Mike Lawrence MHFA England Instructor Member Live online training
Mental Health First Aid Training UK
Help people recognise the signs earlier, start safer conversations and know what to do next.
Next live online course
Live online £365 per person
Includes official course materials, three-year MHFAider® certification, access to the MHFAider Support App® and ongoing learning resources.
No payment is required today. Mike will personally confirm availability and send the booking and invoice details.
Practical, live and workplace-focused
Mike delivering Mental Health First Aid training for a workplace team.
What participants will learn
Notice what may be changing. Know how to respond.
Most people do not arrive at work with a label explaining what is happening.
Poor mental health may first appear through withdrawal, irritability, mistakes, reduced confidence, presenteeism or a change in someone’s energy. This live MHFA England course gives participants a practical framework for recognising possible signs, opening a supportive conversation and responding without judgement, panic or overstepping their role.
What people will leave understanding—and able to do differently
Recognise possible signs
Notice changes in communication, behaviour, energy and performance that may indicate someone is struggling.
Start a supportive conversation
Use clear, human language to check in without making assumptions or forcing someone to disclose more than they want to share.
Listen without judgement
Practise active listening, empathy and reassurance so the person feels heard rather than rushed, dismissed or immediately fixed.
Guide people towards support
Understand how to encourage appropriate professional, workplace or crisis support when someone may need additional help.
Maintain appropriate boundaries
Understand confidentiality, role limitations and when a concern must be handled through an organisation’s safeguarding or escalation procedure.
Protect personal wellbeing
Recognise the emotional impact of supporting others and use practical self-care, reflection and support after a difficult conversation.
Clear role boundaries
What an MHFAider® does—and does not do
An MHFAider® can
- Offer initial, human support
- Listen and provide reassurance
- Encourage appropriate professional help
- Follow relevant workplace or safeguarding procedures
An MHFAider® does not
- Diagnose a mental health condition
- Provide therapy, counselling or clinical treatment
- Take responsibility for solving someone’s situation
- Replace HR, safeguarding, occupational health or emergency support
The value is not in having all the answers. It is in having the confidence to notice, the skill to listen and the judgement to know what should happen next.
Course format and suitability
Two live days. Four facilitated sessions. One practical framework.
This is not passive training to sit through quietly. Whether delivered online or in person, the value comes from being present, participating and practising how to respond.
Duration
Two live days
Delivered across four facilitated learning sessions.
Total learning time
14 hours
Breaks are built into both days to support focus and wellbeing.
Group size
Up to 16
Small enough for questions, discussion and supported practice.
Delivery
Online or in person
Public courses run live online. Private workplace courses can also be delivered in person at your organisation’s venue.
Who is this course suitable for?
The course is suitable for people who want the confidence and practical skills to offer initial support—whether that responsibility sits within their job description or begins with simply caring about the people around them.
Managers and people leaders
For those who need greater confidence recognising concerns, checking in and responding appropriately to members of their team.
HR, people and wellbeing teams
For professionals supporting workplace culture, employee wellbeing, absence, adjustments and people-management conversations.
Employees and peer supporters
For people trusted by colleagues who want a safe framework for listening, reassuring and guiding someone towards suitable support.
Individuals and professionals
For people who want to build their understanding and use the skills responsibly in professional, voluntary or community settings.
No previous mental health training is required
You do not need to be a clinician, counsellor or mental health specialist. The course is designed to help ordinary people offer responsible initial support while understanding the limits of their role.
Attendance and certification
Participants must attend and take part in all four live sessions. Full participation is required to complete the course and receive the three-year MHFAider® certification.
Organisational experience
Mike’s wider training and workplace wellbeing experience includes work with:
Why train with Mike Lawrence?
Course knowledge matters. Knowing how it works in real life matters too.
Mike does not simply deliver the course materials. He helps people understand how the learning applies when a real person is sitting in front of them—and they are unsure what to say next.
As an MHFA England Instructor Member, Mike delivers the recognised programme with care, clarity and respect for its boundaries. He also brings more than 20 years of leadership and management experience, giving participants a grounded understanding of how mental health concerns can appear in real workplaces.
His approach has also been shaped by personal experience of workplace pressure, burnout and recovery. That combination helps him speak honestly about difficult subjects without making the course feel clinical, impersonal or unnecessarily heavy.
MHFA England Instructor Member
More than 20 years of leadership and management experience
Experience across public, private and third-sector organisations
Participant feedback
Difficult subjects can still be taught with care, clarity and confidence.
These comments were shared by participants following Mental Health First Aid training delivered by Mike.
Mike handled sensitive topics with care and respect. He made sure everyone was comfortable discussing them, and he always followed up with thorough answers if anything needed further research.
Mike was excellent, engaging, and made a difficult topic easier to understand. I highly recommend this course.
Mike was an excellent instructor. I feel privileged to have learned from him and feel more confident in my ability to help people in need.
Good training should do more than help people complete a course. It should leave them better prepared for the conversation that may happen tomorrow.
View course datesUpcoming live courses
Choose your date. Request your place.
Public Mental Health First Aid courses are delivered live online in small groups of up to 16. Each place is £365 per person.
No payment will be taken when you submit your request. Mike will personally check availability and course viability before confirming your place and sending the booking and invoice details.
Mental Health First Aid
24–25 August
2026
- Delivery Live online
- Times 09:00–17:00
- Duration Two days
- Group Up to 16
£365 per person
Request this dateMental Health First Aid
28–29 September
2026
- Delivery Live online
- Times 09:00–17:00
- Duration Two days
- Group Up to 16
£365 per person
Request this dateMental Health First Aid
26–27 October
2026
- Delivery Live online
- Times 09:00–17:00
- Duration Two days
- Group Up to 16
£365 per person
Request this dateWhat happens after your request?
A personal confirmation before any payment.
-
Choose your date
Select the live course you would prefer to attend.
-
Send your details
Provide the participant, contact and materials-delivery details.
-
Mike checks the course
Mike confirms availability and that the course is proceeding.
-
Confirmation and invoice
Your booking confirmation and payment details are then sent.
Private workplace delivery
Training a group is not the same as filling sixteen seats.
The licensed course remains consistent, but the people, pressures and working environment are different in every organisation. Good planning makes the learning relevant to the room.
Live online
Bring people together without the travel
Suitable for distributed, hybrid and UK-wide teams who can participate privately with cameras and microphones available.
In person
Delivered at your organisation’s venue
Mike can deliver the course in person where a suitable private room, seating, presentation facilities and learning environment are available.
Up to 16 participants
Small enough for supported participation
The group size creates space for questions, facilitated discussion, practical activities and supported conversation practice.
Before delivery
A proper conversation before the course begins.
Mike will discuss the audience, delivery environment and support arrangements so that expectations are clear before participants enter the room.
Audience and workplace context
Who is attending, the nature of their roles and the pressures they may encounter at work.
Delivery and accessibility
Online or in-person arrangements, accessibility requirements, timings, breaks and the learning environment.
Support and safeguarding
Relevant internal support, escalation routes and who participants can approach if the course raises a concern.
Practical application
Where participants may use the skills and how MHFAider® boundaries connect with existing workplace procedures.
The recognised curriculum is not rewritten
Workplace context can shape discussions, examples and practical application. It does not replace, shorten or alter the licensed MHFA England course content.
Beyond the course
Help the role work after the certificates arrive.
- Clear expectations for MHFAiders®
- Visible routes to professional and workplace support
- Appropriate safeguarding and escalation procedures
- Leadership support for the people taking on the role
- Boundaries that protect MHFAiders® and colleagues
- A plan for refresher training and continued development
Planning Mental Health First Aid training for your organisation?
Share your preferred delivery format, likely group size, location and timing. Mike will discuss the requirements with you before preparing the appropriate proposal and quotation.
Before you request a place
The practical questions people ask before joining.
Mental Health First Aid deals with serious subjects. It is reasonable to want clear answers about participation, certification, safety and what happens afterwards. Here is what you need to know.
What is the minimum age for attending?
Participants must be aged 16 or over. You will be asked to confirm this when requesting a place.
Must I attend every live session?
Yes. Participants must attend and take part in all four live sessions. Each session builds on the previous learning, and all parts must be completed to receive the digital Certificate of Attendance.
Is there a test or examination during the course?
There is no pass-or-fail examination within the standard Mental Health First Aid course. Participants complete learning activities and short quizzes or knowledge checks at the end of the live sessions to help consolidate their understanding.
Is Mental Health First Aid an NVQ or formal qualification?
No. The standard course provides MHFAider® certification for three years, but it is not an NVQ.
After completing the course, participants can separately choose to take the optional RSPH Level 3 Award in Mental Health First Aid. This is an Ofqual-regulated qualification involving a separate online assessment, registration process and fee.
How will I receive my certificate?
After completing all four sessions, MHFA England will email you with access to your digital Certificate of Attendance. The certificate is valid for three years.
What support is available after the course?
Your three-year support package begins after the final day of the course. This includes access to the MHFAider Support App®, continued learning resources and an invitation to join the Association of Mental Health First Aiders®.
The app includes resources, reflective tools, signposting information and access to a dedicated text support service provided by Shout.
Can I attend if I live outside the UK?
Please contact Mike before requesting a place. Mental Health First Aid is delivered internationally through licensed national organisations, and another approved provider may operate in your country.
Mike can check the appropriate route on your behalf and also consider time zones, materials delivery and access to suitable local support before confirming whether the England course is appropriate.
Do I have to share personal experiences?
No. Participants are not required to disclose personal experiences. A group learning agreement and clear participation guidance help create a respectful learning environment.
You can speak privately with Mike if a subject raises a concern or you need support with your participation.
Can accessibility or learning requirements be accommodated?
Please share any accessibility, communication or learning requirements when requesting your place. Mike will contact you before the course to discuss reasonable adjustments that may support your learning experience.
Choose your next step
Request a place or start a workplace conversation.
No payment is taken at this stage. Mike will review your enquiry, confirm availability and contact you with the appropriate booking, proposal or invoice details.
Your enquiry does not create a confirmed booking or take payment.