Community Education

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Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) 

Participants will learn how to recognize and support a person at risk of suicide through the following internationally recognized, evidence-based intervention framework developed by LivingWorks:

Suicide Intervention Foundations

• Understanding suicide as a community and public health issue 
• Exploring attitudes, beliefs, and assumptions about suicide 
• Recognizing invitations for help and signs that someone may be at risk 
• Understanding the impact of thoughts, feelings, and circumstances that can contribute to suicide risk 

The Pathway for Assisting Life

• How to engage in a direct and supportive conversation about suicide 
• Creating safety through a collaborative, respectful intervention process 
• Exploring what contributes to risk and what supports safety 
• Developing a safe plan that supports immediate safety and connection to further help 

Intervention Skills Practice

• Building confidence in asking directly about suicide 
• Practicing active listening, empathy, and staying present in difficult conversations 
• Learning how to work with a person to reduce immediate danger 
• Identifying resources and supports that can strengthen safety after the intervention 
• Participating in guided simulations and interactive skill practice to apply the model in real-life scenarios 

Suicide-Safer Communities

• Understanding how caregivers, organizations, and communities can play a role in suicide prevention 
• Strengthening readiness to respond effectively and compassionately when someone is at risk 
• Reflecting on personal wellness and the importance of support following intervention work 

Length: 14 Hours
In-person: Minimum of 10 people, maximum of 30
Cost: $300/person + GST

Living Life to the Full

Participants will learn practical tools to better manage stress, worry, low mood, and everyday life challenges through this interactive, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based course:

Understanding Mood and Wellbeing

• Understanding how thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical symptoms influence one another 
• Learning how everyday challenges can affect emotional wellbeing 
• Exploring the “vicious cycle” that can keep people feeling stuck 
• Building awareness of practical ways to improve resilience and coping 

Building Practical Life Skills

• Learning CBT-based strategies to manage low mood, stress, and worry 
• Increasing helpful activity and reducing patterns of withdrawal 
• Looking at things differently by challenging unhelpful thoughts 
• Developing practical problem-solving skills for daily life challenges 

Strengthening Healthy Coping

• Understanding how certain habits and behaviours can keep people stuck 
• Learning strategies to better manage frustration and anger 
• Building confidence in using simple tools to improve mood and wellbeing 
• Practicing self-management strategies that can be applied right away 

Course Content

• Why do I feel so bad? 
• I can’t be bothered doing anything 
• Looking at things differently 
• I’m not good enough 
• How to fix almost everything 
• The things you do that mess you up 
• Are you strong enough to keep your temper? 
• 10 things you can do to feel happier straight away 

Length: 12 Hours (Eight 90-minute sessions, once a week)
Minimum number of participants: 12
Maximum number of participants: 20
Cost: $100/person +GST

Mental Health First Aid Essentials (1 Day)

Mental Health First Aid Essentials

Participants will learn practical mental health first aid skills to recognize when someone’s mental health may be declining and respond with confidence through this streamlined one-day course.

Core Mental Health First Aid Skills

• Understanding the basics of mental health and mental well-being 
• Recognizing when someone may be struggling 
• Learning practical tools to respond supportively and confidently 
• Building comfort in having helpful conversations about mental health 

Recognizing and Responding Early

• Identifying signs of declining mental well-being 
• Understanding when a person may need added support 
• Responding with empathy, reassurance, and respect 
• Knowing when and how to encourage further help 

Practical Support Strategies

• Listening non-judgmentally 
• Offering initial help in a supportive and appropriate way 
• Encouraging professional, personal, and community supports 
• Applying practical actions in workplace and community settings 

Building Confidence and Reducing Stigma

• Strengthening confidence to respond to mental health concerns 
• Reducing stigma and increasing understanding 
• Supporting a more mentally healthy workplace and community 
• Learning skills that can be used immediately in everyday interactions 

Length: 6-hour condensed course completed with the same group in 1-day or 2 half days for 3 hours

Virtual: Minimum of 8 people, maximum of 15
In-person: Minimum of 8 people, maximum of 25
Cost: $250/person + GST

Mental Health First Aid Certificate (2 Day)

Participants will learn how to recognize signs of declining mental well-being and provide initial help to a person who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use problem or crisis through this in-depth, evidence-based course.

Foundations of Mental Health First Aid

• Understanding mental health, mental health problems, and mental health crises 
• Exploring stigma, assumptions, and barriers to helping 
• Learning practical actions to respond supportively and confidently 
• Building awareness of how early intervention can make a difference 

Recognizing Common Mental Health and Substance Use Problems

• Recognizing signs that a person’s mental health may be declining 
• Increasing awareness of common mental health and substance use challenges 
• Understanding when someone may need immediate support 
• Learning how to respond in a calm, respectful, and supportive way 

Providing Initial Support

• Listening non-judgmentally and communicating with empathy 
• Offering reassurance and practical support 
• Encouraging appropriate professional help 
• Encouraging other supports, including personal, social, and community supports 

Building Confidence and Reducing Stigma

• Strengthening confidence to help in real-life situations 
• Reducing stigma related to mental health and substance use challenges 
• Developing practical skills that can be applied in workplaces, communities, and everyday life 
• Increasing readiness to respond when someone may be in distress 

Length: 12 hours on 2 consecutive full 6-hour days with breaks, 2 full days within two weeks or 4 half-days (3 hours) within 2 weeks with an online module after the completion of the in-person portion
Virtual: Minimum of 8 people, maximum of 15
In-person: Minimum of 8 people, maximum of 25
Cost: $350/person + GST

Team Up: Preventing Suicide in High Performing Athletes

This workshop is intended to be an interactive learning experience for participants, age 15 and up, who have extensive experience as athletes (including supporters and coaches of athletes) in higher levels of sport.
This workshop is a part of the Talk Today program which was developed to bring awareness and reduce stigma around suicide in high-performance sports. 

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Acknowledge that suicide exists inside and outside of high-performance sports;
• Identify protective factors, risk factors and warning signs for suicide, including those specific to high-performance athletes; and,
• Use a 5 step-model to get help for someone by connecting them to a trusted helper.

Length:  2.5 hour workshop
Virtual: Minimum of maximum of 15
In-person: Minimum of maximum of 25
Cost: $1250 + GST per Group

Trauma Informed Care 

Participants will learn how to support individuals with a history of trauma through the following evidence-based framework researched and created by Oaks Mental Health:

Theoretical Framework for Understanding Trauma

• Defining trauma
• How trauma impacts relationships, neurobiology, cognition, emotions, and spirituality
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• The difference between mental illness and a trauma response
• The window of tolerance model
• Fight, flight, freeze, faint, and fawn responses

Organizational/Systemic Forms of Trauma

• How organizational contexts can perpetuate trauma
• Characteristics of a trauma-informed/trauma-aware organization
• Organizational case studies in which participants identify problems and recommend changes based on a trauma-informed approach

Trauma-Informed Practitioners

• Specific examples of practice that perpetuate or exacerbate trauma responses
• Recognizing and responding compassionately to trauma responses
• Practically applying the principles of trauma-informed care
• Preventing burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma in helping professionals
• Direct practice case studies which participants identify problems and recommend changes based on a trauma-informed approach
  

Length:  7 Hours
In-person: Minimum of 8 people, maximum of 25
Cost: $250/person + GST

Verbal Intervention® Third Edition

Verbal Intervention (VI™) is ideal for organizations with a hands-off policy, and staff who don’t experience the kind of higher risk situations that require physical interventions. VI instills the confidence and skills to verbally de-escalate disruptive behaviours and prevent further escalation.

Program Features & Benefits:

• Recognize and respond to defensive behaviours
• Understand what’s behind the behaviour
• Address the needs of the individuals
• Establish common de-escalation training communication framework
• Proactive verbal de-escalation strategies
  

Length: 7 Hours
In-person: Minimum of 8 people, maximum of 25
Cost: $250/person + GST

Workplace Boundaries 

Front-line staff have a collaborative and comprehensive conversation about workplace boundaries and their importance. This workshop can be delivered in-person or virtually. This training is ideal for groups working within the same organization.

Participants will:

• Discuss the definition of boundaries, policies and procedures, and expectations in your workplace. 
• Identify common workplace boundaries such as sharing personal information, gift giving/receiving including things like cigarettes, social media, and providing additional services such as rides.
• Explore scenarios that may fall outside of your workplace boundaries, job and role.
• Comprehensively discuss the outcomes of crossing workplace boundaries.
• Create a common language between employees and open an ongoing conversation about boundaries.
• Create consistency and continuity between employees, strengthening a team and improving relationships. 

Length:  2.5-hour workshop
Virtual: Minimum of 15
In-person: Maximum of 25
Cost: $1000 + GST per group

To register for the workshops provided by CMHA Kamloops, please call 250 374 0440 ext. 203

For more information please reach out to community.education@cmhakamloops.ca

Cancellation Policy

Registrations are non-refundable.

CMHA, Kamloops reserves the right to cancel or postpone workshops due to under-enrollment, instructor illness, inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances.  If a course is cancelled, you may transfer to another course at no additional cost or receive a full refund. This is the only circumstance under which CMHA Kamloops Branch will issue a refund.

If your plans change after you have registered you may designate a substitute to attend in your place, at no extra cost. Please notify us of the name of the person attending as soon as possible prior to the course date for which you registered. This will allow us to correct our records and minimize confusion at check-in.

Effective: January 1, 2022