Initial Mental Health First Aid Training – Oct 2026
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Get the skills you need to support a friend, family member, or colleague in this initial Mental Health First Aid program.
Approximately 20% of Australian adults experience a common mental illness each year. Completing a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Course will help you to develop the skills to support a friend, family member or co-worker.
In this informative and practical course, you will learn about the signs and symptoms of common and disabling mental health problems in adults, how to provide initial help, where and how to get professional help, what sort of help has been shown by research to be effective, and how to provide mental health first aid in a crisis situation using a practical, evidence-based action plan.
Mental health first aid skills learnt by participants in this course can be applied in any setting.
Course content includes case-studies, videos and resources tailored to the learning needs of community/public course participants.
Mental Health First Aid Training Can Make a Difference
Research has shown that MHFA training is associated with:
Knowledge: improved knowledge of mental illnesses, their treatments and appropriate first aid strategies.
Confidence: confidence in providing first aid to a person experiencing a mental health problem.
De-Stigmatising: decreases in stigmatising attitudes.
Increased Support: increases in the amount and type of support provided to others.
Learn how you can assist someone developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis and make a real difference to your community.
What does this course offer?
This course covers common and disabling mental health problems and crisis situations. Participants learn how to apply mental health first aid to adults across a range of situations, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Psychosis
- Substance use problems
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
- Panic attacks
- Non-suicidal self-injury
- Traumatic events
Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:
- Recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health problems in adults,
- Use an evidence-based action plan to initiate a mental health first aid conversation,
- Know the barriers to help-seeking and how to overcome these,
- Assess for a range of crisis situations and provide initial support,
- Understand the prevalence and impact of mental illnesses, risk factors and treatments and supports available,
- Apply self-care practices as a Mental Health First Aider.
Course Structure
In this program, you’ll undertake an eLearning component first (approximately 6 hours of effort), then attend two 3-hour Zoom sessions.
We conduct both of these sessions on the same day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. This means you’ll complete all the zoom components in a single day.
Participants can also complete the short assessment at the end of a course to become an Accredited Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider). Accreditation is valid for 3 years and can be renewed with the Refresher course, also available through The Mental Health Coach .
Delivered by Qualified Professionals
At The Mental Health Coach, we know that the quality of training depends on the expertise of those delivering it. That’s why our Mental Health First Aid courses are led by experienced facilitators with professional backgrounds in:
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Mental health and counselling – bringing real-world understanding of the challenges individuals face.
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Workplace wellbeing and psychological safety – ensuring the content is practical and directly relevant to organisational contexts.
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Leadership and people management – helping managers and HR leaders apply their learning to everyday situations with their teams.
Our facilitators are accredited Mental Health First Aid Instructors who combine evidence-based knowledge with years of experience supporting people in both clinical and workplace settings. This means participants don’t just learn theory — they gain insights, tools, and strategies that work in the real world.
When your leaders and teams train with us, they’re learning from professionals who understand the unique pressures of today’s workplaces and who are committed to helping organisations create cultures where people can thrive.
FAQ
The Mental Health Coach can offer this or other tailored courses for your organisation’s needs. If you have a group of 10 or more participants, we can come to you. For further information, get in touch with us.