The Northwest Vista College Mental Health Initiative Committee and NVC Psychology Assistant Professor Jennifer Fox brought together faculty, staff and students for a development session from The Center for Health Care Services Foundation of San Antonio to earn certification in Mental Health First Aid.
“We are passionate about mental health and believe that faculty and staff needed an opportunity to have this training,” said Jennifer. “And, we were excited that the Psychology Club could fund a number of psychology students to attend, too.”
The focus of the session, which was led by Karen Coleman and Nisi Bennett, was on how to recognize and respond to someone experiencing a mental health crisis, how to approach them in a caring way, and actions that can be taken to help them get through the crisis and find appropriate help.
The group learned ways to help a person experiencing a mental health crisis such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks and traumatic events. By using the ALGEE Mental Health First Aid Action Plan, the group was trained on approaches such as encouraging use of sources for support, coping strategies and how to find professional help.
ALGEE stands for:
- Assess for risk of suicide or harm
- Listen non-judgmentally
- Give reassurance and information
- Encourage appropriate professional help
- Encourage self-help and other support strategies
Activities during the session included role playing, understanding auditory hallucinations, and how to address panic attacks which illustrated how hard it can be for a person in crisis. This collaborative learning approach allowed the attendees to discover helpful things to say and ways to be more patient, empathetic and respectful.
To find trainings like this and other subjects on campus, go to ACES Alamo Talent and search the calendar for NVC.