Mind HK and Mannings Celebrate One Year of
Their Wellbeing Check-In Service at Selected Stores
Nearly 500 access free in-store psychological consultations addressing critical gaps in community support
(12 May 2025, Hong Kong) Over half of the population in Hong Kong is experiencing mild to severe depressive symptoms1—and overall depression rates are on the rise. Local mental health charity, Mind HK, and Mannings have completed the first year of their groundbreaking “Wellbeing Check-in” service. This initiative provides free, confidential psychological consultations at five Mannings locations — in its first year, it has helped nearly 500 service users who might otherwise face long public healthcare waiting times or prohibitive private consultation costs2. Through this programme, their goal is to make access to care easier for all who need it.
This pioneering cross-sector partnership has helped Hong Kong citizens facing emotional challenges, with many expressing that their lack of support system and understanding of their own emotional needs motivated them to sign up for the service.
Supporting nearly 500 Service Users in Its First Year
A survey conducted in March 2024 by Mind HK revealed that 59% of respondents facing mental health challenges avoided seeking help due to financial concerns, while 39% were unsure where to find appropriate support. These findings prompted Mind HK and Mannings to introduce their free “Wellbeing Check-in” service in selected Mannings stores in April 2024.
As of 18 April 2025, the Mind HK Wellbeing Practitioners in Mannings had assisted 490 adults, including 310 who attended one-off Wellbeing Check-in consultations and 100 who engaged in short-term psychological support, amounting to a total of 700 sessions. Wellbeing Check-in is a one-time, 45-minute consultation for people to better understand their current wellbeing status and emotional needs. These free psychological sessions have provided critical guidance to service users navigating mental difficulties.
Professional Support to Voice Feelings and Ease Emotional Burden
The wellbeing check-in service offers a safe space where people with emotional distress can share their concerns in a non-traditional, accessible setting. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners offer professional guidance to help service users understand their emotions and build practical coping skills with a caring and empathetic attitude. Many service users noted how this approach helped reduce the stigma often associated with seeking help and empowered them to consider further psychological support to enhance their mental wellbeing.
One service user said, “I was deeply grateful for the understanding and professional support from the Wellbeing Practitioner. The session helped me to ease my emotional burden, gain self-awareness, and feel truly understood. I also appreciated the flexibility and convenience of the service hours. I sincerely hope this initiative continues to expand, reaching even more people in need”.
“Service users typically sought help because they ‘didn’t know who to turn to’ or were ‘uncertain whether their situation required professional assistance,’ observed Jacky, a Wellbeing Practitioner under the programme. Most service users reported positive outcomes—feeling genuinely heard, gaining new understanding of their challenges, and feeling empowered to take steps toward additional support when needed.”
Enhancing Mental Health Awareness and Reducing Stigma
Overall, feedback from service users has been extremely positive. Over 95% expressed a high level of satisfaction with the programme. Around 70% reported a better understanding of their mental health, and many learnt about additional community resources. This left them feeling empowered to manage their emotional wellbeing.
Mind HK Chief Executive Officer, Dr Candice Powell said, “Bringing mental health support into retail spaces represents a groundbreaking initiative in Hong Kong to enhance our city’s mental wellbeing. Through our collaboration with Mannings, we are proud to bring mental health services into community spaces, thus helping to break down barriers to accessing support services. Our findings indicated positive effects even for those receiving only one support session. We hope to expand our reach to support more individuals in need and foster wider mental health awareness across our society”.
Mind HK’s Ongoing Commitment to Accessible Mental Health Support
“Wellbeing Check-in” is one of the services provided by Mind HK. Besides, Mind HK also delivers evidence-based, low-intensity psychological support through Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) programme launched in 2022 . To date, the initiative has trained 130 Wellbeing Practitioners and supported over 9,500 individuals. The programme effectiveness assessment3 indicates that 70% of service users with symptoms of depression or anxiety experienced significant improvement after treatment, while 65% of those with more severe conditions were able to recover after two or more sessions.
The free Wellbeing Check-in service is delivered by Wellbeing Practitioners who have completed at least 120 hours of professional training through Mind HK. After online registration, people can choose to meet their Wellbeing Practitioners at designated Mannings stores or online. Our Wellbeing Practitioners would continue to offer short-term psychological support to those assessed with mild to moderate depression and anxiety, they also connect users to appropriate community resources when more intensive support is needed.
The free in-person Wellbeing Check-in service is currently available at five selected Mannings branches in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories, including Taikoo Place in Quarry Bay, the President Theatre in Causeway Bay, the IFC mall in Central, China Hong Kong City in Tsim Sha Tsui and the Metropolis Plaza in Sheung Shui. Online sessions are also available to ensure prompt and accessible mental health support for those in need. All consultations are held in the strictest privacy and are 100% confidential. All personal information and conversations remain private. For more details about the services, please visit https://www.mind.org.hk/services/wellbeing-check-in/
1 According to a 2024 report by The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong, 52% of Hong Kong’s population experiences depressive symptoms – from mild to clinically severe levels.
2 The Hospital Authority, 2024
3 Mind HK, 2024
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About Mind HK
Mind HK, officially known as Mind Mental Health Hong Kong Limited, is a registered charity under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (91/16471), established in 2017. Our mission is to ensure that no one faces a mental health problem alone. Mind HK raises public awareness of mental health and works to eliminate stigma through various resources, training, outreach activities, and programmes, aiming for universal mental health. Through current collaborations and research, Mind HK aspires to make Hong Kong a global leader and regional model in the field of public mental health.
For more information about our work, vision, and mission, please visit our website: https://www.mind.org.hk/.
About Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) programme
iACT stands for Improving Access to Community Therapies. Developed by Mind HK, iACT utilises an internationally recognised stepped care model that has been successfully implemented in various countries. This approach draws inspiration from the long-established Talking Therapies initiative in the UK (formerly known as the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, IAPT) and New Access in Australia, both designed to provide mental health support to those in need.
For more information about our services, please visit: https://www.mind.org.hk/services/all-services/
Mind HK Social Media Pages:
Mind HK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HongKongMind/
Mind HK Instagram: www.instagram.com/mindhongkong/
