Twenty-six Guidance teachers from Muntinlupa City’s 20 public elementary schools completed two half-days of online training on Mental Health Facilitation organized by PTC-CSJ Foundation on July 29-30.
Dubbed “Helping Skills Training”, the workshop provided an overview and introduction to mental health facilitation skills and processes. The curriculum specifically highlighted listening and support skills, which are designed to provide initial support to community members in need.
The training was developed as a direct response to a request from partner-school Principals. The ongoing pandemic has exposed a critical need for mental health support for students learning at home with limited social interaction, while simultaneously revealing a shortage of trained professionals to address these needs within the academic community.
According to Dr. Paul Hilario, a registered Counselor and Psychologist who served as the Resource Person, “Though serious mental health problems require professional counselors, the vast majority of academic community members can benefit from trained mental health facilitators in providing emergency emotional psychosocial support.”
Following the conclusion of the workshop, Dr. Hilario and Prof. Thelma Geraldine Baricaua, PTC-CSJ’s Consultant for Character Education, congratulated the trainees and officially recognized them as the city's newest Mental Health Facilitators.