Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

How Park Benches Became a Powerful Therapy Tool

A revolutionary mental health program that began with fourteen grandmothers in Zimbabwe is crossing continents to reach the United Kingdom this summer. The Friendship Bench project trains community elders to provide free therapy sessions on simple wooden park benches, creating safe spaces for people struggling with depression and anxiety. What started as a solution to Zimbabwe’s severe shortage of mental health professionals has now reached over 280,000 people across multiple countries since launching in 2007.

Brighton and Sussex Medical School will launch the first UK pilot next month, initially focusing on migrant groups and minority ethnic communities who often face barriers to traditional mental health services. The approach is beautifully simple yet profound—trained lay counselors sit with clients on benches under trees, offering compassionate listening and evidence based problem-solving therapy in community settings. Research shows the intervention is remarkably effective, with participants three times more likely to maintain better mental health outcomes compared to standard care. This grandmother-led revolution proves that sometimes the most powerful solutions come from the wisdom of those who understand life’s struggles and the healing power of human connection.

PrevPreviousThis Endangered Species Just Shocked the World
NextHow One Startup Just Changed Laundry ForeverNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

Zoo Shut Down & Animals Were LEFT BEHIND, Until Now

November 7, 2025

Five years after Argentine authorities shut down the notorious Lujan Zoo over safety concerns, 62 big cats and two brown bears that were left stranded in substandard conditions are finally being rescued in one of the most complex animal operations ever undertaken in Argentina. The zoo was famous for letting

Read More
Happy News

Library Uses Indigenous Teachings To Heal ENTIRE Community

November 7, 2025

David Brass was on his usual daily walk through Regina’s downtown library when he heard powwow drums echoing through the hallways, and following those sounds led him to a community that would change his and his daughter’s lives forever. The Culture Connect: Indigenous Teachings program offers weekly drop in sessions

Read More
Happy News

Actor Calls Kidney Donation To Stranger A NO BRAINER

November 7, 2025

Oscar nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg revealed live on the TODAY show that he is donating one of his kidneys to a complete stranger in mid December, calling the decision a no brainer for anyone with the time and inclination. The 42 year old star of The Social Network and Now

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 HappyNews.