Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

2-Day Mental Health First Aid Course

Overview

• This two-day course qualifies your employees as Mental Health First Aiders, giving them:
• An in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing.
• Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of a range of mental health issues.
• Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress using the Mental Health First Aid action plan.
• Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening.
• Knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to further support – whether through self-help resources, internal support such as EAP, or external sources such as their GP
• An understanding of how to keep themselves safe while performing their duties.

Format

• Two-day face to face course across four manageable sessions.
• Learning takes place through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities.
• Each session is built around a Mental Health First Aid action plan.
• We limit numbers to 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn.

Takeaways

Everyone who completes the course gets:

• A certificate of attendance to say they are a Mental Health First Aider.
• A manual to refer to whenever they need it.
• A quick reference card for the Mental Health First Aid action plan.
• A workbook including a helpful toolkit to support their own mental health.
• A copy of the Line Managers’ Resource, an invaluable source of advice on how to support an employee experiencing mental ill-health.

Course Structure

Session 1

• Why Mental Health First Aid?
• The Mental Health First Aid action plan.
• What is mental health?
• Impact of mental health issues.
• Stigma and discrimination.
• What is depression?
• Symptoms of depression.
• Risk factors for depression.
• Depression in the workplace.

Session 2

• Suicide figures.
• Alcohol, drugs and mental health.
• First aid for suicidal crisis.
• Non-judgemental listening skills.
• First aid for depression.
• Treatment and resources for depression.
• Self-care.

Session 3

• What is an anxiety disorder?
• First aid for anxiety disorders.
• Crisis first aid after a traumatic event.
• Alcohol, drugs and anxiety disorders.
• Treatment and resources for anxiety disorders.
• Cognitive distortions and CBT.
• Personality disorders.
• Eating disorders.
• Self-harm.

Session 4

• What is psychosis?
• Risk factors for psychosis.
• Alcohol, drugs and psychosis.
• Schizophrenia.
• Bipolar disorder.
• Warning signs of developing psychosis.
• Crisis first aid for acute psychosis.
• Treatment and resources for psychosis.
• Recovery and building resources.
• Action planning for using MHFA.