Mental Health Awareness

This class explains mental health challenges as adaptations to stress. These responses often appear as a kind of disconnection from objective reality and often show up as anxiety or depression. Sometimes we see more severe signs like dissociation, panic, and psychosis.

Understanding how mental health symptoms originate helps us recognize the human element behind situations that may seem difficult to understand and respond to. Workers everywhere in the “helping field” of human services need this awareness to provide services that are trauma-informed and are inclusive of the individual’s unique cultural needs and goals. It takes intention and practice to provide interventions that minimize re-traumatization and allow for the person to be self-directed and respected for their unique life story.

Through the lens of stress management, this training explains best practices for interacting with people who may be upset or struggling with symptoms.