Training
MENTAL HEALTH
FIRST CONTACT
MHFC was developed in response to the need for mental health training for pastors and church staff.
The pilot run was launched in October 2022. MHFC is a one-day foundational training that equips pastors, church staff and lay ministry leaders with the skills and understanding to be a loving first contact for individuals and families with mental illness.
TRAINING OBJECTIVE
To help participants:
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Be more aware and understand mental illness better;
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Develop simple skills to be a loving first contact who can encourage and support members;
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Be a bridge to connect individuals and families to seek further help should the need arise.
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Participants are not expected to do any form of mental health assessment or evaluation and are not trained to be lay counsellors or professional counsellors.
TRAINING OUTLINE
Define Mental Wellness and Mental Illness
Learn and Practice Skill 1: Respect
Learn and Practice Skill 2: Asking Questions
Learn and Practice Skill 3: Two Reflections to One Question Dialogue
Learn and Practice Skill 4: Ask About Suicide
Overview of specific Mental Illnesses
Application of 4 Skills and Case Studies
Contextualizing to Ministries
Review Referral Sources
Self-Care
Skills
Based
Interactive
Personal
Reflection
Practical Case
Studies
Ministry
Context
TRAINERS
Our team of trainers are Christian Mental Health professionals with many years of counselling experience and are knowledgeable in the area of mental health. They are volunteering their time in this training for the equipping of the Church.
Pastors and church staff from over 30 churches have attended MHFC and all said they would recommend this training to fellow pastors.