Pre-Covid statistics indicated workplace stress was already at an epidemic level. The pandemic created a ripple effect of global distress which we are still dealing with. Combine this with extreme world events including war, poverty, extreme weather changes/impacts this means that stress is off the scale whether we’re directly or indirectly involved. The stress levels we experience effects all areas of our lives and has a huge impact on the quality of work we are able to produce.
I am highly qualified and with a proven track record of success. I recently launched the First Aid for Stress program which offers comprehensive support rather than a quick fix option that masks the problems.
Work-Related Stress Is NOT being Addressed Efficiently!
Did you know a statistic from Google search suggested that in 2019 a staggering 79% of employees in the UK commonly experience work-related stress? This could be you or someone you know. My truth-bomb is that things could only have worsened given the challenges and traumas experienced by so many during this ongoing pandemic.
Poor mental health was already responsible for 72 million working days lost, costing businesses between £34.9 – £99 billion each year. (1) (2) and you know, shockingly, there is a less obvious ‘unaccounted’ and that’s YOU if you’re in a stressed, pre-burnout state. In that state, your productivity is poor, despite showing up daily and doing your best.
Worse still, we all know people who have been disciplined, demoted or lost their job due to mental health struggles.
Covid's Effect On Mental Health
Most of us felt the impact of Covid and lockdown it exacerbated previous stress levels, if you are still feeling the effects, the First Aid For Stress program can help. I have parents and singletons who fear losing their job, have to work from home while juggling their family’s needs, or those who have to use food banks to provide the basics, this has only gotten worse with the cost of living crisis in the UK.
We are in this together, you are NOT alone.
First Aid For Stress Program
Horribly, 9% – 15% of workers experiencing poor mental health in the past have been disciplined, demotivated, or dismissed (3) so it’s no wonder you don’t want to fess up right?
It’s ok though, I’ve donned my superhero cape and I’m here to rescue me (and you)!
First Aid for Stress delivers a complete solution that not only tackles the here and now, but also educates people and gives them the skills and tools to manage their emotions in the long term.
Using a combination of videos, audio, and live bespoke workshops, Dawn helps to get to the heart of the matter and by the end of the training, delegates feel more in control, better supported, and most importantly not alone in their situation.
Dawn says “In real-time, I am seeing all ages of people some who are coping, others who are struggling at work, it is clear to me is that the employees who feel well-supported by their line managers are better able to deal with the pressure and make progress, and that is exactly what First Aid for Stress offers.”
Mental Health First Aid Course Vs First Aid For Stress
What Is The Mental Health First Aid Course?
One of the most popular solutions for improving mental health and reducing stress in the workplace is the Mental Health First Aid Course. This is a course which is delivered over 1 or 2 days and trains attendees on how to identify common mental health problems as well as how to design an assessment and action plan which usually involves signposting employees to mental health services.
Most corporations have some form of mental health first aid course in place, and several first aiders within the company are responsible for reducing stress in the workplace and ensuring that employees’ mental health is looked after.
Whilst the Mental Health First Aid Course is a step in the right direction and it is promising that companies are recognising that mental health matters, I see several issues with this type of course.
Workplace Stress Is Not A Quick Fix
The first issue I have with this type of program is that although it sounds good on paper, unfortunately, it often underdelivers. Workplace stress is not a quick fix or an easy thing to deal with. Employees who experience mental health issues need to be taken care of properly and supported to deal with their complex issues so that they can heal, transform and grow as individuals.
The surface-level nature of the Mental Health First Aid Course describes how corporations view mental health, as something to be improved upon in the short term to improve productivity. The Mental Health First Aid Courses are not about supporting employees in any real way but are about improving the bottom line by reducing staff absence and turnover. In the worst cases, these programs are set up to identify employees who have mental health issues so that they can then be managed out of the business.
The sad reality is, that although this is a step forward, it is a very small step forward which is dressed up as something far more progressive.
No clear evidence to support Mental Health First Aid Course
The second issue I have is that there is very little evidence to suggest that this type of mental health training program works to improve employee mental health.
This is a sentiment that was recently shared in The New Scientist on the back of an evidence review published on Cochrane in August 2023. The review states that the clinical trials which evaluate the effectiveness of this type of intervention are not valid because of an insufficient number of participants as well as insufficient use of control groups. The review calls for further research to be carried out on the effectiveness of the Mental Health First Aid Course and the possible side effects.
It is concerning that the most widely used workplace training program for mental health has no clear evidence base to prove its effectiveness however as I’ve discussed previously this training program is dressed up to look larger and more effective than it is.
I’d like to now move on to describe how the First Aid For Stress program is different.
What Makes First Aid For Stress Different?
The program which I have written and designed can also be used to improve workplace stress and improve employee mental health. Rather than a training program to help first aiders identify employees with mental health problems, the First Aid For Stress program is aimed at helping employees improve their mental health and reduce stress by empowering them through an individual transformational journey. The First Aid For Stress program is anything but surface-level.
It is adaptable to the individual and it helps the person to go deep and identify what the root cause of their mental health issues are so that they can truly heal and transform as an individual. The program I offer is based on the concept that each of us has a higher self, which is the aligned and loving version of ourselves, as well as the lower version of ourselves which is the fear-based version I call “Amy”.
The more we can operate from the higher version of ourselves and align our mind, body and soul to this higher version, the happier and more fulfilled our life will become. Aligning to the higher self improves all aspects of our lives including our mental health because we view ourselves and the challenges we go through differently. The First Aid For Stress program helps participants to shift their perspective in a very fundamental way. Often a shift in perspective is all that is needed for deep transformation to occur in multiple areas of life.
First Aid For Stress Is A Deep, Transformative Experience
The core difference between the Mental Health First Aid Course and the First Aid For Stress Program is that one is surface level and the other is a deep, transformative experience and journey which leads to true healing and recovery.
If you would like to find out more about this program then check out the First Aid For Stress Program here. You can also reach out to me at dawn@maga-therapy.com with any questions.
References
- Health and Safety Executive. Work-related Stress, Depression or Anxiety Statistics in Great Britain 2019 [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2020 Jan 6]. Available from: hse.gov.uk
- Stevenson D, Farmer P. Thriving at work: The Independent Review of Mental Health and Employers [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2017 Nov 22]. Available from: gov.uk
3. Cavanagh JTO, Carson AJ, Sharpe M, Lawrie SM. Psychological autopsy studies of suicide: a systematic review. Psychol Med [Internet]. 2003 Apr [cited 2016 Dec 1];33(3):395–405. Available from: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
