CPD courses for Mental Health First-Aiders

A mental health first-aider is a person who is trained to provide initial support and assistance to someone experiencing a mental health crisis or struggling with their mental health. They can offer guidance on how to access appropriate resources and help the individual feel heard and supported. Mental health first-aiders are not mental health professionals, but they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to handle mental health situations and provide early intervention until professional help is available.

A mental health first-aider may have several duties, including recognising the signs and symptoms of mental health issues, providing initial support and assistance to individuals experiencing mental distress, and referring them to appropriate resources or professionals. They may also promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and create a supportive environment in their community or workplace. Additionally, they may provide information and education on mental health topics, and advocate for better mental health policies and practices.

Rather than work solely in a healthcare setting, there can be one member of any work team who is trained to be a mental health first-aider on top of their usual job. Or a person can solely be a mental health first-aider as their main job. A mental health first-aider may work in a variety of settings such as workplaces, schools, universities, hospitals, community centres, offices and other public spaces.

We offer a range of courses that are well suited to a mental health first-aider.

Some of these include:

• Anxiety Awareness – this course is perfect for anyone working with people who have anxiety issues. The course develops a strong understanding of triggers for anxiety and panic attacks, as well as approaches to overcoming anxiety.
• Bipolar Disorder Awareness – this course is designed to give a wide knowledge of bipolar disorder to ensure that students can effectively assist people in managing their episodes. Through the five units you will be introduced to the effects of bipolar disorder and how to deal with these.
• Borderline Personality Disorder – in this course, you will gain a greater insight into what the disorder is, the signs and symptoms, the four types of psychotherapy available and how you can support someone with borderline personality disorder.
• Children’s Mental Health – it is important for people who work with children to know how they can support children who have mental health difficulties. This Children’s Mental Health course will give you an insight into the different types of mental health difficulties common in children and how to help young people through these.
• Dementia Awareness – helping a person with dementia to maintain quality of life is extremely important. This Dementia Awareness course will help carers, family members and those living with dementia understand how to diagnose, treat and live with dementia to ensure quality of life is always central in a care plan.
• Depression Awareness – depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, and with this course on depression awareness you will gain a much wider understanding of what it is and the feelings experienced by a depressed individual.
• Mental Health Awareness – this course is great for anyone. It teaches the basics of mental health and why it is important to maintain a positive mental attitude. Through the course students will develop their knowledge of the issues which people with mental health problems face.
• Mental Health First-Aider – this course will give you an insight into the roles and responsibilities of a mental health first-aider and you will learn about the different types of mental health conditions and how to support someone with a mental health condition.
• Self-Harming Awareness – self-harming is an issue that impacts many people, and by strengthening our understanding of why people do this, we can help them overcome it. By gaining a stronger awareness, we can really start to help those who suffer, and we may even begin to think differently about how we approach this.