Author Archive: May 2015

When someone we love dies, experiencing feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, regret, guilt and sometimes even relief, is common and natural. The Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) curriculum adds that bereavement grief, which occurs with the death of a loved...

This Veterans Day, it is important to remember that not every service member experiences Veterans Day in the same way. In fact, some prior service members may not consider themselves veterans at all. This is especially common for service members...

November can be a time for s’mores, warm hoodies and crisp air. For me, it’s also a time to reflect, educate, recognize and honor the more than 53 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S. These individuals passionately support family (89%...

What we say and do in response to the signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge can have a tremendous impact on the perceptions, actions and outcomes of all involved. That’s really true for public safety...

In my sophomore year of high school, I took the teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) course as part of my gym class, and my number one takeaway is that mental health is just as important as physical health. This...

Happy World Mental Health Day! Each year, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) joins the World Health Organization to raise awareness about mental health around the world and support those experiencing mental health and substance use challenges. In honor of the...

With World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, it’s more than fitting to ponder how compassion shows up in the world around us and what it looks like when it does. Where do we witness compassion on a regular basis?...

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 65% of employees say they are rethinking the place that work should have in their lives, and 56% say they want to contribute more to society. Additionally, 31% of the 4.3 million Americans who quit...

As a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainer who is on the road and in virtual training spaces regularly, I am one who talks about the importance of centering wellbeing and self-care often. Like many in my courses, work and...

September marks National Recovery Month, an annual observance to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who...

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is more than a vital awareness and education training. It’s also a great avenue for professional development. Employees who pursue professional development in their careers reap benefits like higher job satisfaction and productivity — in...

In 2020, nearly 46,000 people in the U.S. died by suicide — an average of one person every 11 minutes — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Suicide is the second leading cause of death among...