By Dr. Diane Flannery, CEO of Headington Institute
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Each year, Mental Health Awareness Month invites us to pause and to examine not only where we are, but where we are headed. This year, the pause feels heavier than usual.
There is no question that the current moment is difficult. The humanitarian and development sectors are undergoing a period of acute change. Funding reductions have destabilized core systems and the psychological impact on personnel is significant.
Yet, even in this moment of profound disruption, I find myself holding onto something essential: hope.
Hope is not naivety. It is not a denial of difficulty or pain. It is a disciplined choice to notice what is still possible – to see the seeds of change, however small, and to nurture them.
I find hope in the language we now have to speak about psychological strain. Two decades ago, terms like vicarious trauma, moral injury, and chronic stress were often invisible within organizational discourse. Today, they are increasingly named, studied, and most importantly, taken seriously.
I find hope in the steadiness of individual commitment. Even as systems retract, I continue to witness professionals showing up – under-resourced, overextended, but still present.
I find hope in the evolution of practice. Across sectors, there is a growing recognition that psychological health is not peripheral, it is operational. It is strategic. And it is essential to the continuity of service, particularly in volatile environments.
I also find hope in Headington’s own determined continuation of service: our clinicians still delivering individual sessions in 19 countries. Our team pressing forward with trauma-informed work in high-conflict zones, even as conditions shift beneath their feet. The launch of our LA Community Resilience Project, which is not just about disaster response, but about long-term investment in people who serve others.
And I find profound hope in those who stand beside us: our supporters, our funders, and our extended community. In a time when philanthropic and institutional priorities are shifting rapidly, this continued commitment is a lifeline. It affirms that this work still matters. That those who serve still deserve care. That psychological health, even in crisis, is non-negotiable.
Mental Health Awareness Month is not simply a reminder of the importance of well-being, it is an invitation to renew our collective responsibility for it. The challenges are considerable. But so, too, is the determined force of those who continue to care.
And that gives me hope.
