Mental Health Support Basics

What You Will Learn

• 1 Learn the foundational concepts of mental health, including how mental health exists on a spectrum and why stigma remains one of the greatest barriers to people seeking help.
• 2 Understand the most common mental health conditions — including anxiety, depression, trauma, and psychosis — and recognize their signs and symptoms in real-world contexts.
• 3 Explore effective, empathetic communication techniques that allow you to engage someone in distress without causing harm or escalating a crisis situation.
• 4 Discover the principles of mental health first aid and apply a structured approach to supporting someone who may be experiencing a mental health emergency.
• 5 Analyze the role of self-care and personal boundaries in sustaining your effectiveness as a mental health supporter without experiencing burnout or compassion fatigue.
• 6 Understand how trauma shapes behavior and mental health, and apply trauma-informed principles when interacting with individuals who have experienced adversity.
• 7 Explore the landscape of professional mental health services, referral pathways, and community resources so you can confidently connect people with appropriate support.
• 8 Develop workplace mental health literacy and understand how to create psychologically safe environments that support wellbeing for individuals and teams.
• 9 Understand the ethical and legal frameworks that govern mental health support, including confidentiality, duty of care, and the limits of a non-clinical supporter role.
• 10 Build a personal mental health support plan that integrates the skills, frameworks, and insights from across the course into a sustainable, values-driven practice.