Guide to helping others prepare

How to support the mental health of those around you

When it comes to disaster preparedness, helping your household, children, or community plan ahead can make all the difference to their wellbeing. Everyone reacts to stress in their own way — and your support can help them feel calmer, safer, and more in control.

This guide offers practical ways to support others before a disaster hits.

Help others learn the basics

Helping the people around you to mentally and emotionally prepare means you will all manage better in an emergency.

Encourage others to learn these three steps:

Step 1. Anticipate

Let them know it is normal to feel stressed or uncertain.

Talk about how stressful the situation might be
Reassure them that it is okay to feel scared — but these feelings don’t have to take over
Encourage open conversations about what might help them cope.

Step 2. Identify

Help them identify their own signs of stress.

Everyone reacts differently to stress — they might have unhelpful thoughts like “I can’t cope,” feelings like fear or helplessness, or physical symptoms like a racing heart or upset stomach
Explain that being aware of their reactions makes it easier to manage them.

Step 3. Manage

Teach them how to manage their emotions and stay calm.

Share techniques like deep breathing, or grounding exercises that can help them feel centred
Encourage them to focus on things they can control, like practical tasks in the home
Remind them: “The calmer we are, the clearer we can think and act”

Slow your breathing

Research shows that slow, deep breathing can reduce anxiety in the moment.

Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down
Inhale slowly through your nose and deep into your lungs for 4 seconds
Hold your breath for 2 seconds
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds
Repeat for several minutes or until calm.

Inhale for 4 secs. Hold for 2 secs. Exhale for 6 secs. Repeat

Square Breathing Exercise

Follow along with this Square Breathing meditation to calm breathing and reduce stress and anxiety.

To practise square breathing, settle comfortable in a chair. Place both feet on the ground, and your hands on your abdomen to feel the movement of your breath.

Breathe in, two, three, four.

Hold, two three, four.

Breathe out, two, three, four.

Hold, two three, four.

Close your eyes, if you’re comfortable to do so, and follow my voice.

Breathe out, two, three, four.

Hold, two, three, four.

Breathe in, two, three, four.

Hold, two, three, four.

Breathe out, two, three, four.

Hold, two, three, four.

Breathe in, two, three, four.

Hold, two, three, four.

Breathe out, two, three, four.

Hold, two, three, four.

Breathe in, two, three, four.

Hold, two, three, four.

Breathe out, two, three, four.

Hold, two, three, four.

Preparing as a family

Getting ready together helps build confidence and connection. Try:

Step 1: Creating a household emergency plan and practising it
Step 2: Packing an emergency kit (let everyone choose something important to include)
Step 3: Making a list of must-take items if you need to evacuate
Step 4: Preparing your property as a team

Talking to children about disasters

Actively including children in emergency planning can help them feel more secure and develop valuable coping skills.

Be honest but reassuring — explain that disasters can happen, and there is a plan to stay safe
Speak calmly and confidently to reduce fear
Encourage them to ask questions and express how they feel
Acknowledge that feelings like worry are completely normal
Speak to them at an age-appropriate level, avoiding scary language or overwhelming detail
Reassure them: “We have got a plan, and we will get through it together”.

Helping kids manage worry

If a child is feeling worried, it is important to explain that feelings like worry are not bad and will not hurt them.

Encourage them to try some fun activities to help them feel calm:

Squeeze something like a stress ball or playdough
Notice 5 things you can see, feel, or hear
Jump up and down!

Supporting community connection

Disasters affect us all — but preparing together builds resilience. You can:

Check in with neighbours, especially those who may need extra support
Sign up to updates via your local council website or emergency services in your state
Share preparedness tips and mental health resources
Encourage kindness, calm, and cooperation.

Signs someone may need extra help

Acting out or withdrawing
Trouble sleeping or concentrating
Seeming unusually anxious or angry
Changes in appetite or energy
Avoiding discussion or preparations altogether

If these symptoms continue for more than 4–6 weeks, encourage them to speak to a doctor.

Remember, support starts with you

Supporting others is easier when you take care of yourself. Make time for small moments of calm, connection, and rest — looking after yourself helps you show up for others with more energy and patience.

When to seek help

If you are feeling overwhelmed, it is okay to ask for support. Speak with your doctor, psychologist or use any of the helplines:

Lifeline – 13 11 14

Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636

13 YARN – 13 92 76

Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467

QLife – 1800 184 527

1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732

MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78

Additional support for children:

Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800

Headspace – 1800 650 890

ReachOut – reachout.com

Extra support

Need support in your language?
Visit: www.tisnational.gov.au or ask for an interpreter.

At Suncorp, we are here to protect what matters most — including the wellbeing of your loved ones and community. For support with disaster recovery and emotional wellbeing, visit: www.suncorp. com.au/insurance/extreme-weather-assistance.

Sometimes your circumstances might mean you need additional support or assistance in dealing with us. This could be due to your physical or mental health, family or financial situation, or cultural background. Please visit: www.suncorp.com.au/insurance/difficult-circumstances.

For more wellbeing tips and resources

www.blackdoginstitute.org.au

www.suncorp.com.au/resilience

Insurance is issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as Suncorp Insurance. You must read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decisions about insurance. The Target Market Determination is also available on our websites. This advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situation or needs, so you should consider whether it is appropriate for you before acting on it. The guide set out above about what to do before or after a disaster is intended to be of a general nature only, and we do not accept any legal responsibility for any loss or damage, including loss of business or profits or any other indirect loss, incurred as a result of reliance upon it. Please make your own enquiries.

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