It’s World Mental Health Day. In the latest in our series of Mental Health First Aid, we asked Natalie Newton, MHFA Instructor Member and Regional Training Manager for Mental Health and Learning Disability & Autism Services, about how Elysium supports its colleagues.
We have a team of 82 Mental Health First Aiders who have all completed a two-day course. They undertake this role alongside their own work, and so it’s important that anyone thinking of becoming a mental health first aider speaks with their line manager first. We run a course every month, virtually, and I hope to increase the numbers to 250 over time. These are people from every discipline – maintenance, clinical, administration, operational – and from all sites and offices.
The course doesn’t equip people to become qualified professionals such as therapists, counsellors or people who can make a diagnosis, but it does help people recognise the signs of poor mental health and well-being, and how to signpost them to advice and support.
We have a Teams channel for all mental health first aiders, and that acts as a useful support network. Mental health first aid isn’t just about helping others; we need to make sure we maintain our own mental health and well-being, that we exercise self-care to make sure we can give our best to others. It’s the ‘oxygen mask on the plane’ analogy. We can only help others if we help ourselves first. So we’re a big advocate of making sure self-care is prominent for everyone.
I’ve been with Elysium for 18 years, since I was 21. I started in a patient-facing role at the Farndon Unit and have worked to where I am today. There is a stringent process to become a leader, with an intense six-day training course and an ongoing process. It is peer-assessed and there are examinations.
During the monthly courses, which we hold virtually, I try to make sure people can be as engaged as possible and that they feel like they have a voice and can speak. You have to create that sense of safety, as we do touch on some really sensitive topics. But I make sure people know they can opt out at any point. We look to create a really safe space for people.
During the sessions, we talk about helpful and unhelpful language. We talk about stigma and barriers, and what might stop a person from seeking help. We discuss our own frame of reference and how it can help us break down barriers, to be diverse, be fair and non-judgemental.
The more we promote mental health first aid, the more staff will be aware that there are people to support them and that can help break down the fear of speaking up. Everything that is discussed is confidential.
I’ve had feedback from mental health first aiders already saying they have had discussions with colleagues with a. positive effect. I’ve supported people myself, which also had a positive outcome.
Our aim is to try and change the stigma and tell people it’s okay not to be okay and to seek support where possible. There’s always someone who will listen. Sometimes people just need to talk and have someone listen. We can do that too.
If someone wants to be a mental health first aider, they must be an empathetic person and they must be a good listener. They have to practice good self-care. What we’re trying to do is break down stigma and barriers to talking about mental health. Hopefully, through recognising those who may be experiencing poor mental health and offering that first level initial support they might need, we can help someone who is in need.