Mental Health Awareness Training
Practical training on recognising mental health concerns, having supportive conversations, and knowing where to seek help.
Duration
45 Minutes
Lessons
6
CPD Hours
1
Certificate
On Completion
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Six practical outcomes from this training
Understand the mental health continuum and how mental health exists on a spectrum from thriving to crisis
Identify key factors that contribute to poor mental health, including burnout, stress, isolation, and organisational pressures
Recognise how mental health issues present themselves in the workplace and what changes in behaviour or performance might signal
Understand substance use as a coping mechanism and the warning signs of dependency or problematic use
Learn how to have supportive conversations about mental health with colleagues and when to escalate concerns
Know the resources and support services available, including confidential helplines, employee assistance programmes, and when to seek professional advice
About this training
Mental health affects everyone. This training provides a clear understanding of mental health, common conditions, and how they present in the workplace. It is designed for anyone who works in a professional environment where colleagues' wellbeing matters.
The course covers the mental health continuum, stress, burnout, isolation, and substance use as a coping mechanism. It is practical rather than clinical. You will learn how to recognise when someone is struggling, how to have a supportive conversation, and where to seek help. The focus is on creating workplaces where people feel able to speak about mental health without stigma or fear.
Whether you work in a chambers, law firm, or other professional organisation, understanding mental health is essential to supporting your colleagues and managing your own wellbeing.
Key topics
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1
Factors contributing to poor mental health
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2
How mental health issues present themselves
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3
The mental health continuum
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4
Stress, burnout, and isolation
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5
Substance use and coping mechanisms
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6
Having supportive conversations about mental health
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7
Assessing your own mental health
What learners say
“A well-structured and genuinely useful course. It gave me a clearer understanding of mental health in a professional context and practical tools I can use in my day-to-day practice.”
Frequently asked questions
There is no statutory requirement to provide mental health training. However, employers have a duty of care under health and safety law and common law, and a duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 for employees with mental health conditions. Mental health training supports these obligations by creating awareness, reducing stigma, and enabling early intervention.
Changes in behaviour, appearance, or performance can signal mental health difficulties: withdrawn or unusually quiet colleagues, increased irritability, difficulty concentrating, unusual absences, or reduced engagement in work and social activities. However, these signs alone do not indicate a specific condition. The key is to notice change, approach with care, listen without judgment, and suggest professional help.
Choose a private moment and be direct but kind: "I've noticed you've seemed quiet recently and I wanted to check in" or "You don't seem yourself — is everything okay?" Listen more than you speak. Avoid minimising phrases like "just think positive" or "we all get stressed." If they open up, thank them for trusting you, take them seriously, and help them connect with professional support. This training provides practical language and real scenarios.
Mental health is not a binary state of well or unwell. It exists on a spectrum from thriving (flourishing, resilient) through struggling (stressed, low) to crisis (unable to function). Everyone moves along this continuum throughout their lives. Understanding this helps normalise mental health challenges and shows that seeking support when struggling is part of maintaining wellbeing, not a sign of failure.
Yes. If an employer becomes aware of an employee's mental health struggles and fails to provide reasonable support or makes adjustments, they may face liability under health and safety law, the Equality Act 2010, or common law duty of care. Conversely, employers who proactively provide training, create supportive cultures, and act on early warning signs reduce their exposure significantly. This training equips managers with the awareness and practical tools to respond appropriately.
This training covers the resources available: GPs, counselling services, employee assistance programmes, occupational health, confidential helplines (including crisis lines), and talking therapies such as CBT available on the NHS. It also covers the role of managers and HR in signposting and supporting access. The course emphasises that seeking help is essential and removes the stigma often associated with it.
Related training
Related services
Briefed offers advisory, audit, and policy services alongside training. If your organisation needs support beyond eLearning, we can help.