Words Mental Health

Mental Health Awareness for Mediators

Mental Health Awareness for Mediators

Course Overview:

A half-day online course designed to enable accredited mediators to be better equipped effectively to undertake mediation cases where mental ill-health may be a factor. We will learn how to recognise the signs of distress in mediation clients and explore how to respond safely, effectively and appropriately. We will understand when a mental health concern may mean that a mediation should not start or proceed, and we will consider how to mediate without discriminating against individuals with mental health conditions. Importantly, we will ask ourselves how we, as mediators working in environments of vicarious stress and distress, can best look after our own mental health and wellbeing. We will use Menti for a fully interactive experience. 

Contact us for in-house training or to enquire about future open events 

Course Outline:

  1. What is ‘mental health’?
    1. Signs and symptoms of mental ill-health and emotional distress in parties
    2. Stigma and discrimination around mental health
    3. The mental health continuum (Mental Health First Aid)
    4. Mental health conditions
  2. Building mentally healthy workplaces and practices
    1. What does the law say about mental health and employment?
    2. Workplace mediation and mental health
    3. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
  3. Keeping the brain in mind
    1. The neuropsychology of stress and distress
    2. Neurodiversity
    3. SCARF model of social threats and rewards (David Rock)
    4. Conflict handling styles (Thomas Kilmann)
  4. Responding effectively to signs of mental ill-health and emotional distress in parties  {Group Exercise}
    1. Psychological safety in the mediation room
    2. Managing strong emotions
  5. Supporting individuals without discriminating 
    1. What questions can I ask a person about their mental health?
    2. Benefits and difficulties associated with knowing about a client’s mental health
    3. Awareness of ‘disability microaggressions’ and mediation
  6. When a mediation should not go ahead
    1. What are the signs that mediation should not go ahead?
    2. Responding to crisis: See, Say, Signpost (ZSA approach)
  7. Further training and resources 
  8. Case studies {Group Exercise}
  9. Looking after our own mental health and wellbeing as mediators

Contact us for in-house training or to enquire about future open events