St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services will kick off their annual Walk in My Shoes campaign on Monday, October 8th with a pop-up radio station that will run every day between 7am and 9pm until Sunday, October 14th.
This year, an impressive 70 hours of entertainment will be created with the help of RTÉ 2FM’s Jenny Greene, Stephen Byrne and Blathnaid Treacy, plus social media star James Patrice, TV Presenter Maia Dunphy, broadcaster Dil Wickremasinghe and comedian Alison Spittle.
We caught up with the incredible Jenny Greene to find out why she and her wife Kelly got involved with the campaign and why she thinks radio is such an important medium for the Irish people.
How did you get involved with Walk in my Shoes?
"One of my oldest friends from school runs it, Tamara is her name, and she had asked me a couple of years ago to come on as a guest, which I did for two years in a row. Then, last year, she asked if I wanted to do a show and I said that I would love to.
"What I really loved about it was - there's a lovely atmosphere there and it reminded me, in some ways, of being on Pirate radio. It was a really lovely, relaxed atmosphere. There was no pressure.
"Even some of the people from St. Pats [St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services] come down and sit outside to listen to it. It's a lovely feeling and you interview some really interesting people who you wouldn't normally have an opportunity to meet or know about - that's why I was happy to do it.
"Last year I said I would do the show with Kelly, my wife. We did it together and she's a medical social worker anyway so, in some ways, it kind of tied in - she had a lot of experience in the area."
Why do you think radio ties in so well with the campaign?
"I think, particularly around issues with mental health, I think the radio is the sort of medium where - I forget it myself every day when we're in there but I notice it when I meet people when I'm out and about - for anyone who is lonely, it's another person who is always there in the background; in the kitchen or in their car or whatever it is.
"It really resonates with people and gives them something extra that maybe you don't get from TV or anything else like that - it feels more personable. It ties in lovely with the work that they [St. Pats] do for mental health."
It really can feel like you know radio presenters if you tune in often enough.
"You feel like you know someone when you hear them every day. And then when you see them, unless its Ryan Tubridy or someone very visually familiar, you usually have this image of this person that you've listened to for years.
"They always look a bit different than you thought but you feel like you know them because you hear them speak about their life and everyday, conversational, mundane things - that kind of builds up a rapport with someone that you've never met. It's an unusual thing."
There have been big names attached to this campaign - including U2's Adam Clayton - does this help to show that no matter who you are, mental health affects everyone?
"I think that mental health affects everyone and, obviously, it comes in completely different degrees [...] but we all have occasions in our life - ups and downs, good times and bad times - it's kind of nice for someone that you know or someone familiar to you, even from a distance, to be discussing the things that you're feeling as well."
How do you mind your mental health? Do you practice mindfulness?
"I've tried to practice mindfulness on numerous occasions because I have still yet to get my head fully around it. I love the idea but I just haven't really figured out how to do it yet.
"What I find is, I've started going to a Crossfit gym three nights a week and I have to say, I never believed when people said 'You'll feel great after training" - I'm not a very sporty person, it's not my thing.
"I just find that I hate going and I feel amazing on my way home. I always heard people talking about endorphins but I thought, 'whatever, that sounds like a load of rubbish' but it's true! You do get them and you do feel great so I find when I'm out there for an hour, I'm not thinking of anything and that's the best thing about it."
Tune into Walk In My Shoes Radio via the TuneIn app, online at www.walkinmyshoes.ie or turn the dial to WIMS FM. Frequency nationwide as follows: Dublin 105.2; FM; Cork 106.7 FM; Clare 105.5 FM, Galway 87.7 FM.
The SPMHS Support & Information Service is a confidential service staffed by experienced mental health nurses 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. You can contact them by calling 01 249 3333 or email: info@stpatsmail.com.
