The Anchor

From the Counsellor

Mental Health First Aid – Year Eight

You would all be very aware by now that from next week teenMHFA training for Year Eights will commence across Health Ed classes. To reiterate, this relevant and life-changing course has been conducted at GSG for six years with encouraging results, such as normalising help-seeking and using helpful, appropriate language around mental health. My profound hope is that gradually, stigmatising attitudes and behaviours in this space are reducing, as we feel more comfortable when we communicate our care, our concern, for self and others, in our chats, our teachings, our learnings, and our everyday connections with family, friends and other humans. The areas we cover in the course include the following: 

  • healthy minds
  • the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours
  • the difference between mental health problems and crises
  • the mental health action plan (Look, Ask, Listen, Help Link with an Adult, Friendship Maintenance). 

The course comprises many film clips, games, activities and discussion. A Certificate of Completion of the Training will also be issued to students. You can find some recent research results HERE which reveal the very positive changes which this training has created. In brief, the conclusions to this research noted that one year after training, tMHFA improves:

  • first aid intentions towards peers with depression and suicide risk
  • confidence in helping peers with mental health problems
  • willingness to tell someone and seek help from an adult or health professional if experiencing a mental health problem.

Lastly, if you consider that your child might not be sufficiently mentally fit to participate in part or all of the course, please don’t hesitate to communicate this to me via sheryl.moncur@gsg.wa.edu.au or call me on 9844 0344. 

Youth Mental Health First Aid - Term Three

As per recent Anchors, please contact me via email if you are keen to be trained in this 14 hour course. Please view this brief clip introducing you to the course: Attending Mental Health First Aid Youth Course - What to expect (vimeo.com) 

 

The course will occur over three sessions on three consecutive Fridays: 2, 9 and 16  September from 11.30am to 4.15pm. 

 

Book your place for this excellent training here: https://www.trybooking.com/CBTMW

 

 

Yours in Mental Fitness,

Ms Sheryl Moncur | Counsellor