I want to train you in mental health first aid for free. Our industry needs it
PHD's Chloe Hooper confronted the depths of mental illness last year, and she knows how badly the media industry needs increased support and decreased stigma. She's now a qualified mental health first aid instructor, and she wants to train the industry, for free.
Last year, I began to understand the depths of mental illness. I travelled back to the UK to look after my mum, who’d experienced a severe mental breakdown. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to truly put into words what it was like looking after her. The woman who had been my rock for my whole life was unable to shower herself, eat, or come up for air to stop screaming. I had this overwhelming feeling of helplessness the entire time, despite calling every helpline and reading every article I could find.
Chloe Hooper is now a qualified mental health first aid instructor
I returned to Australia and re-entered the media bubble, where mental health, at that point in time, wasn’t a hot topic of conversation and was still stigmatised. Despite this, or perhaps consequently, I decided to write an ‘open letter to management‘ about the impact company culture can have on mental health.
I was completely overwhelmed by the response it received.
But what I found most disturbing was the number of people who reached out to me who were suffering (in silence) with their own mental health battles. More needed to be done.
The Mentally Healthy survey carried out by UnLtd and Never Not Creative showed the average number of people suffering from mild to severe depression in the marketing, media and creative industry was 56% (the national average is 36%). It also showed that only a third of companies in the industry currently offer mental health support.
My employer, PHD, is a huge advocate of providing a mentally healthy workspace and quickly dedicated itself to creating a movement towards removing the stigma of mental health. We decided to share our personal stories with the industry by ‘wearing our heart on our sleeve’.
The magnitude of the problem became even clearer at this point. We realised how ill-equipped we are as an industry to identify mental health issues. So what if we could up-skill ourselves? This led us to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), which teaches people the skills to help someone who they’re concerned about, in the same way physical first aid does.
PHD enrolled me in the instructor’s course, and I am now a qualified mental health first aid instructor, which means I can educate and qualify people to become mental health first aiders.
On my first day, we went around the room and explained where we worked – the majority of the group were psychologists, psychiatrists, and one woman was an ex-nurse who had set up a rehabilitation centre for returning, suffering military veterans.
Safe to say, I was feeling quite inadequate with my job title, but I realised it was actually extra important that I was there, that the media industry was there, learning.
The course doesn’t have all the answers, however, it is the first step in demystifying the topic of mental illness, increasing mental health literacy, and beginning to decrease the stigma.
I appreciate PHD investing in me and mental health like this. I appreciate Mark Coad’s support.
“I’m really proud of Chloe and the steps she has taken in this area, to help progress our agency as well the rest of the industry,” he said.
“She has done it with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of our broader industry, so please get behind her and let’s work together on improving the happiness of our people.”
I hope I can use this new skill set to make a change.
So, I want to share my knowledge with you, for free.
PHD will be running a mental health first aid course on 22 and 23 July. It’s a two day course, and at the end, you will be a qualified mental health first aider.
If you are interested in attending the course, please reach out to me at chloe.hooper@phdmedia.com, and I will reserve a spot for you.
I know two days is a significant investment.
But it’s worth it.
I hope you can make it.
Chloe Hooper is the national new business and marketing director at PHD
So great to read your story Chloe. Having the skills to see mental health issues when they arise and know what to do is so important.
User ID not verified.
Bravo to you & PHD
User ID not verified.
What a practical way of making a real difference in the community that isn’t asking for $$.
User ID not verified.
Good for you Chloe on putting yourself out there and trying to make a difference.
PHD are lucky to have you!
User ID not verified.
Thanks for sharing your own personal story Chloe, I hope things with your Mum have improved.
Great to continue the awareness required in this area and good luck with the course, I have no doubt spots will fill up and fast!
Would love to be there but I can’t make those dates, perhaps a round 2 down the line!
Good luck!
User ID not verified.
It’s rare to see an initiative like this that doesn’t have at least a small taste of cynicism about it. This one doesn’t. Congrats and keep doing what you’re doing – much needed.
User ID not verified.
Thank you for this Chloe. It’s seriously a great idea and done for only the right reasons.
User ID not verified.
Bravo.
To all and sundry.
This industry is rife with behavior that jeopardizes people’s mental health, and any effort to shine a light on it, or change it, is to be lauded.
User ID not verified.
fantastic initiative and fully support the direction, any spotlight on this huge issue is a good thing and needs more attention. my only worry is that “It’s a two day course, and at the end, you will be a qualified mental health first aider”. we need to have qualified practitioners that spend years in study and in the field to help people through mental health issue, i hope that the goal is to help steer in the right direction and to get the proper help if required.
User ID not verified.
Actually, the very last thing we need is one more person telling us there is a stigma to mental illnesses. What we do need is fully normalizing discussions of these illnesses.
maioharolda@gmail.com
User ID not verified.
I think this is well intentioned but delusional. There is no way you will be an expert on mental health after a two day course. And you have to ask, what then? What happens next, even if you have successfully identified a problem? Will it change oppressive work structures or will people merely be sent to doctors and drugged into compliance? Treatment for depression, like most mental disorders, is hugely problematic. All to often we hear of people going on rampages right after being treated.
User ID not verified.
Certainly agree.
I’ve done the course and am qualified as a mental health first aider – it’s all about having a toolkit so that you can be the one to have the first conversation with someone who might be struggling, providing them with help and support but ultimately guiding them towards speaking to a real professional. I think of it in a similar way to how a physical first aider might provide treatment until an ambulance arrives on the scene and can take over.
It’s absolutely worth doing. This is a wonderful idea.
User ID not verified.
I disagree. The course doesn’t aim to make anyone an ‘expert’, rather provide the resources and basic skills to treat that person in that moment and assist them find professional help. Just like a physical First Aid course, one is not expected to perform the heart surgery but simply assist as best they can given basic tools and knowledge until a paramedic etc arrives.
And frankly, if this course provides education to those without personal experience or awareness then bravo to them. I have no doubt those attending the course will take much away and implement it throughout all aspects of their life.
As for individuals being ‘drugged into compliance’, I think you’re getting a bit carried away. Typical anti-depressants take between 6-8 weeks to work, with months added for the patient to feel any change (positive or negative). A pill certainly isn’t going to help a toxic work environment (which is what you’re actually referring to).
User ID not verified.
Excellant work Chole.
User ID not verified.
I support this whole-heartedly. I’ve seen colleagues and direct reports tremble with panic attacks right in front of me and I’ve seen people in the workplace suffering from emotional trauma, but I haven’t known exactly what to do. If there’s any ‘first aid’ applicable for mental health, I would love to know more.
User ID not verified.
Every Initiative office in Australia has qualified mental health first aid officers. It was a great program set up last year and it’s nice to see it roll out to other agencies.
User ID not verified.
This is great, there needs to be more of this! The only downside is not having access to much of these kind of initiatives in markets that are not Sydney and Melbourne. It would be nice to host these sorts of things in markets like Brisbane and WA as well – markets that need it but do not have access to it.
User ID not verified.
There’s access to these courses in every city across Australia via Lifeline, Red Cross, St Johns and MHFA. Not sure where you’ve heard there’s no access to these but a quick google search provides a number of options.
User ID not verified.
If only every workplace tackled this issue so openly. I know I for one would not be facing my 7th year of counselling and antidepressants if my workplace at the time had actually acted when I first called out systemic bullying and not dismissed me as overly emotional.
User ID not verified.
Great to hear Chloe. I’m a huge advocate for mental health in the workplace. Many of our staff have completed the MHFA training and Lifeline Suicide Assistance For Everyone (SAFE) training. I recommend both – which are available across the country.
Something even more suited to workplaces is Mindful Employer which has specific training for managers and leaders: https://www.mindfulemployer.com.au/
At Quiip we also run Resilience Training for Social Media Managers which is of increasing importance in today’s online environment.
User ID not verified.