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Brokers are being provided with more resources to support their mental wellness journey, as the country marks R U OK?Day’s National Day of Action today.
The Finance Brokers Association of Australasia (FBAA) today (12 September) launched a new range of resources for mortgage and finance brokers needing mental health support.
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The FBAA’s Wellness Hub is an online resource for direct access to mental health professionals and experts, including psychologists, trauma therapists, psychotherapists, and domestic and family violence counsellors, among others.
According to FBAA managing director Peter White AM, the hub was formed after he had experienced “a tough year” in 2023 and sought help. However, he said that he realised “not everyone has direct access to great professional and expert support” and that there can sometimes be a “lengthy triaging system” when support is needed.
As such, the FBAA’s Wellness Hub aims to “bypass the system” by providing finance professionals with access to recommended professionals and experts.
The association said: “Our mission at the FBAA Wellness Hub is to provide a supportive and safe space for brokers and finance professionals during challenging times.
“We strive to offer valuable resources, information, and guidance to help individuals navigate hardships and improve overall wellbeing. Through empathy, understanding, and collaboration, we aim to empower our FBAA family and the finance community to overcome obstacles and thrive both personally and professionally...
“By bringing together a directory of highly recommended mental health professionals and experts all in one place, this hub aims to help expediate your mental wellness journey.
“Sometimes you need professional expert mental health support, whether you are at crisis point or feel it’s just around the corner. The Wellness Hub exists to connect you to the help you need, when you need it, and now.”
At its FBAA Unity event in Drummoyne, Sydney, today, the association will also bring together leading mental health and wellness experts to equip brokers with practical tools and strategies to effectively manage and overcome challenges, both personally and professionally.
The event forms part of the association’s mental health advocacy work, championing open dialogue and normalising conversations about personal and professional struggles, including the launch of its new wellness hub.
R U OK?Day 2024
The launch of the FBAA’s Wellness Hub comes as Australia today (12 September) marks the 15th annual R U OK?Day, a national suicide prevention day of action that aims to raise awareness on depression, anxiety, and wider mental health issues - and inspire and empower people to meaningfully connect with friends, family, and colleagues who might be struggling with life.
The Day of Action is particularly pertinent, given Safe Work Australia’s reporting that there has been an almost 37 per cent increase in compensation claims for worker’s mental health since 2017–18.
This year’s theme ‘Ask R U OK? Any Day’ illustrates the importance of checking in on family, friends, and colleagues all year round.
According to the R U OK? Quarterly Tracker from research firm Verian, 90 per cent of people who are regularly asked R U OK? feel more supported, connected, and cared about.
Katherine Newton, CEO of R U OK? said there is always an increase in supporting behaviour around the charity’s National Day of Action.
“However, we don’t want people waiting until September to reach out to the people in their world who might be struggling because life happens every day,” she said.
“A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week. Whether it’s your friend, family member, colleague, partner, or teammate, the people you care about go through life’s ups and downs every day.
“By checking in regularly with the people close to you, you can help prevent small things from becoming big things.”
R U OK? also provides a range of tools and resources for those wishing to start a conversation on mental health.
Do you need support?
Broking can be a stressful job, but there are tools, techniques, and interventions you can harness to navigate stress and anxiety.
In The Adviser magazine’s Your Health in Mind column, psychotherapist Bronwyn Penhaligon from Penhaligon Applied Psychology provides solutions that can help you get real change, real fast.
If you have a question that you’d like answered by Penhaligon in the Your Health in Mind section of The Adviser magazine, you can email in your question in confidence to
Or, if you feel you need more support, you can visit penhaligons.com.au to schedule a one-on-one appointment.
Find out what other brokers do to unwind and de-stress in The Adviser’s videos or learn more about how Australian mortgage and finance brokers are running their businesses and supporting Australian borrowers in The Adviser’s Wellness Wednesday video series.
If you require mental health support and want to talk to a counsellor, free, confidential counselling is available from Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
If you are concerned for your immediate safety or the safety of others, call Triple Zero (000).
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