Profile – Mental Health Zone

My Work:

I get referrals from GPs, Health Visitors, Midwives and other mental health professionals for women who are having a first experience of mental health problems, or have a pre-existing condition that is complicated by pregnancy and childbirth.

I will often be the woman’s first contact with mental health services, so it’s important I make a good impression! Our first meeting always depends on developing a “therapeutic relationship” – a way of understanding each other that allows me to have a positive effect on the person’s mental health. I need to establish trust very quickly so that I can understand their thoughts, their situation and the social, economic and health concerns that affect them.

I also conduct interventions that use a number of therapeutic ideas to help people understand what is happening to them, how medicines could benefit, education and some self-management ideas to help make sense of their thoughts.
Spending the Prize Money:

I would make a video of mental health nurses sharing what they do, how they do it and the difference it makes to people’s lives. I’d share how important talking about mental health is, and let them know the qualities that mental health nurses rely on. And I’d send that video freely to every school, college and youth group.

Ed Freshwater