Sarah Hartwell (pictured), national account manager of Property Circle has discussed the deeply personal events which resulted in her prioritising her mental wellbeing for the latest video in the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter (MIMHC) interview series.
Hartwell said she hopes her frank disclosure of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which she experienced following six failed attempts at IVF in addition to a miscarriage, will help promote greater openness surrounding mental health issues.
Hartwell spoke to MIMHC co-founder and group sales director at Crystal Specialist Finance, Jason Berry, for the organisation’s latest ‘Keeping the Mental Health Conversation Going’ video.
The forum provides a platform for industry leaders to share insights and strategies for promoting best practice mental wellbeing in the workplace.
Hartwell said: “Once you’ve had a mental health issue, in my case PTSD, it shapes who you become.
“I now realise that it’s essential to know your own limitations and ask for help if and when this becomes necessary – and that’s precisely what I now encourage anyone who’s struggling with their mental health to do without delay.
“Speaking personally, my PTSD occurred in 2014 after I’d experienced several failed attempts at IVF as well as a miscarriage.
“It was an incredibly difficult chapter in my life, but I was fortunate enough to work alongside some remarkable and understanding people who went out of their way to help me when I needed it.”
In MIMHC’s new video, Hartwell cites a course of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to have been a turning point in her recovery.
EMDR is a recognised mental health treatment technique that can help with the processing and recovery from past traumatic experiences.
Subsequently, Hartwell and her partner successfully adopted a much-loved little girl, and she now routinely prioritises her own self-care and works part-time to ensure she “remains strong” for her daughter.
Berry added: “Sarah is clear about the importance of frank conversations surrounding mental health.
“She is also calling upon mortgage companies’ management teams to be vigilant when it comes to colleagues’ mental wellbeing and have fully-trained mental health first-aiders on hand, whenever possible.
“Both of these principles are enshrined at the heart of MIMHC and I can’t thank Sarah enough for being brave enough to share her story.”
Hartwell’s ‘Keeping the Mental Health Conversation Going’ episode can be found here.
