Mental Wellness coming to a High Street near you...

Brands in the wellness sector are innovating to accommodate a society that is under an increasing amount of stress and strain to offer a more convenient, accessible, and dedicated solution to the everyday maintenance of people’s mental health.

Both Gymshark, and Self Space are brands looking to make every day mental maintenance as easy as popping to the gym.

Self-Space is an on-demand therapy service that opened earlier this year and is based in Shoreditch. From drop-in appointments to bookings made online – Self Space wants to offer people a mental health service that is more flexible, removing any barriers that might stand between those in need, and the help they require.

Gym shark’s (now closed) pop-up barbershop dubbed ‘Deload’- saw another brand give mental health solutions a presence on our high streets to make them a more considered, and prioritised part of our lives.

 

Research by the fitness giant ‘Gymshark’ discovered that whilst men struggle to discuss their feeling with friends or family, they often open up at the barbers – a more informal, and relaxed setting.

The barbershop, also located on Shoreditch’s Highstreet capitalised on this discovery to encourage men to talk and share their feelings in a less intimidating space.


TOO Takeaways:

- Both the above brands and concepts speak to the consumer that is less open to sharing or seeking help. Removing the clinical context helps dissolve the difficulty and stigma surrounding everyday mental maintenance. This will be key for brands in this sector to consider as well as manage if they want to offer a mental health service that people will respond and engage with looking ahead.

- It is now easier for brands out-of sector to collaborate with mental health providers given their growing physical presence and detachment from the public sector. How could retail brands for example, collaborate with brands like Self Space to encourage and promote a more relaxed approach to the everyday maintenance of our mental health?