engaged we are in the real-life relationships we have."
Generally speaking, having good social connections means feeling supported by those around you, being comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings, and genuinely caring about other people and what's happening in their lives.
"When it gets down to it, all anybody wants is just to feel seen, heard and understood. That's the key to true human connection," Anita said.
Throughout history, humans have relied on social connectedness for safety and good health. The benefits of connection include creating a sense of belonging, purpose and identity, boosting your confidence, improving your sense of self-worth, and reducing your stress levels.
Other benefits include feeling more positive, having greater resilience in the face of adversity, helping you recover from disease and illness faster, and strengthening your immune system.
If seeking more meaningful connections is a goal for you, how do you go about achieving this? Anita thinks we all need to get back to basics.
"We're all so glued to our screens that we've lost a lot of what used to be basic human interactions," Anita said.
"Make eye contact and be intentional with how you relate to others. There are people all around us, so connecting even in the most basic way could be as simple as saying hi and smiling at somebody in the supermarket."
Some of the ways you might like to meet people and form deeper connections could include seeking out a social club based on your interests, joining a gym or sports team, becoming involved in church, volunteering in the community, reconnecting with friends or relatives you don't often see, or attending local events.
Remember that forming new relationships takes time and effort, so don't be disheartened if it doesn't work straight away. However, if social isolation is bothering you, or if you have mental health difficulties that are creating loneliness, seeking help is important.
You can chat to a loved one, make an appointment with your GP, engage the services of a mental health professional, or access free support from organisations like Lifeline (13 11 14) or
Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636).
Anita said that when someone brings up a longing for connection in a counselling session, the first step is to look at what barriers they're facing.
"Is there a past hurt, a lack of opportunities, or perhaps issues of low confidence or self-esteem at play? We then work together to make sense of things and to find the tools and solutions to set them up for success.
"Making a difference, supporting healing and seeing the transformation process when someone makes positive changes to their life is definitely the most rewarding part of my job," Anita said.
Carinity Narangba offers counselling and therapies to help individuals improve their mental wellbeing and quality of life.
Families and young people in Upper Caboolture, Burpengary and Narangba may be entitled to free support thanks to Queensland Government funding, while those on an eligible NDIS plan can also access services with no out-of-pocket expenses.
For everyone else, affordable payment options are available for appointments in person or via telehealth.
