Certificate in Mental Health Course Guide

This course will provide an introduction to the spectrum of mental health, from wellness to illness, and will explore how mental illness can impair an individual’s life. It will include but not be limited to the process of diagnosis, the implications of labelling and stigmatisation and a look at the most widely used approach for understanding the development of mental illnesses and treatment.

This course will provide an introduction to risk and protective factors in the context of mental health, and will include but not be limited to the risks to mental health across different life stages, how stressful life events function as risk factors and an in-depth look at cumulative risk.

This course will provide an in-depth overview of stress, including but not limited to the types of stress and what a stressor is, the various reactions an individual may have towards a stressor such as physical, psychological and behavioural effects, and strategies that may be employed to deal with stress.

This course will explore the steps that can be taken to help support our mental health and enhance or improve our protective factors. It will include but not be limited the holistic approach to mental health and the influence of diet, physical activity, sleep and social relationships, the difference between mental distress and mental illness, key strategies to help others with mental health problems and how to complete a wellness plan.

This course will take a look at mental health in the workplace, including but not limited to the prevalence and risk factors that contribute to mental health related issues within the workplace, and the fundamental risks of poor mental health within the workplace such as absenteeism, low productivity, and stress-related compensation claims.

This course will provide an overview of suicide risk and intervention, including but not limited to the thoughts and emotions behind suicidal behaviour, indicators that a person may display when considering suicide and steps that should be taken when recognising the warning signs, and the importance of empowerment and building rapport in relation to people with suicidal tendencies.

This course will take a close look at the definition and various forms of domestic violence, as well as the identifying factors or warning signs. It will include but not be limited to the harmful effects of domestic violence on mental health, how to help yourself or others who are experiencing domestic violence, and how mental health professionals work with survivors of domestic violence.

This course will explore a variety of core theories that discuss adult development and retirement, including but not limited to key issues with an ageing population, the professionals who are trained to work in aged care and their responsibilities, and the support services currently available.

This course will provide an introduction to some of the most common forms of therapy that a counsellor or psychologist might specialise in, as well as common medications for various mental illnesses. It will include but not be limited to the key premises of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, the sequence of Solution Focused Therapy and the common side effects of pharmacological treatments.

This course will provide an overview of some of the ethical issues that arise within the mental health profession, including but not limited to the process of ethical decision making, why a code of ethics is important in mental health work, mandatory vs aspirational ethics and how the needs of a therapist can interfere with the counselling process.