Walk the Talk is a 100 mile trek from the British Psychological Society (BPS) offices in Leicester to its headquarters in the capital. Psychologists and supporters set out on Monday morning, the first of five days where participants will be "sleeping rough", to raise awareness about social policies that are leading to psychological distress.
Walkthetalk
The Walk the Talk group emphasises that mental health is affected by social context, and experts are worried about the effect of sanctions, the Work Programme and austerity on patients.
Stephen Weatherhead, a clinical psychologist and one of the Walk the Talk organisers, feels that trying to combat stress, depression and anxiety with talk therapies ignores the reality of the situation for many patients. "It feels a bit crass trying to work with someone on their depression or anxiety, when that depression or anxiety is well-founded because they're at risk of losing their home, or not being able to feed their kids," he told The Guardian.
On their 100-mile route, Walk the Talk will speak to people whose psychological well-being has been affected by austerity, while visiting mental health and homelessness centres, food banks, and supported housing services. Their progress can be tracked via the Twitter hashtag #walkthetalk2015, and more information about their values and their route is available on the Walk the Talk.