Malin Akerman thinks “we need to talk about mental health” more than ever.
The 44-year-old star studied child psychology at York University in Toronto, Canada, before becoming an actress, and Malin believes it’s especially important to discuss mental health issues with children.
Malin – who has Sebastian, nine, with ex-husband Roberto Zincone – explained: ‘One in five children are affected by mental health problems.
“That’s a huge number and we need to really look at it. We’re in a place now where, more than ever, we need to talk about mental health. Especially with kids, we need to set them up for success. “
Despite this, Malin admits that “we’re not always equipped” to really deal with mental health issues.
She explained to E! News: “The problem is that so many people always want to help and we just don’t know how.
“We ourselves come from intergenerational and transgenerational trauma. Breaking patterns is not easy, and we are not always equipped to do so.”
Malin also insisted that parents should “listen” to their children.
The Wanderlust star – who is married to actor Jack Donnelly – said: “Our children have a lot more to teach us than we think. If we let go of our authoritarian roles and let them be our teachers, sometimes we can to live together in such a beautiful way and learn a lot from each other.”
Malin has tried different things to help protect her mental health.
The Hollywood star believes that physical health is “a really big part of mental health”.
She added: “It’s all-encompassing. I’m trying to find that utopian balance. I don’t know if it exists, but we try every day!”
