Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) | online course
A first aid course for mental health
The issue of mental health has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Mental health problems and conditions are becoming increasingly common, with over 40 percent of people in Germany being affected at least once in their lifetime. The MHFA courses follow a scientifically evaluated, evidence-based program. Among other things, these evaluations found that the courses have a number of positive side-effects such as reducing stigmatizing attitudes and improving participants’ own mental health.
This course trains non-experts in spotting the signs of mental health problems and in applying suitable “first aid” to combat them. The objectives of this course include preventing shock-induced paralysis and the sensation of helplessness that people feel when they suddenly find themselves confronted by others experiencing an acute mental health crisis or developing psychological condition. After taking potential first aid measures, it is all about putting the people affected in touch with professional counseling services if need be.
The course consists of two days, each lasting 6 hours (plus breaks).
Trainer
Anna Sessler
Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim
Language
German
Course dates
New dates will be announced soon
Target group
University of Bonn employees working in an advisory role, e.g. examination or doctoral office staff and degree program managers
Location
Online via Zoom
Course content
- Training non-experts in recognizing mental health problems affecting others
- Main topics covered: depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis, addiction
- Learning suitable “first aid” for the above conditions
General information
-
As with physical first aid courses, participation in an MHFA course is no substitute for medical or psychological/psychotherapeutic training. It is merely about learning and practicing first aid so that the person affected can be referred to professional help if necessary.
-
We would like to give participants the opportunity to discuss their experiences after the course has finished and so will be setting up a network and arranging regular meetings. Needless to say, attendance at these is entirely voluntary. More information will follow after the end of the course.
Information about registration
- You will need to sign up via the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, the licensed provider of MHFA courses in Germany. Please read the provider’s privacy notice.
- Comprehensive course documentation will be mailed to all participants.
- After the course has finished, you will have the opportunity to sit an exam to qualify as a mental health first aider.
- This course can be counted toward the “Professional Teaching Competence for Universities” certificate program in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in the “Studierende beraten” (“Advising students”) module. Please contact your colleagues in the Bonn Center for Higher Education if you are interested.
FAQs
You will need to have a work or apprenticeship contract with the University of Bonn in order to attend a Healthy Campus Bonn training course.
No; the University of Bonn will cover the costs.
Some of the rooms have barrier-free access. Should you need help getting in, please get in touch with your named contact in good time so that we can give you the support you need on the day of the event.
If you need childcare during an event, please contact the Office of Family Services Staff Unit.
