There are a number of training courses available throughout Northern Ireland in mental and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention.  Some of these are outlined below:

Mental Emotional Wellbeing and Suicide Prevention Training

Everyone’s mental health and emotional well-being is important and many different issues can affect it.  If you would like to learn more about these issues, including the signs and symptoms of poor mental health, there are training courses available.

The key aims of courses are to help increase understanding of mental health, promote positive self-help strategies and raise awareness of the many available sources of help and support services available in Northern Ireland.  Courses are also available to help build knowledge on becoming an alert helper for those experiencing suicidal thoughts and helping those in a suicidal crisis.

The length of the courses vary depending on the level of training involved.  Some courses are delivered over a few hours where others may last a couple of days.

Courses supported by the Public Health Agency include Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST); Mental Health First Aid NI (MHFA), safeTALK, Mindset Adult and Mindset Adolescent.

Whether you are an individual interested with increasing your knowledge of mental health or an organisation wishing to provide information for staff or users, the PHA can advise on the training that is most appropriate for you.

For further information on training available in your locality contact:

Stress control classes

Stress doesn’t just make you feel bad – it can also be bad for your health. The good news is there are measures you can take to deal with it.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging those experiencing stress to participate in stress control classes which it is funding and are being delivered by Health and Social Care Trusts across Northern Ireland.

Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure, and pressure turns into stress when you feel unable to cope.

Common signs of stress include sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite, and difficulty concentrating. You may feel anxious, irritable, low in self-esteem, have racing thoughts, worry constantly or go over things in your head.

You may notice that you lose your temper more easily, drink more or act unreasonably. You may also experience headaches, muscle tension or pain, or dizziness. Stress causes a surge of hormones in your body. These stress hormones are released to enable you to deal with pressures or threats – the so-called 'fight or flight' response.

The free Stress Control programme is held once a week over six weeks and teaches skill and techniques for managing stress.

Topics covered include an overview of what stress is, controlling your body, controlling your thoughts, controlling your actions,  managing panicky feelings, getting a good night’s sleep and planning for the future.

Stress control is a class, not ‘group therapy’ – you do not have to talk about personal difficulties in front of others.

Details of the latest round of Stress Control classes for each Trust area are below:

Belfast Trust

Contact: Paddy Love, [email protected]

Western area

Contact: Roisin Laverty [email protected]

Northern Trust

Contact: Nikita Bujwid, [email protected]

South Eastern area

Contact: Julia O’Grady, [email protected]

Southern area

Contact: Jacqueline McKenna, [email protected]