Professional help is available in many forms
There are various professionals involved in mental health work. Perhaps most closely associated with mental health issues in the public mind is the psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has received additional training in mental health problems. A term that is often confused with psychiatrist is that of psychologist. A psychologist is somebody who has training in matters relating to the workings of the mind (and this therefore includes, but is not limited to, mental health matters). However, a psychologist is not likely to be medically trained and is therefore likely to focus on therapeutic approaches other than medical treatment. In addition, there are psychiatric nurses who offer a range of help to people with mental health problems. This ranges from providing nursing support to psychiatrists and their patients to acting in a role of therapist in their own right. For example, many psychiatric nurses are also trained counsellors.
In addition, there are counsellors who do not have nurse training and will therefore not offer the broader range of supportive measures that nurses do but will, none the less, have a valuable role to play in many cases.
In addition, there are social workers who often play an important role in helping people with mental health problems to face the challenges that they encounter on a day-to-day basis. Social workers are, for the most part, 'professional problem-solvers', and so they occupy a variety of roles in helping people with mental health problems to deal with their situation. Some social workers (known as 'Approved Social Workers' or ASWs) also have a role to play in those circumstances in which it becomes necessary to consider a person being admitted to a psychiatric hospital or unit for their own safety or the safety of others.
However, the group of people who play a very important role for the majority of people with mental health problems is the general practitioner. It is often through the GP that mental health problems come to light. In many ways, therefore, GPs act as a focal point of the mental health system.
This is not an exhaustive list, as there are various other people who can be very valuable in dealing with mental health issues. Where mental health problems manifest themselves in the workplace, it is often the Occupational Health Unit that will be the first port of call for many. Others, however, will enlist the help of an EAP (Employment Assistance Programme) who also often have much to offer when it comes to dealing with mental health matters.
In addition to professional helpers, there are various voluntary organisations that play a very important role in tackling mental health problems. MIND, the National Association for Mental Health, is a very well-established organisation that has built up a wealth of experience and expertise over the years.
While this may be a bewildering array of professionals and volunteers involved in mental health issues, at the end of the day the important thing is that you 'plug into' this system of support whenever you need to. You should not attempt to deal with complex and sensitive mental health problems unsupported. This could lead to problems for the person with the mental health problems and for you as well.
Dr Neil Thompson
Learning resources to help you manage mental health issuesand other situations that can arise when dealing with people
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People Problems deals with the factors that contribute to a range of problems including mental health issues. |
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DVD ResourcesMental Health Problems in the Workplace (Avenue Media Solutions) No organization is immune from mental health problems among its workforce. Such difficulties can arise in large or small organizations, private, public or voluntary sectors and across industries or service areas. Training and development staff, human resources professionals and managers in any organization can therefore put these materials to good use by developing training for key staff and managers and awareness programmes for all employees. It can also be of benefit to tutors and teachers involved in presenting courses on social studies, organizational studies, management and human resources. This DVD has been prepared to help organizations to prepare themselves for the challenges presented by mental health problems. The difficulties presented can range from minor and limited in scope to severe and extensive, sometimes with devastating consequences for the individuals involved, for the team, the wider organization and its stakeholders. Without a good understanding of mental health problems in the workplace, managers and human resources professionals will find themselves ill-equipped to deal with the demands made on them if or when such problems arise. This DVD and its associated learning materials can help organizations nip problems in the bud and respond effectively when they do arise. |
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Coping with Depression (Avenue Media Solutions)
This DVD has been prepared as an aid to a wide range of professionals who may be called upon to support someone who is experiencing depression. Responding to the needs of a depressed person can be very challenging work, and, if we are not well equipped, we can make the situation worse. It is therefore important that we have a good understanding of what is involved and that is what this resource offers. The presentation is divided into four parts, covering: What is depression? What are the causes of depression? What are the effects of depression? and: How can we help? Order from the Avenue Learning Centre
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Working with Grief (Avenue Media Solutions)
This DVD has been prepared to help a wide variety of people to develop their understanding of the significance of loss and grief in the workplace and in people’s lives more broadly. It is a 30 minute presentation that is divided into three parts. Part One discusses the nature of grief by asking: What is grief? Part Two examines how grief affects us, the various ways in which it has an impact on people’s lives. The final part explores how we can support people are grieving. This DVD offers a sound foundation for more confident and effective approaches to situations that involve one or more people who are experiencing loss and grief. |
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Dealing with Stress: A 3-DVD Set (Avenue Media Solutions)
In the modern workplace it seems that stress is never far away. In the highly pressurised world we work in today there is a challenge to us all to make sure that we do not allow potentially stimulating and rewarding pressures to reach a level where they become harmful and destructive stress. Individuals and organisations that fail to take seriously the challenge of stress in the workplace are risking some very serious and harmful consequences. To help avoid the damage that stress can do and to support efforts to deal with it effectively.
DVD 1 is entitled Understanding Stress and provides an introductory overview for everyone concerned with the problem of stress. It explains the difference between pressure and stress and emphasises the need to understand the three dimensions of stress (pressures – coping – support). It also outlines the various costs to be paid for not dealing with stress. DVD 2 is entitled Meeting the Stress Challenge and focuses on the individual’s responsibility for keeping pressures within manageable limits. It also helps learners to understand the causes of stress. As such, it provides a foundation for preventing stress. DVD 3 is entitled Managing Stress and emphasises the manager’s role in keeping stress at bay. This covers legal and professional requirements, identifies some common pitfalls to avoid and highlights positive steps that managers can take. It provides a firm basis for effective management and positive leadership. Each DVD is approximately 30 minutes in length and the set includes additional learning resources that can be printed out from pdf files on the DVD to offer up to two days’ training. |
Tackling Mental Health Problems in the Workplace home page
