What People Have Said
Mental Health First Aid Courses
"I really enjoyed the course. It was informative, enlightening and has improved my confidence in approaching and dealing with mental health issues both for myself and the clients I work with" Sue, Environmental Health Officer
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The course provided a valuable insight into mental health. It was delivered be Beckie in a sensitive, informative and professional way.It has made me more aware of my own mental health and wellbeing, and that of others. I shall use many of the principles I learned on the course in my job and personal life also". Tracey, Local Government Officer.
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"I attended the first MHFA course at the UEA and it was one of the best things I have done. It made me realise how much we focus on our physical wellbeing and tend to neglect our mental health. As well as helping me understand more fully about mental health, banishing any preconceptions I may have had, I now understand the importance of raising awareness, as a mental health crisis could affect any one at any time and could be avoided through early intervention. I would recommend this course to everyone”. Nicky Davies PA to Equality and Diversity Manager UEA
“Beckie is a really engaging facilitator, and is able to make potentially difficult topics easy to discuss. Beckie encourages you to consider your own mental health in an open and unthreatening way, which helped me to understand the subject better. Her experience and knowledge of mental health topics is inspiring and really interesting, and I have recommended the Mental Health First Aid course to all of my colleagues”. Liz Ferguson, Outreach Co-ordinator, UEA.
“For the first time in my life my job has brought me close to people with mental health difficulties. Before this I could just walk away if I wanted. I admit I found it difficult, not wanting to upset people or to say the wrong thing. I realised that I was exhibiting a kind of inner prejudice. I have always tried to treat people in the same manner regardless of their background and here I was falling over my words and losing my natural approach. The Mental health First Aid course I took has changed that. It taught me that people struggle against these problems everyday and appreciate someone to talk with or a relaxed attitude, just like everyone else. It also helped me to understand and look out for the signs of the different kind of mental health difficulties that people exhibit. This has helped me in my job. I find it much easier to be with, help and to refer on people. Education really is the best weapon against prejudice (whether internalised or not)”. Anon (if you don’t mind)
"An outstanding course delivered engagingly and sensitively. I feel empowered and inspired by it and would highly recommend it to anyone working or living with human beings" Maddi Cassell, Musician and workshop facilitator
“Beckie is a very professional trainer, with a natural ability to encourage people to express their thoughts and opinions in a relaxed environment. She has a thorough knowledge of the issues in Mental Health and a very effective way of imparting that knowledge to others. I would strongly recommend her as a trainer/facilitator and coach”. Lisa-Rose Moller, International Students Career Development Adviser
“The MHFA course is extremely informative and interesting and helps to breakdown any preconceptions that people may have about someone suffering with a mental health problem. I would recommend the course to anyone, especially those who may be working with vulnerable people. Beckie Davies was a very competent facilitator who is obviously extremely knowledgeable in the area of mental health. She ensured the course was delivered in an interesting way, allowing all participants to actively consider the topics being covered. I would highly recommend Beckie to anyone considering undertaking this training”.
Kat Cresswell, Administration Assistant International Student Advisory Team
“The MHFA course opened my eyes to many issues around mental health. It also reinforced what I have been doing and gave me new techniques and skills to handle situations where you think someone might have a serious or life-threatening mental health concern. Beckie Davies made very difficult topics easy to handle and talk about in a relaxed and open way. I would recommend anyone interested in helping others to take this course with Beckie, whether for work or day to day life, you learn a lot and start to understand how you can help”. Paul Hartzler, International Student Advisor, UEA
"Beckie's delivery was exceptional. Her practical examples and examples of phrasing difficult questions have been a great help". Jason Dixon, Project Administrator
"Very informative and enjoyable course, thank you!" Wendy, Refuge Support Worker
“I found the MHFA training invaluable and very accessible. It seems to fill the gap which has never fully been covered in standard first aid courses. The course gives people the ability to deal with complex situations in an efficient and confident manner. In relation to mental health training I have received elsewhere including within the NHS; this was one of the best I have ever attended. Beckie’s many years of experience in working therapeutically with people with mental health issues really shone through. Beckie’s personable and professional approach made everyone feel comfortable throughout the training. The sessions were well prepared, well presented and have been a massive benefit to our organisation”. Dr. Luke Jefferies
Mental Health & Disability Adviser (Psychologist)
Youth MHFA courses
“Working with young people is a joy but it can also land you in some difficult spots. This course has given me the confidence to deal with situations where a young person may be in some sort of mental health crisis without going to pieces”. Steve, Voluntary Norfolk Youth Volunteering Development Manager
"The Youth Mental Health First Aid Course is a "must" for anyone working with young people. Beckie is an amazingly intuitive and empathetic instructor with a vast knowledge of the problems that can befall this age group and I came away with my own confidence greatly boosted" Jennie Hill, House Matron at a co-educational boarding school
"The course has been really insightful and beneficial to my role in school. I will certainly take the skills and resources I have learned/taken from the course and use them. I would recommend anyone working within a supportive role to do this course and will definitely suggest youth mhfa course to my colleagues. Beckie is a fantastic course leader, she was helpful, clear, supportive and the pace/level was correct for the group - she made everyone feel at ease and mixed humour and fun appropriately with course content." Christi Paterson (behaviour and emotional support worker, school).
"The knowledge and understanding I have gained through beckie's training course will be invaluable to me in the work that I do with young people. Beckie's training style lends itself wonderfully to the subject matter and her experience and knowledge as a mental health practitioner was continually demonstrated throughout the course". Mark Ash, YMCA Nightstop Coordinator and Director of Unique Story Coaching
“I really enjoyed the training and it was delivered exceptionally well considering some of the topics covered were sensitive. By creating young people, it was a way of keeping scenarios real without anyone having to talk about personal experience too much. As a trainer Beckie was relaxed making the environment friendly and safe, this way loads of learning was taking place. This training is a must for anyone working with young people and was among the best courses I have attended”. Emily Lown, Youth Volunteer Development Manager, Voluntary Norfolk. Norfolk Vinvolved Team.
Training and workshops
“Beckie is an excellent all round trainer who makes learning interesting and fun. She has a wonderful ability to be engaging, calm and empathic. I fully recommend her as a trainer”. Caroline Hounsell, Psychotherapist and Trainer, MHFA England National Training Teams.
“As a facilitator Beckie is informal, friendly and welcoming - she never patronises participants and is understated in the way all best facilitators are. At the same time you feel she has absolute command of the workshop materials, has a wealth of examples at her finger tips and that everything she says is supported by her knowledge of and experience. The breadth of her professional expertise comes through the way she facilitates and follows-up the activities, the examples she gives and the quiet confidence with which she tackles any questions that she is asked. The pace felt so smooth and just right. I would do any workshop with Beckie as I know I would get so much from it”. Anna Magyar – Freelance Academic Researcher
Psychological Therapy
“I have really valued the time we have spent talking and I have learnt a lot about myself and to be more protective of the positive parts of me that want to fight and get through everything. I have also finally been able to focus on what I want and to be happy with what I achieve rather than worrying about what other people expect from me.”
"After finding your website, it brought back a lot of memories of my time at university and the help you gave me. I feel like I never really thanked you properly and I am so grateful for your support during that time and the patience you had with me. I feel like you were a 'catalyst' in my life and really did promote a gradual change in me and my mental well-being. You have a wonderful skill, rapport and non-judgemental attitude which helped me begin that process called recovery! I feel some of the way I am with my clients is modelled on my experience of receiving help from you". Graduated Allied Health Profession Student UEA
At the start I was unsure about undertaking therapy, I felt anxious about opening up difficult feelings and being unable to cope. At times it was very hard, however ultimately I found the process very uplifting and I feel stronger for having done it. I found Beckie very professional and supportive, thank you.
Mentoring and Supervision
'It was an absolute pleasure working with Beckie to provide mental health
mentoring services to students. Among her many personal qualities, Beckie is friendly, caring, understanding, patient and calm. In addition to being a very attentive listener, I found that Beckie regularly offered useful insights and helpful advice with practical suggestions about how to approach situations constructively and effectively.' Pablo Dalby
General
“I have known Beckie Davies for over 5 years. For 3 of those years we worked together at the student services department at the University of East Anglia.
I found Beckie to be a conscientious and reliable colleague and fellow team member. However, her qualities go much further which is why I would like to endorse her and Catalyst East Anglia.
Beckie is concerned about her fellow humans and has the skills and determination to reach people and make a difference in their lives. She has a wealth of training, demonstrating and presenting experience and delivers timely, clear and exciting talks and seminars on a wide range of subjects within the mental health field”. James Dexter, Business owner and former Disability Coordinator at the University of East Anglia.
