Muslimah Miah covered how to identify when staff may be struggling with their mental health, the consequences of ignoring mental health in the workplace and how companies can promote wellness amongst their staff.

2. Mental Health Awareness
at the workplace
Date: 19th September 2017
Venue: Village Hotel Cardiff
Muslimah Miah (Ba Hons, Fda, Msc)

3. Change
Consultation
Trauma
Specialist
IDVA
Supervisor
Integrative
Counsellor
Coach/Mentor
Bereavement
Specialist
Relationship
Counsellor
10 Years
experience
Youth
Worker
Youth
Worker
BAME
Specialist
Group
Counseling Professional
Training
Mental
Health

4. “...when someone experiences significant changes
in their thinking, feelings or behavior which
affects how the person functions or causes
distress to them or to other people. “

6. Consequences
• Absenteeism
• Poor health – Decreased immune functioning, high blood pressure, heart
disease.
• Physical conditions
• Relationships at work ( Managers, service users and colleagues)
• Work performance
• Conflict
• Frustration
• Pressure
• Lack of job satisfaction

7. • Tension and conflicts between colleagues
• Poor relationships with clients
• increase in disciplinary problems.
• Health is a separate goal in its own right. Addressing mental health issues in the
workplace means incorporating social responsibility in a firm’s every- day
practices and routines.
• Reduction in productivity and out Increased amount of accidents
• Poor decision-making
• Deterioration in planning and control of work.
• Staff attitude and behavior
• Loss of motivation and commitment
• Burnout

11. • Research has shown that how you respond to mental health
disclosures has consequences.
• Not responding may leave them feeling abandoned or unprotected.
• Being overly emotional or intrusive may scare the person and hinder
any engagement

12. Points to Consider
• Consider the care and safety of the victim
• Find a room which ensures privacy and confidentiality
• Remain
• Be non-judgemental
• Listen
• Believe what they are telling you
• Seek advice where appropriate
• Provide referral information/leaflets etc.

13. Self care is care provided “for you, by
you.” It's about identifying your own
needs and taking steps to meet them.
It is taking the time to do some of the
activities that nurture you.
Self care is about taking proper care of
yourself and treating yourself as kindly
as you treat others.

14. Self Care Plan
• A self-care plan can help you enhance your health and wellbeing,
manage your stress, and maintain professionalism as a worker.
• Learn to identify activities and practices that support your staff
wellbeing and help them to sustain positive self-care
• Self-care is an necessary human regulatory function which is under
individual control, deliberate and self-initiated. Some place self-
care on a continuum with health care providers at the opposite end
to self-care

16. How to promote wellness?
• Mindfulness
• Good internal communication systems
• EAP
• Anti-bullying systems
• Promote Healthy Eating
• Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles
• Contact details for services being accessible
• Modifications
• Partnership Working

17. • Having an open door policy
• Openly discussing mental wellbeing Leading by example
• Having a flexible approach
• Regular one to one’s with staff
• Fair allocation of workload
• Dealing quickly with bullying Consulting people about change
• Challenging negative comments about mental health
• Trying to make sure deadlines are reasonable
• Recognizing good performance
• Addressing concerns quickly
• Open communication with team Asking ‘how are you?’
• Making adjustments to work tasks.

18. Therapeutic ideas
• Mindfulness
• Journaling
• Breathing exercises (Progressive relaxation exercise)
• Gratitude Challenge
• Allocated time out area
• Positive affirmations
• Wellbeing days
• Lunch time activates (yoga,medidation)

19. What do we need to do?
• Provide a wellbeing service
• Equip individuals to identify their mental health
• Create an awareness
• Facilitate a healthy environment for good mental health
• Increase resilience
• Training
• Supervision
• Counselling
• Coaching/Mentoring
• Assessments of needs
• Educate

20. •Coping Strategies
•Physical security
•Interpersonal Contact
•Pay
•Look out for signs of distress or symptoms worsening
•Be supportive and positive - give loads of praise Agree plans and goals
together
•Set small achievable goals and celebrate successes
•Offer support
• BE COMPASSIONATE AND EMPATHIC

21. Adjustments
• Flexible working
• Regular monitoring of annual leave
• Work/Life Balance
• Implement and adapt good mental health practices through policies
• Increase awareness
• Good management/Leadership skills
• Leaflets

22. Supervision
What is supervision?
• Supervision involves making the time and developing the practical
structure to give support .This is done using various approaches
during formal and informal supervision and appraisal.
• A supervisory relationship is one in which a person with some
knowledge and skill, takes responsibility and accountability for the
wellbeing and work performance of the person being supervised—
the supervisee. It is ‘one-to-one’ (with exceptions), and is supportive
rather than judgmental

23. What are the benefits of supervision for
organizations?
• Promotes best-practice in the workplace.
• Gives confidence to their staff
• Encourages a positive culture.
• Increases employee skills in decision-making and problem solving.
• Reduces staff turn-over.
• Enhances professional development.
• Improves mental health and wellbeing

26. Helpful Links• BACP: British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
• BACP Register: Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists
• BACP It's Good to Talk: If you need someone to talk to
• Help Counselling: Counselling for 9 - 25 Year Olds.
• Mind: Mental health charity, offering help and advice.
• Young Minds: Improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.
• Childline: ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people.
• Winston's Wish: Charity for bereaved children.
• Cruse Bereavement: Bereavement charity supporting adults and children.
• Beat: Beating Eating Disorders
• National Self Harm Network: supporting individuals who self harm.
• Mermaids: Supporting Young People with Gender identity difficulties.
• PAPYRUS: Working to prevent suicide in young people
• The Samaritans: Someone to talk to day or night.
• Pets As Therapy: Provide individual animal assisted therapy
• Stonewall: works to achieve equality and justice for lesbians, gay men and bisexual people.
• Relate: Counselling, Support and Information for all Relationships.
• Barnardos: Supporting Children and Families.
• The Centre: Offering Holistic and Complimentary Therapies

27. Contact
Muslimah Miah
07734318205
www.nlcounselling.co.uk
Info@nlcounselling.co.uk