3 Reasons Everyone Should Learn Mental Health First Aid

Showing up to support each other isn't a one-time, one-solution, one-person show—it's a collective community effort that starts with empathy and understanding.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is one tool you can add to your toolbox to support your friends, family and community members through mental health challenges or just the day to day of everyday life.

MHFA isn't about being a superhero, or about becoming a therapist; it's about becoming the kind of person who can show up for those around them.

Mental Health First Aid delivered by Inkwell Training and Facilitation throughout Perth, provides practical skills to recognise, respond to, and support people experiencing mental health challenges.

3 Reasons everyone should be training in Mental Health First Aid:

#1: Recognise signs EARLY.

A change in someone’s Mental Health, might be sudden, or it might be a gradual slow change.

Mental Health challenges can display in so many different ways, from hiding in plain sight to subtle signs that might be harder to detect, MHFA training equips you with the knowledge of different subtle signs and changes to watch out for in your family, friends and colleagues.

MHFA training equips you to:

• Spot the shifts that show someone might be struggling

• Understand the difference between typical changes in emotions and more serious concerns

• Know the importance of early intervention for the best outcomes

Early intervention can have significant positive impact on preventing or reducing the progress of a mental illness, and also for improving a person’s mental and physical health. This isn't about diagnosing or being a therapist — it's about being a person who understands the language of being a human - who knows how to listen, support, and guide, without trying to solve everything.

#2: Create More Supportive Spaces

Workplaces, schools, communities and friendship groups can transform when people understand mental health. MHFA isn't just about one moment or one conversation —it's about creating environments where people feel seen, heard, and supported. It breaks down stigma and builds connection.

MHFA empowers you to:

• Challenge mental health stigma through informed, authentic conversations

• Build workplace cultures that actually prioritises human well-being

• Contribute to more understanding, resilient community spaces

#3: Level up your communication skills

We know that words have power and knowing what to say (or what not to say) and when to shut up and just listen, can make a significant difference in how a conversation goes.

MHFA provides you with tips and tricks to:

• Have what might feel like a difficult conversation with confidence

• Listen (with empathy and without judgement) to make people feel truly heard—not just talked at

• Connect people with professional and other ongoing support

#4: Reduce the impact on the system.

Oh you thought we were done with just 3 reasons?

Suprise, we’ve got a 4th reason you should become Mental Health First Aid trained - and that is to reduce the impact on our professional support systems.
Not everyone who who’s having a mental health challenge needs intensive support from the system immediately, and the earlier we can intervene the better the outcomes can become.

Sometimes, a compassionate, informed support conversation early can be a crucial first step to allow people to navigate resources, alternate assistance and other support networks to reduce the impact and duration of a Mental Health Challenge and even reduce the access required to professional support systems.

Ready to rewrite mental health conversation?

Find out how you can get book a Mental Health First Aid training course through Inkwell Training and Facilitation.

We’ve got you covered whether you’re in the Perth Hills, Perth Metro or beyond —reach out today to find out how we can train your team in MHFA

Perth Mental Health First Aid training - we’ve got you covered!