Lyn Shelton, Professional Lead for Mental Health, on Prioritising and Investing in Good Mental Health
When Lyn Shelton talks about mental health, she speaks with the calm conviction of someone who has spent years listening deeply — not only to clients and colleagues, but to the quiet signals that tell us when something isn’t right. As Professional Lead for Mental Health at ABL and as a Consultant Forensic Psychologist, Lyn’s career has been built on one guiding principle — that connection, empathy and communication are at the heart of prioritising and investing in good mental health.
“If we can all learn to put on our own oxygen mask first — to look after our own wellbeing — then we’re far better placed to support others.”
A Career Built on Understanding
Lyn’s route to leadership was far from linear.
“When I came out of university, I imagined I’d be an assistant psychologist straight away,” she laughs. “In reality, I spent years getting experience — from working in probation and sheltered housing to secure mental health services.”
Those experiences, she says, gave her an unshakeable appreciation for humanity in all its complexity.
After a decade working in the prison service, Lyn realised that while rehabilitation work mattered deeply, her calling was in prevention.
“I wanted to stop problems before they reached crisis point,” she explains.
It was this that led her to ABL Health — an organisation with a reputation for providing inclusive, community-focused services.
“ABL’s vision and values stood out. It was clear they cared about people as individuals, not just numbers on a spreadsheet.”
The Power of Listening
For Lyn, listening is not a soft skill — it’s a life skill. Within ABL, she has helped train over forty staff as Mental Health First Aiders, ensuring that every team has someone approachable and empathetic to turn to — someone who they feel will really hear them. Her leadership style mirrors this ethos.
“I don’t have all the answers,” she admits. “But I believe in working collaboratively, doing things with people, not to them. Trust grows when people feel part of the process. That’s how you build a culture of openness and safety.”
Creating Belonging Through Inclusivity
At the heart of ABL’s approach lies inclusivity — not as a slogan, but as daily practice.
“We talk about ‘growing our own’,” Lyn explains. “When someone joins, we nurture them. We want them to develop their career with us.”
This sense of belonging, she believes, fuels passion and loyalty. “I can share an idea, and instead of months of red tape, I’m encouraged to run with it. That kind of trust is empowering.”
Her team also reflects a rich diversity of backgrounds, genders and cultures — something Lyn sees as vital to reaching communities that might otherwise feel unseen. She recalls a psychologist colleague working with a young refugee who had experienced significant trauma.
“She took the time to understand him, his background and culture. He told her that no professional had ever done that before — and that’s what allowed him to engage in therapy. For me, that’s what inclusivity looks like in action.”
Prevention in Practice
One of Lyn’s proudest professional moments is developing genuinely preventative mental health support, such as supporting adults waiting for autism assessments, who might otherwise spend years without help.
“We offer light-touch, twelve-week support so they can get reasonable adjustments now,” she says. “That’s real prevention — improving quality of life before crisis hits.”
Similarly, another project takes early intervention into schools, identifying children who may need support before issues escalate.
“We go into year 6 classes with workshops on topics like managing anxiety. Sometimes a simple conversation helps us spot something early. It’s about getting in there before a child reaches breaking point.”
Success, Shared
Asked what success looks like, Lyn’s answer is both ambitious and grounded.
“Success is when our preventative work speaks for itself, when we can evidence that our approach keeps people well, connected and supported.”
She is currently working to validate data with the aim of demonstrating measurable impact through early intervention.
“Mental Health services often only ‘count’ people once they’re in crisis. We’re saying: ‘Look at the thirty individuals who didn’t need to access intensive mental health services because we intervened early’. That’s success.”
A Sense of Fulfilment
For all her focus on others, Lyn is modest about her own achievements. Yet she admits that publishing three book chapters since qualifying as a psychologist feels deeply fulfilling.
“I never saw myself as particularly academic,” she smiles. “But being able to share knowledge that helps train and develop other clinicians — that’s something I’m proud of.”
Her sense of achievement, though, comes most vividly from seeing others grow.
“In clinical supervision, I love watching people reflect and develop. But it’s two-way — I learn from them too. We’re on that journey together.”
Investing in Empathy
In an era when workplace wellbeing is often reduced to tick-box training or slogans, Lyn’s philosophy is refreshingly human. Listening, communicating and acting with empathy, she insists, are the foundations of genuine mental health investment.
“When people feel heard, valued and included,” she says, “they don’t just perform better — they thrive.”
Lyn’s message resonates far beyond ABL, because prioritising and investing in mental health isn’t simply introducing a programme or a policy. It’s a shared commitment to kindness, understanding and, above all, listening.
