<p><b>Have you ever felt like you''re shouting into the void for someone to just see you and to acknowledge that you exist, that you have value, that you are loved?</b><br><br>That feeling-like no one can really see who you are, like no one <i>really gets it, </i>that''s loneliness. The truth is everyone feels lonely. It is a universal emotion, one we all experience at one point or another, but we have also been made to feel ashamed, oppressed and stigmatised about experiencing it.<br><br>Being <b>seen</b> means that someone notices you and includes you. Being <b>heard</b> means to be listened to without interruption, gaslighting or invalidation, but rather with compassion and understanding. Being <b>valued</b> means being respected and treated with compassion and kindness. When all three of these needs are met, we experience a sense of <b>belonging. </b>Human beings need more than access to food, sleep and water to survive. We also need to feel that sense of belonging, understanding a