Part 1 of this two-part mental health series provides practical guidelines in conducting a helping conversation with someone we’re concerned about. It begins with an inclusive definition of mental health with brief outlines of its prevalence and causes. We distinguish mental health from wellbeing, indicating for example, that you can have high wellbeing and also have a mental health diagnosis. We then focus on being able to recognise mental health concerns in others and then how to intervene to help. We cover how to conduct what I call a 'helping conversation', including options for referral, confidentiality issues and self-care.
