Right way to interact between ViewModels MVVM

I am building a WPF application with the MVVM design pattern.

I am using DataTemplates to load user controls within a ContentControl:

<DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type menu:MenuViewModel}">
   <menu:MenuView/>
</DataTemplate>


<ContentControl Content="{Binding Menu}" Visibility="{Binding MenuVisibility, 
        Converter={StaticResource BooleanToVisibility}}"/>

In addition to the menu I have a user control to manage the StatusBar and this is where the doubt arises. So that the other ViewModels can interact with the StatusBar, what I have done is create a MainViewModel in each ViewModel that needs this functionality and then assign it from the MainViewModel as follows:

_ChatViewModel.mainViewModel = this;
CurrentViewModel = _ChatViewModel;

This works, but I think there must be a "wheel" invented and I'm complicating. Is there any more "simple", "standard" mode that is being overlooked?