Shining a Light on Mental Health: An Overview of Mental Health First Aid Training
With Guest Speaker Susan Kagan
Registered Nurse, RN EdD – Mental Health Educator/Mental Health First Aid Instructor

The Mental Health Commission of Canada reports that 1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental health problem within a given year. While we often know a lot about physical illness, there tends to be less knowledge about mental health, which can lead to fear and stigma towards individuals living with these issues. This prevents people from seeking help for themselves and from providing help and support to others.

A person skilled in Mental Health First Aid can make an immediate difference, by providing initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health crisis.

This session is best thought of as a gateway into Mental Health First Aid, for people who want to understand more – with, perhaps, an eye toward signing up for a certified training course.

During our session, Susan will take us through a basic overview of key questions, as well as provide practical examples.

-What is Mental Health First Aid?
-What are its key concepts and terminologies?
-What is mental health well-being?
-Recognizing and offering initial help to someone with anxiety.
-An overview of crisis situations and support strategies for someone experiencing a panic attack.
-Developing self-care strategies and coping tools.

This session is an opportunity to come and feel the warmth of community as we learn together, share together, and enjoy refreshments after the program. For anyone who can’t make it in person, the event will also be Livestreamed; please register for the password-protected link.

Susan Kagan is a registered nurse with over 40 years of experience as an educator and practitioner in the healthcare sector. She has devoted most of her career to teaching in the Seneca/York collaborative BScN nursing program (retired June 2016). Her area of specialization is psychiatric-mental health nursing. She has been providing MHFA training since August 2016. Susan cares about people and their health and well-being. She is focused on advocating for the vulnerable in our society as well as providing mental health education for profit and non-profit organizations. It is her concern for people that has guided her career, and her passion for learning and education. Susan earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Western Ontario. After many years of teaching, she returned to school and earned Master’s and Doctoral degrees in education at the University of Toronto – OISE. She has worked on a mental health crisis team, domestic violence and sexual assault team, and has also facilitated groups at the Cedar Centre. She is currently involved in volunteer work that focuses on providing care and services to those experiencing homelessness.

If you have a question you’d like addressed by Susan during the program, in confidence, please see the directions on your registration form.