HealthyMinds@Work provide supervision and reflective practice for mental health first aiders (MHFAs). This supervision is vital to support MHFAs in their role by providing psychoeducation, a reflective space and therapeutic tools and techniques.  Supervision is a key intervention for MHFAs to enable them to support others with their mental health and to keep appropriate boundaries for them to be successful in this role without taking on more than is appropriate.

Helping people in vulnerable situations can place a significant pressure on the MHFA and they can absorb lots of difficult feelings. MHFAs may find it difficult to recognise these feelings and process them resulting in them feeling stressed, anxious or even physically unwell.

Regular supervision sessions can offer a reflective space to help MHFAs better understand and manage the psychological impact and emotional demands of their role. This can increase their resilience and productivity enabling them to better support their colleagues emotionally and practically.

This confidential and supportive space can also be used to help support the MHFA to think through some of the interpersonal dynamic issues that occur in the workplace and make sense of the impact on staff’s mental wellbeing. This deeper understanding can offer a valuable perspective so that they can support staff members and the wider organisation.

Benefits

  • improves the support given to staff when they are unwell, suffering or vulnerable
  • encourages staff to return to work as quickly and safely as possible with appropriate support
  • reduces the vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burn out that are risks in this role
  • provides support and protection to the MHFA so they can manage the emotional challenges of their role
  • develops the emotional intelligence and resilience of the MHFA plus allows them to develop this capacity in others
  • improves the wellbeing of the organisation

Who is it for?

Mental health first aiders and leaders who are responsible for the management of mental health within an organisation.