Mental Health Advocate
One-Day Certification Program
What is Mental Health Advocate?
A Mental Health Advocate is someone equipped with the knowledge of emotional first aid which is the emotional and psychological equivalent of physical first aid. It is not therapy, diagnosis, or counselling. It is a practical life skill for everyday human situations.
A Mental Health Advocate can:
Notice when someone is struggling emotionally
Approach and initiate dialogue without judgment
Listen actively and empathetically
Offer grounding and emotional stabilisation where needed
Guide people toward professional or community support
Help create emotionally safe environments
The role is supportive, non-diagnostic, and time-limited. It aims to stabilise, reduce distress, ensure safety, and connect the person to appropriate care. It is used both preventively, by noticing early signs, and during a crisis, with the aim of linking the person to professional support over time.
Skills participants will build
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:
- Understand the role and its limits, work within an ethical frame
- Hold a working understanding of mental health
- Develop emotional literacy
- Recognise how cultural context shapes both distress and help-seeking
- Spot early behavioural signs that someone may be struggling
- Listen deeply, ask well, and respond without judgment
- De-escalate and stabilise a person in distress
- Assess whether a situation involves immediate risk to the person or others
- Apply the OASIS model for offering Emotional First Aid
- Attend to their own self-care
Who it is for
In today’s world, an understanding of mental health or the ability to respond calmly, compassionately, and responsibly can change outcomes for individuals, teams, and communities. This program is designed to be inclusive and accessible. It is suitable for anyone aged 15 or older. No prior psychology background is required.
Ideal for:
- Corporate professionals, managers, team leaders, and HR teams
- Academic institution leaders, educators, and staff
- Doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers
- Social sector professionals working with communities
- Coaches, trainers, and facilitators
- Emergency and frontline responders
- Entrepreneurs and founders
- Students, youth leaders, and anyone committed to strengthening mental health support in their community
Certification
Participants receive a Mental Health Advocate Certification upon:
- Full participation in the one-day workshop
- Successful completion of a 50-question multiple-choice assessment
The assessment evaluates:
- Understanding of mental health concepts
- Crisis response awareness
- Communication and listening skills
- Ethical and supportive response practices
- Application of techniques to real-life situations
About the Facilitator
Pooja Shankar
Pooja’s lifelong curiosity about the human mind and how it shapes the way we live, dream, battle illness, and express ourselves through language, emotion, and the body is deeply reflected in her work.
With a background in Psychology, Writing and Theatre, Pooja creates dynamic learning experiences in DEI and emotional intelligence, including grief awareness and support. She often incorporates Forum Theatre—an immersive methodology that transforms concepts into lived experience through realistic workplace scenarios.
A strong believer in energy healing, Pooja practices Reiki, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), and Ho’oponopono, an ancient Hawaiian healing practice. This has also shaped her work as a facilitator, strengthening her intuition, empathy, and depth of insight to create psychologically safe spaces that encourage reflection, honest dialogue, and personal growth.
