World Mental Health Day: The importance of employees seeking help

At a glance:

Reaching out early works: Each of the five members left their first conversation with a clear next step, from counselling to a payment plan to safety tools.
Many things affect mental health: Grief, a toxic relationship, bullying, money worries and a frightening commute all showed up as anxiety and poor sleep, and Sonder supported each one.
Managers can be the bridge: One member was pointed to Sonder by her manager, and another already had access through her employer.
People don’t need the right words: A simple ‘I’ve been feeling more stressed than usual’ is enough to start, and leaders can make that first step feel safe.

This World Mental Health Day (10 October 2026) we’re sharing five stories from Sonder members who reached out for support, and the lessons that can be learned by leaders who want to look after their teams.

The stories cover grief, a toxic relationship, workplace bullying, money worries and a frightening train commute. Five very different situations where each person reached out and found the right support.

Mental health is rarely about one thing. Loss, relationships, work, money and safety can all weigh on someone at once, and none of it stays at home when people come to work. Sonder’s Care Specialists are available 24/7 by app or phone. They help people find the right care, whatever they’re facing, and leaders can play a vital role in directing their people towards them

To protect the privacy of individuals involved, certain details in these member stories, including first names, have been modified.

Five members, five reasons they reached out

Sharon, 39: struggling with grief

“It was an otherwise normal Monday but I woke up feeling uneasy and anxious. I didn’t know why I was feeling the way I did and I wasn’t sure what help I actually needed, just that I really didn’t feel like me, and couldn’t stop crying. I called Sonder and they didn’t make me feel stupid but supported.

I spoke to a Care Specialist and told them that I was struggling with the death of a colleague a year or so ago. I had some grief counseling but was still having trouble sleeping and was having bad dreams. They put me in touch with the right help and also gave me strategies for managing sleep disturbances.”

Lesson for leaders: Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. A loss from a year ago can still show up as poor sleep and low mood, so it’s worth checking in well after the first few weeks. Read more in our Grief at Work guide.

Maya, 22: dealing with a toxic relationship

“I had spent the evening arguing with my partner. He was trying to control me and stop me from seeing my friends. I was frustrated with myself for ending up in another toxic relationship after being in one like this before.

I messaged Sonder at 11pm feeling very distressed. The Care Specialist I spoke to listened to me and helped me navigate my feelings. The conversation made me feel a lot better and calmed me down.

I felt empowered to talk to my partner the next day and end the relationship.

Sonder made me feel seen and supported. The Sonder team and all of the resources are so helpful.”

Lesson for leaders: Not every reason someone reaches out is about work, and it doesn’t happen between nine and five. Offering support that’s there at 11pm means help doesn’t have to wait for the morning.

Huang, 29: managing workplace bullying

“I was given access to Sonder by my employer and already used the safety features and medical advice.

At work I was experiencing subtle bully-like behaviour from my manager, which made me feel anxious and nervous about being alone with my supervisor.

It was great to talk to someone when I was feeling overwhelmed and to get practical advice.”

Lesson for leaders: Behaviour that feels subtle to one person can be hard to name. Huang had built trust with the Sonder app through every day interactions, so knew there was somewhere confidential to go when he faced a more complex issue.

Mike, 41: experiencing money worries

“I reached out to Sonder in the middle of the night. I was so stressed about my money situation that I couldn’t sleep. I was receiving fines for not paying my bills and my credit cards were out of control.

Sonder supported me by suggesting a few options to manage the fine, including a manageable instalment plan. They also sent me articles on managing financial stress and debt relief services.

Just talking about it with someone made me feel much more relieved. I was able to feel less worried and turn up for work the next day. Thank you for your advice, I struggle to sleep when I’m stressed with these things.”

Lesson for leaders: Money stress is easy to miss until sleep and focus start to suffer at work. A health and wellbeing solution that takes a holistic look at the entire person helps treat interconnected issues, including financial worries.

Mei, 19: harassed on public transport

“I’m a student and I work in a fast food restaurant. One day on my way to work a man started screaming at me. He was making threats and had a knife. I was so scared afterwards that I started having panic attacks and was scared to catch the train again.

My manager suggested I speak to Sonder. They listened to me and helped organise counselling. They also told me about Track My Journey and Check On Me in the Sonder app to make me feel safer when catching the train. It really helped.”

For leaders: One suggestion from a manager led to counselling and tools that made Mei’s commute feel safer. You don’t need to have the answers. You just need to know where to send them to get the right support.

Starting the conversation with your team

Reaching out for help for the first time can be scary. None of these five members had it all figured out. They didn’t have the right words, or weren’t sure what help they needed. But they reached out anyway, and it helped. This can be a powerful reminder for your team.

You can make that first step easier for your people:

Talk about support early and often: Mention it in team meetings and one-on-ones, not just at onboarding.
Check in with a simple question: Something like ‘You’ve seemed a bit stretched lately. How are you going?’ is enough to open the door.
Make it okay to be messy: Let people know they don’t need to explain everything or name what they’re feeling. It’s fine to not be sure.
Point to confidential support: Remind your team that Sonder support is confidential to alleviate concerns. Employers see only aggregated, de-identified trends, never who reached out.
Look after yourself too: Sonder also offers coaching and specialist sessions for managers navigating difficult team situations. Find out more about our manager support solutions here.

If someone on your team isn’t sure how to begin, these words are enough to start a helpful conversation with our team on chat or phone: