Before anything else, I want to acknowledge that it has been a little while since my last Mental Health Highlights newsletter. Thank you to those of you who have stayed connected, attended training, shared the work with others, and returned for further learning. I genuinely appreciate the trust you place in me and in this work.
I remember being a child and hearing adults say, “time goes by so much faster when you get older.” Back then, I did not quite understand what they meant. Now, I do. It feels hard to believe that we are already in December 2025.
I wanted to take a moment to wish you a peaceful and meaningful Christmas, spent in whatever way feels right for you, with the people you love and care about.
I also want to acknowledge something we all know to be true. For many people, this time of year can be difficult, for a wide range of reasons. Grief, strained relationships, loneliness, financial pressure, or memories from earlier in life can surface more strongly at this time of year.
As someone who has trained with me, you will already know how strongly I believe in promoting different forms of support. Support does not always mean face to face therapy. Sometimes it looks like an online chat with Beyond Blue, sending a text to Lifeline, downloading the Beyond Now safety app, or simply reaching out when things start to feel overwhelming.
I have included key support contact details below as a gentle reminder. Please share them with others if needed, and keep them for yourself as well.
National Mental Health Helplines (Free & Confidential)
Lifeline – 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 (24/7 counselling)
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467 (for people in crisis or supporting someone)
Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800 (for anyone aged 5–25)
13 YARN – 13 92 76 (support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
Online and Text-Based Support
Lifeline Text – Text 0477 13 11 14 (24/7 support via SMS)
Beyond Blue Chat – Chat online with a mental health professional
QLife – 1800 184 527 or Webchat (LGBTQIA+ peer support, 3pm–midnight)
Free Mental Health Tools
Beyond Now App – A safety planning tool for people experiencing suicidal thoughts
Smiling Mind App – Free mindfulness and meditation programs
Head to Health – headtohealth.gov.au
– A digital gateway to Australian mental health services
Emerge Psychology: Accessible Telehealth for Rural & Remote Australians
Emerge Psychology is Australia’s first and longest-standing private telehealth psychology provider, offering video counselling for mild to moderate anxiety and depression. With a valid GP referral, all Australians, including those in regional communities, can access consultations via video link nationwide. Importantly, clients in rural and remote areas may be eligible for bulk billing, making care more affordable for people living outside major cities
Royal Far West: Telehealth for Country Kids
Royal Far West has been a mental health lifeline for regional children across Australia for nearly 100 years. Their telehealth service connects rural kids (ages 0–12) directly to specialists including psychologists, paediatricians, speech therapists, and more, right from home. It’s a deeply caring, place-based solution that rural families continue to rely on.
CPTSD Self-Assessment Quiz: Understand Your Trauma Patterns
This self-reflection tool is based on the ICD-11 criteria for Complex PTSD and draws from the International Trauma Questionnaire. It’s designed to help you recognise key patterns like emotional dysregulation, low self-worth and difficulty with relationships — symptoms that often go unnoticed or mislabelled. Use this quiz to deepen your awareness, feel less alone, and identify the starting point for your healing journey.
What mental health topics matter most to you?
I’m always open to filling any knowledge gaps in the mental health space, so if there’s a topic you’d love to learn more about, let me know by taking this 1-minute survey.
Monthly Podcast Recommendation
Podcast of the Month: Well Workplaces by Tom Bosna
If you’re working in, leading, or supporting organisational health, this fortnightly Aussie podcast is a gem. Tom Bosna interviews workplace wellbeing leaders to unpack real issues—like how to embed mental health into culture, build psychological safety, and nurture resilience. It’s smart, grounded, and refreshingly free of wellness fluff.
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Gly8T0LZ5lMkMGbu654Ou
Monthly Book Recommendation
Addicted to Anxiety by Owen O’Kane
If it sometimes feels like anxiety has become your default setting, this book speaks directly to that experience. O’Kane challenges the idea that anxiety is inherently broken and shows how it often becomes a go‑to in times of emotional pain.
With grounded, compassionate tools, like breathwork, grounding techniques, and self‑compassion strategies, you’re invited to gently retrain your responses and find steadier ground. It reads like therapy in book form, with heart. Available in print, ebook, or audio.
Thank you to everyone who attended one of my mental health courses this year. Whether it was Standard, Youth, Refresher or Conversations about Suicide, I’m so grateful you chose to train with me.
It’s been a privilege to teach both in Perth and online, and to meet so many of you who care deeply about supporting others with clarity and compassion.
You showed up with a willingness to learn. You made space in your week to practise skills that change lives. That commitment truly matters.
Mental Health First Aid Australia has recently announced a new Learner Access Pass for all accredited courses in 2026. I’ll be sending out a post soon to explain exactly what this means and how it will affect your training or refresher options.
New training dates for 2026 will be released in early January.
Train Your Brain to Feel Safe (CPTSD Toolkit)
If you or someone you know is living with Complex PTSD, the CPTSD Emergency Toolkit is a simple, effective way to start building safety in the nervous system.
Inside the toolkit you’ll find:
A calming Morning Regulation audio to help start the day with steadiness
A soothing Evening Calm audio to unwind and rest
A powerful Emergency Calm audio for moments of panic or shutdown
A 32-page workbook with trauma-informed reflection prompts and healing exercises
These tools are most effective when used regularly. Instead of pushing yourself to get over it, you gently show your brain safety again and again, until it learns a new pattern.
This month only, I’m offering 50% off the full toolkit as a thank you to my newsletter community. Use the code AUGUST50 at the checkout.
If you’re ready for real change, or want to help someone who is, this is the perfect place to begin.
Featured Course
Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)
I run this course weekly for people who support young people—whether in schools, sports clubs, or at home. You’ll learn:
How to spot warning signs in young people
How to approach them safely
How to support them through anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and more
Is Your MHFA or Youth MHFA Accreditation About to Expire?
If your Standard Mental Health First Aid or Youth MHFA accreditation is nearing expiry, I offer both refresher courses online every single week. You can join from anywhere in Australia.
If you’re based in Perth and would prefer these courses delivered face-to-face, I can work with you to ensure a session can be offered at your workplace.
Mental Health First Aid Australia has a strict minimum of six participants per class. I really appreciate your flexibility if your chosen date needs to be rescheduled.
Most of you already know how flexible I am too. If your accreditation is about to expire and numbers drop below six, I’ll do everything I can to still deliver the session for you.
New Mental Health Resources at Mental Health Resource Hub
Looking for practical tools to support mental health?
New digital products are added every week at Mental Health Resource Hub (MHRH). From worksheets and workbooks to guided exercises and training materials, find the right resources to help yourself and others.
Browse the latest mental health products here.
Thank You for the 5-Star Google Reviews
If you’ve taken a moment to leave a 5-star Google review, I just want to say a heartfelt thank you. It genuinely helps others find me and decide whether mental health training is the right fit for them.
If you’ve kindly left a review and haven’t yet received your free digital product from the Mental Health Resource Hub, please email me so I can send you your unique voucher code: dal@dalsahota.com
And if you meant to leave a review but forgot, it’s absolutely not too late! Every bit of support helps others find this work, and I appreciate it more than you know.
Until Next Time…
Thanks for being part of this growing community of Mental Health First Aiders.
Whether you’re actively supporting others or simply doing your best each day, the skills you learned still matter, especially during times like these.
If something in this edition resonated with you or you have questions about applying your MHFA skills, feel free to reply or email me directly at dal@dalsahota.com.
Take care of yourself this season. You deserve rest, space and support too.