Mental Health First Aider (MHFA England) Adult Two Day Course Materials

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| Adult MHFA Two Day Manual |

(This is a link to the official MHFA England course materials that you are free to use and distribute)

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Hi everyone!

I'm a citizen of the U.S., but I'm honored to be a certified Mental Health First Aider in Great Britain. I have a certificate signed by the Queen and everything.

Anyway, this course is to teach pro-social behavior, mindfulness, and good mental health behaviors. Most importanly, the MHFA course textbook provides a step-by-step process to identify someone in a crisis and further, how to approach them and offer support and information about support available professionally in the community.

We were instructed to disperse the official course materials to everyone possible. This information will absolutely enrich your life and perspective of yourself and those around you in the world. It's a wonderful and empathetic approach to psychology and civic duty and I encourage everyone to read the textbook and share it, yourselves.

Enjoy! And please let me know if you have questions or want me to explain and guide you through any sections you might want to discuss.

I also encourage you to post about your own experiences as you read the text.

Remember: Stigma about mental health is not logical and it's not helping anyone heal. This is about coming together as a group and as a team of people willing to empathize and promote acceptance and love.



I hope this helps everyone--the only thing I want to add is please look up Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and attaining Self-actualization via integrity instead of despair. Again, I'm more than happy to explain in depth any concepts you'd like. I was an ABA and CBT in-home behavioral therapist under the discretion of a clinical psychologist for three years. In addition, I've interacted with thousands of people undergoing the settling of estates and trusts due to deaths in the family, etc.

I'm passionate about disseminating useful information.

Let me know if I can help and always know that you can PM me to talk if you need support.

I'm happy to be of service!

I hope you're brave and decide to post about your personal feelings and struggles so that we can support one another and show real respect and appreciation for the challenges faced by others. This is about learning to accept oneself and others and be empowered to help total strangers if they're in need of immediate intervention and assistance.

PSA: The ALGEE method is absolutely brilliant!

Thanks - I’ll have read and come back later.
a reply to: Abhorsen

a reply to: Abhorsen

Encourage the person to get appropriate professional help.

There are far too many 'professionals' in the field that shouldn't be there, IMHO.

In the area where I've lived for nealy fifty years the mental health clinics, counselors and psychologists are doing a booming business-but their reputation for 'helping' is extremely subpar. Their first go-to is to dope the patient with feel good meds, which creats a never ending cycle. They never address the underlying issues that are causing the imbalance; they just numb it so the person feels good enough not to care anymore.

The entire mental health system needs to be revamped IMO so it can actually help people identify the cause of their angst and find appropriate ways to deal with them withoutbecoming lifelong drug dependant.

Coping skills for the miriad of problems that our modern society needs are sorely lacking and it's no surprise so many people are craking under the strain. Many times-perhaps most often-it boils down to upbringing, or lack their of. Throw in the drug culture that so many now indulge in and it's a ticking time bomb.

One bad 'mantal health professinal' can do many years-if not a lifetime- of damage, and the profession seems to be full of them; at least in my area and my experience.

My former SIL recently got her masters in psychology and she's by far the most messed up person I've ever known. She was-and still is- a 'recreational' drug user and has messed up the lives of not only her two daughters but also her granddaughters-which she took away from her daughter sending her deeper into the drug cycle-which died at 29 of an overdose.

I commend your good heart, but can't share your enthusiasm, sorry to say.

Just my personal experience with our mental health system, which is rapidly becoming the latest money making big business.

a reply to: nugget1

Psychology is doing the best it can with what it has to work with. Truth be told, oftentimes the funding just isn't there.

While your complaints are valid, this is more about everyone in the community helping one another. 90% of British citizens are MHFA certified. I think promoting awareness and education is imperative to initiating proactive measures to the mental and medical healthcare fields.

Personally, I'm against SSRI's and the like. I'm more of an advocate for the use of psychedelics like MDMA, psilocybin, etc. in a clinical setting to assist with any sort of spiritual or depressive state that one wishes to confront and overcome. It has become common practice, now, and it sure beats being hooked on idiotic pills that mess up your neural pathways and actually cause worse depression over time, since it decreases the amount of serotonin that your brain is able to access at any given point. I've never met anyone on an antidepressant that wasn't depressed.

I'm not depressed and never have been--I don't stay angry or upset for long because I'm more interested in having a good time--but I get panic attacks and struggled with anorexia when I was younger. I've always been upbeat, though, which sounds weird but I'm just peppy and positive to a fault haha

I'm not on medication at all. Well besides acid reflux meds and emergency valium if I get a rare panic attack for no reason. Annoying stuff but that's life haha

Yeah, I agree that therapy for things like eating disorders and depression etc. is complete b.s.

It literally is. But if people are good candidates for psychedelics in a controlled environment, then I can confirm that psilocybin helped me feel really connected with an overwhelming sense of belonging and togetherness. It was happy. That was over a decade ago when I was young, but I did it with my now husband and we were safe at my parents' house. There's a right way to go about fixing mental issues and personal dilemmas. For me, it was feeling like I should stop starving myself and overexercising and stuff. I was able to work through my own vanity and bias and I was able to achieve ego death which was cathartic and truly a lovely experience that felt like being home, as weird as that sounds. Super cool visuals and odd happenings as well, but that's beside the point lol

Read "Hallucinations" by Dr Oliver Sacks

Quite frankly, my faith and connection with God and Jesus are imperative to why I'm always happy and content. Without that support and love I don't think I"d be genuinely happy.

I digress

a reply to: nugget1

the supports mentioned in ALGEE refer to talking to an online counselor or trusted friend or family member. If necessary, sometimes talking with a professional provides a sense of peace because they assure you that you're not insane and feeling emotions means your brain is working and it's healthy. The standard is CBT--NOT medication. Medication should NEVER be the first resort and you need another professional if yours is a pill-pusher.

Practice mindfulness: Allow your thoughts and feelings and accept that they happen, but don't let them control you. Let them pass through you and just be at peace with the processes your brain goes through to power your mind and body. Sometimes feelings are really uncomfortable, but it's just a sign that your brain is working and that it's healthy.

When I was severely underweight, I had anhedonia and I was almost unable to feel emotions at all. It was odd but eerily calming. I almost died but thank God I have no lasting effects and I"m recovered and still working on being healthy with my perfectionism. It's a step forward then backward, much of the time. One of my good friends died from anorexia, but she wanted me to be healthy so I feel compelled to honor her wishes. Plus, now I have a daughter and I am determined to be healthful and proactive and a good role model.

I also do have my undergrad in psychology and am going for my ph.D shortly. I'd like to contribute to the knowledge of academia and scholarship so I can help improve our understanding of the brain and its connection to the soul. Psychology literally means the study of the human soul--fun fact.


Self acceptance and self love is the way forward, my friend

a reply to: nugget1

Not eating garbage and regular exercise would solve the vast majority of mental health problems.

originally posted by: Abhorsen

Psychology is doing the best it can with what it has to work with. Truth be told, oftentimes the funding just isn't there.

Money cannot buy EMPATHY.

I am going to have to look at that tonight when I have time. Thanks for sharing this.

a reply to: Abhorsen

90% of British citizens are MHFA certified.

where did you get that figure from?
I'd bet all my money that 90% of British citizens are NOT MHFA certified, so I'm wondering, did you read the stats 'wrong way around' ???

a reply to: Abhorsen
Good post
My wife was a MHFA at the last place she worked and really enjoyed being able to help folks (she had a background as a primary teacher so it fit in with her skill set somewhat).
Thanks for sharing btw its always useful to collect little bits like this along the way.

Stopped reading at "approach". I am not approaching anyone having a mental breakdown, sorry.

Too many real life encounters prevent me from this course of action. Be mad - don't care. It's not worth my life.

IMO and experience with MH is, there are NOT enough clinical psychiatrist or someone with a PhD (?) in dealing with extreme trauma, some of our vets here get it, but not all of them. Some people I know personally, have gone through HORRENDOUS amount of years of extreme trauma (40 years to be exact!), with only 3 months of counseling after being assaulted and raped 4x and THAT was only the tip of the iceberg! 😭😔😮‍💨

She went in to get counseling 2 years ago for an hour appointment and walked back out after 20 mins and said her counselor told her to stop telling her story due to the details she couldn't handle what she was being told, she only held a certification not a PhD. 😮‍💨👍

a reply to: nugget1

Amen to that! Choosing to be good and choosing to do the morally-correct thing lead to empathy. But the poor and rich alike show empathy--I've found that money doesn't determine whether or not someone is...very mean or not.

a reply to: rickymouse

My pleasure! I've had it for a couple of years and can't believe I forgot to post it on ATS--I did on other sites like linkedin and facebook, but forgot here, on this and the Rukia main account. My bad my good sir. Long time no see btw, rickymouse. Hope you've been doing awesome-ly

a reply to: nugget1

Hope this helps. I adore Maslow and self-actualization (integrity v despair). I think you'd adore reading about William James, the father of American Psychology, as well. He had a similar attitude towards the materialist movement that gained prominence in his day.



I'm also a big fan of unconditional positive regard. I'd love to talk more about the history of psychology, eugenics, human rights atrocities, and incompetence with you, nugget. PM me or comment--I don't mind talking about more subjects or related veins of discussion. I want to hear more about the issues you have, because quite frankly you have plenty of good reasons to be suspicious of any field of science. Ha, any field of study these days is sus and likely funded by weird eugenicists.

I digress.


Anyway, I'd be happy to talk about anything and cite textbook quotes for any questions you or anyone else might have about psychology. I can always ask my friend and past coworker for help if necessary, but I'm confident I can be of service should you want to use me to gain more information. In fact, I encourage you to do so. I like helping, quite honestly, and it's fun for me and I enjoy the feeling of being useful.

Plus, knowing more will help you protect yourself.

I'm not being a conspiracy theorist or a doom-sayer when I tell you all point-blank that you do indeed have plenty to be wary of. Neuropsychologists from private US hospitals, psychiatrists from city mental health facilities, staff at fancy residential eating disorder hospitals--the list goes on--a large number of these people are NOT nice or kind and they are absolutely in it for the money and will tell you that straight to your face while looking you dead in the eyes. I've actually had the displeasure of speaking to a few such braggarts who enjoyed laughing about how much they make.

On the flip side, I've had the honor to work with some beautiful professionals and just people. BCBA's, clinical psychologists--but mostly, the clients and their families, themselves. I've personally found great satisfaction in being able to be a resource, myself, in certain circumstances. I'm great at conflict deescalation and that makes me good at emotional intelligence and Wells Fargo Customer for Life Training.

Anyway, my previous manager and close friend is a retired US Marine and he and I are of the same mold with regards to our firm belief in the importance of good mental health and good pro-social practices.

That said, while I appreciate and can understand your reticence, please do me the favor of talking to me more about this because I'd love to learn more about your perspective, nugget.

That goes to anyone reading this, by the way. The floor's yours. Please let me give you the proper answers if you have questions. It'll be good practice for me and I'd enjoy helping ease concerns and validate concerns, as well. I just won't divulge confidential information, but other than that, I'm a totally open book, guys.

a reply to: McTech2

Awesome! Check this out, as well.



Maslow's hierarchy of needs is super useful, and is the cherry on top of the icing of the cake that is good pro-social behavior and mindfulness and healthy mental and physical habits and behaviors.

I'm a happy person, in general, and it's difficult for me to stay angry or in a bad mood. While I attribute that mainly to my faith in God and Jesus, I will give credit to my understanding and mastery of the practice of many aspects of behavioral, developmental, clinical, and abnormal psychology.

Let me know if you want me to give you links to more information or if you want clarification or whatever. Again, I'm here as a resource and to help if you guys want. I don't want or need anything in return and am offering my services due to boredom and a desire to be nice to others because it's nice to be nice. Sorry for the late reply. I'm not online much.

a reply to: Foundryman2

This is something that over 90 percent of british people took and it's for normal everyday people and it's good for mindfulness and to promote emotional intelligence. You do you, though.

I've never had a breakdown, myself lol don't be so scared, my guy. Nobody is accusing you of anything. I don't bite

a reply to: nerbot

you're right, but developing EQ is something anyone can do. My friend that I mentioned had me read Emotional Intelligene 2.0 and do a cute project to help the rest of the team and our coworkers in the US.

a reply to: watchitburn

true that--the book that I posted goes into that in great detail, as do most all developmental psychologists. Good answer, watchitburn.