Introduction to Mental Health

Workshop Description

3-hour interactive virtual session

This session provides an overview of mental health, mental health issues and mental illness. This 3-hour session covers basic concepts, myths, barriers to support, and the PSW role in supporting a client with mental health issues. It provides a base for our other workshops on mental health and is aimed at PSWs and other support workers who have not had recent training in mental health.

This session will help your staff:

• examine personal beliefs about mental health issues, mental illness and the impact those beliefs may have when working with a client.
• understand in general terms the most common types of mental illnesses among older people, including mood disorders, depression and other affective/thought disorders.
• identify fundamental support techniques useful in working with clients with mental health issues.
• identify risks to the support worker’s own boundaries and well-being - and strategies to address them.

Who Should Attend

Introductory workshops are designed for PSWs who are new to the topic. They provide a broad overview and introduce key concepts to build foundational understanding.