Cody and Melissa Palmer, pictured with their daughter, Nina, 2, are hoping to “ignite the conversation” about mental health by offering a space for community members to talk.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Tongala couple Cody and Melissa Palmer have found a simple yet powerful way to help their community tackle mental health struggles, by turning on a blue light at their front door to let people know they’re there to listen.
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When the blue light shines, anyone is welcome to knock and have a conversation about anything affecting their mental health.
“Everyone needs someone to talk to and … not everyone is comfortable speaking to family ... or friends,” Mr Palmer said.
Their passion for spreading awareness about mental health is shaped by their involvement with the CFA, their experiences with the mental strain of going through IVF and the loss of friends and family who died by suicide.
Mrs Palmer is also an ambassador for the Shaka Project, a national charity focused on mental health education and suicide prevention, for which she spreads awareness about the first step to changing the statistics ― igniting a conversation.
The idea was sparked at a mental health awareness gala ball that the couple recently attended, where they listened to speakers sharing staggering suicide statistics.
Moved by the speaker’s message, the Palmers approached the event organiser with their idea.
“He goes, love it … do it, if that’s what you want to do, do it,” Mr Palmer said.
The couple took the first step by sharing their initiative on Facebook, expecting only a small response from the community.
Instead, the post quickly gained traction, receiving hundreds of likes and dozens of comments from community members praising their compassion and willingness to help.
“People like the idea and hopefully, they’ll get behind it and hopefully people come if they need to have a chat,” Mr Palmer said.
“At least if it starts one conversation, it’s a good thing.”
Cody and Melissa Palmer, pictured with their daughter, Nina, 2, hope to start the conversation about mental health in their community.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The Palmers hope their idea “trickles” into other communities, creating a broader project to help those struggling in silence and dismantling the stigma surrounding mental health.
“We’d much rather have someone come to our door and say, hey, I need help, rather than, yeah, getting a call-out and having to go through that trauma,” Mrs Palmer said.
“That’s all we want to do, is just help.”
Community members can find the light turned on during the day until about 9.30pm, on Torney St, Tongala.
