Five Key Things I Learned About Mental Health First Aid

This week, I had the privilege of attending a two-day Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course at Goldsmiths, led by the outstanding Alicia Nagar of MHFA England. It was intense, enlightening, and profoundly helpful. Having trained in mindfulness and therapy (including the Human Givens approach), I was struck by how this course distilled so many useful principles into a digestible and practical form — one that feels immediately applicable in educational and everyday contexts.

Here are five key takeaways I’d like to share:

1. Mental Health Is a Spectrum — Language Matters

We spent a lot of time clarifying what mental health actually is — and crucially, how we talk about it. The course makes a distinction between poor mental health (such as low-level anxiety or depression) and mental ill health (diagnosed conditions like sustained depression, psychosis, etc.). We were reminded how important our words are: to say “a person who self-harms” rather than labelling someone as “a self-harmer,” or to say “died by suicide” rather than “committed suicide,” which carries outdated, moralistic connotations. Language can either reduce stigma or reinforce it.

2. Inequality Is Baked Into Mental Health Outcomes

Session Two was revealing: we examined how structural inequalities impact mental health. The stats were stark. For example, Black adults are the least likely ethnic group to receive mental health medication, and LGBTQ+ people and women face disproportionately high rates of trauma and abuse. The course rightly pointed out that mental health isn’t just individual — it’s political and cultural too.

3. AL GEE: A Framework That Works

One of the most useful aspects was the ALGEE acronym, a five-step approach to supporting someone in distress:

• Approach, assess, assist
• Listen non-judgmentally
• Give information
• Encourage professional help
• Encourage other supports

It’s not about fixing the problem — it’s about being a compassionate first point of contact, helping someone feel heard and safe, and pointing them towards further support. We role-played scenarios involving panic attacks, self-harm, eating disorders, and more — all handled with a gentle, non-intrusive approach

4. Boundaries and Realism Are Essential

Another valuable aspect was the work we did on boundaries. What do you do if a colleague you helped starts sending you personal texts late at night? What’s your responsibility if someone discloses something intense outside of your official role? The course helped clarify what Mental Health First Aid is — and what it isn’t. We’re not therapists. We’re there to spot the signs, listen with empathy, and connect people to the right help.

5. Psychosis Isn’t What the Media Says It Is

The training did a powerful job of challenging stigmas, particularly around psychosis. Rather than fear-mongering, we explored how psychosis can manifest — in hallucinations, delusions, or intense paranoia — and how best to respond calmly and safely. The course made clear that our role is to support, not diagnose. Compassion and clarity can go a long way in moments of crisis.

I came away from the course feeling more grounded, better informed, and more confident in how I might help someone in distress — whether that’s a colleague, student, or friend. Many thanks to Alicia Nagar for guiding us with empathy, wisdom, and insight, and to Goldsmiths for supporting such vital professional development.

I’d highly recommend the course to anyone. It’s not just for educators or HR staff — it’s for all of us.