INTHEBLACK October 2021 - Magazine - Page 28
F E AT U R E
// M E N TA L H E A LT H F I R S T A I D
“I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT MENTAL HEALTH NUMBER TO
RING, BUT NOW I DO, AND I KNOW WHAT STEPS TO
TAKE TO GET SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP, WHO IS
SKILLED IN THE AREA OF MENTAL HEALTH. I’VE GOT
CONFIDENCE THAT I’M DOING THE RIGHT THING.”
BERNADETTE SMITH FCPA, ASPEN CORPORATE
This was the approach taken by Ray Lansdown
CPA earlier this year, when he called to check in on
a client who he suspected was struggling with his
mental health.
“I have a client in his early 40s, who is
experiencing a high degree of financial pressure,
but the extent of it was hidden from me until only
a few weeks ago,” says Lansdown, who owns Image
Accounts in Sydney and completed the Counting on
U course earlier this year. “I decided to call him to
check in on his wellbeing.
“I said to him, ‘I know it doesn’t seem like it at
the moment, but things will get better. I can relate
to some of the stress you’re under, and there will be
better days ahead’. I could hear a sense of relief in
his voice. I just wanted to let him know that there
was somebody else who kind of understood how he
was feeling.”
28 ITB October 2021
THEORY INTO ACTION
Like countless others, Lansdown has struggled with
his own mental health in the past and believes this is
an issue that requires greater attention.
“I experienced a family tragedy at the end of 2013,
when my sister passed away suddenly at the age of
52,” he says. “I was really struggling for a while with
that, and it was suggested by a family friend, who is
a trained grief counsellor, to talk to a GP [general
practitioner] about getting some help. I had no idea
what I was going through or what help was available.
That was a game changer for me, because my GP was
very supportive and referred me to a psychologist.
“The difficulties that an individual may be going
through are often complex and layered, but the
Counting on U course has given me confidence
about the steps to take to help in some way,” adds
Lansdown. “I’ve actually implemented the training
on a couple of occasions now, whereas I may have
previously shied away a bit from the subject of mental
health with clients.”
For Smith, that early morning phone call she
received in 2019 provided the incentive to undergo
mental health first aid training. She says the Counting
on U program has given her confidence to speak to
both employees and clients about their wellbeing.
“We all want to do the right thing, but having some
guidance about who you can call and what the best
approach might be is very helpful,” she says.
“Do you take a phone call at 3am? After that
experience with my client, I couldn’t sleep for a
number of weeks. I actually rang his family and
asked them to go over to see him. I didn’t know what
mental health number to ring, but now I do, and I
know what steps to take to get someone else to help,
who is skilled in the area of mental health. I’ve got
confidence that I’m doing the right thing.”
the counting on u program is open to cpa australia
members in public practice and members who provide
advice to smE clients. click here to register or learn
more about the program.