Mental health conference battles Covid

Counsellor and member of the Mental Health Academy, Robin Kent, said the summit was hosted by mental health professionals and offered valuable information to those unsure of how to proceed during the current climate.

“I’ve been a member of the Mental Health Academy for a number of years since becoming qualified as a counsellor,” Ms Kent said. “I find that membership extremely beneficial because the academy hosts summits each year on a variety of topics which are very informative for private counsellors working in remote locations.

“The summits are delivered live and are available for a limited time afterwards. Attending in real time is great because it enables you to submit questions which, time permitting, will be answered at the end of each session,” Ms Kent continued.

“Otherwise, if you are catching up later, it is still interesting to hear other people’s questions and the responses.”

While the summit caters to people worldwide, Robin Kent believes the presentations can relate to local denizens due to the presenter’s professionalism and similar views on the global pandemic.

“The presenters are all highly qualified and are experienced in their field,” Ms Kent said. “They are drawn from all over the world, which is also fantastic for gaining insight and perspective.

“The issues we face in Australia are not unique to us — they are basically the same worldwide, but with localised characteristics and influences,” Ms Kent continued.

“And so, there lies the real value of attending these summits.”

The 2020 Suicide Prevention Summit was livestreamed from May 16 to 17, with an on-demand version avaliable from now until June 7 at https://www.mentalhealthacademy.com.au/suicideprevention