Mental Health Applied Skills and Knowledge (ASK)
ESSA’s first ASK professional development has been developed to build applied skills and knowledge to work in the field of mental health. This suite of PD is designed to be accessible to all our accreditation streams and external parties, this includes AEPs who may work with those who have mental illness, as well as AES and ASpS who work with those who may be experiencing poor mental health, or those who display some symptoms of mental illness but do not have a diagnosis.
Content
The ASK mental health PD includes three parts with each part containing a selection of units. The units from each part fit together to form the knowledge base we consider appropriate for that part. However, each unit is also a standalone unit, meaning that you can complete only selected units from each part if you wish.
Part 1 - Exploring Diagnoses
Part 1 explores the major mental illness diagnoses, the symptoms and presentations, guidelines for exercise prescription and treatment options.
Topics included are:
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Depression, Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
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Psychosis, Bipolar and Personality Disorders
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Trauma related diagnoses; PTSD and Substance Use
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Mental Health Considerations for Neurodiverse Populations
Learning outcomes:
Completion of these units will result in the following learning outcomes: Understanding of different mental illness diagnoses and their co-morbidities, knowledge of the evidence around exercise prescription, knowledge of the treatment options available and how treatments may impact on your client/consumer/athlete.
Registration
For more information and registration click below:
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Exploring Diagnoses: Psychosis, Bipolar and Personality Disorders
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Exploring Diagnoses: Depression, Anxiety and OCD
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Exploring Diagnoses: Trauma-related Diagnoses; PTSD and Substance Use
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Exploring Diagnoses: Mental Health Considerations for Neurodiverse Populations
Part 2 - The role of the exercise professional as an accidental counsellor
Part 2 addresses methods and tools for communicating effectively in the mental health and illness arena effectively
Topics included are:
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Behaviour Change Strategies in Mental Health
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Communication Skills and Strategies in Mental Health
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Identifying and responding to mental health symptoms
Learning outcomes:
Completion of these units will result in the following learning outcomes: understanding behaviour change strategies in mental health and exercise and how these may impact your client/consumer/athlete, knowledge and application of communication skills with those with poor mental health or a mental illness and how to recognise symptoms and what to do when you encounter them.
Registration:
For more information and registration click below:
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The Role of the Exercise Professional as an Accidental Counsellor: Behaviour Change Strategies in Mental Health
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The Role of the Exercise Professional as an Accidental Counsellor: Communication Skills and Strategies in Mental Health
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The Role of the Exercise Professional as an Accidental Counsellor: Identifying and responding to mental health symptoms
Part 3 -The Lived Experience and Evaluating Practice
Part 3 explores different aspects of the lived experience, from understanding individual journeys and the role exercise played through to understanding the effectiveness of the exercise program you provide consumers, measuring its success and advocating for the integration of exercise professionals into mental health services.
Topics included are:
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Understanding the lived experience
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Evaluating Practice and Integrating Exercise Professionals into Mental Health Care
Learning outcomes:
Completion of these units will result in the following learning outcomes: understanding of how mental illness impacts an individual’s life and their capacity for sport and exercise, as well as knowledge of how to undertake program evaluations and using the data to advocate for exercise in the mental health setting.
Registration:
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The Lived Experience and Evaluating Practice: Understanding the Lived Experience
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The Lived Experience and Evaluating Practice: Evaluating Practice and Integrating Exercise Professionals into Mental Health Care
Warning: These interviews contain graphic descriptions of events that listeners may find distressing or triggering. The interviews contain details of fatal accidents attended by emergency personnel, discussion around suicide and self-harm, as well as descriptions of eating disorder behaviours.
ASK working group
This ASK course was designed and developed by the ESSA member ASK working group.
Group members:
Ebony Darge
Kirrily Gould
Oscar Ledermen
Elisha Silcox
Lisa Simmons
Kemi Wright
FAQs
Does this PD result in a qualification?
No, completion of all units from this professional development does not result in a formal qualification
Suicide and crisis support
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health and need help, talk to someone now, call:
Lifeline
13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
Beyond Blue
1300 22 4636
Headspace
1800 650 890
On the line (Mensline Australia)
1300 789 978
Kidshelpline
1800 551 800
Q Life
1800 184 527
Blue Knot Helpline
1300 657 380
Disclaimers
The material contained in this course is of a general nature only and is current as at August 2021. To the extent that this course has linked to, referred to or republished Third Party material, the information expressed in that material is not produced by ESSA and ESSA does not warrant or endorse its accuracy, nor does it take responsibility for the content of that material.
The material does not constitute the provision of professional advice by ESSA and ESSA accepts no legal liability for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any information in the publication. ESSA recommends that its members seek appropriate independent professional advice prior to relying on or entering into any commitment based on the material published here.
All accredited persons, regardless of any professional development completed/ attended must refer to their accreditation’s Scope of Practice/Standards, and only treat/practice within the same.
ESSA confirms that at the date of release, this professional development meets the requirements of the ESSA Continuing Professional Development Points Guidelines. The information contained in this professional development is of a general nature only, and while every effort and care has been taken to ensure that all representations are accurate as at the date of its release, ESSA accepts no legal liability for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any information provided in this professional development.
ESSA recommends that its members seek appropriate independent professional advice specific to their particular purposes and circumstances (including the provision of medical advice to patients) before relying on it.
All professional development listed is correct at time of publication, and is subject to change at any time without notice.