Mental Health First Aid course

DID YOU KNOW  ...

1 in 4 people will experience some form of mental illness in any given year.

DID YOU KNOW  ...

almost 75% of young people fear the reactions of friends when they talk about their mental health issues.

Two weeks ago I was able to attend a two-day Mental Health First Aid course facilitated by the Borough of Greenwich. This is something I've wanted to do for some time to better equip me in my role as a Chaplain at the university and also within my local church.
I learned a lot but one tool I found really helpful was this Window on the World.  Each one of us has an individual filter through which we define reality. This 'individual frame of reference is influenced by a range of factors from our upbringing and experience. These include our family situation, education, culture and life experiences.'
Personally I believe that the more we are aware of how these factors have influenced our lives the better we will understand why we respond the way we do in any given situation.  The better we understand ourselves and our thought processes the more equipped we can be to strengthen our weaknesses and introduce helpful structures when the going gets tough.