In a professional world marked by constant transformation — technological acceleration, rising expectations, organizational tensions, individual vulnerabilities — mental health is no longer a peripheral topic.
It has become a strategic priority.

MHFA: What Is It Exactly?

PSSM (Premiers Secours en Santé Mentale) is the French version of Mental Health First Aid, an international training programme.

The objective is simple: to equip people to identify early signs of psychological distress in a colleague, employee, or team member, and to take the right actions immediately.

This is not about becoming a psychologist or solving deep-rooted issues.
It’s about being able to:

• Recognize situations of distress (severe stress, anxiety, burnout, suicidal thoughts, addictions, etc.)
  
• Listen without judgment
  
• Open a dialogue
  
• Provide initial, appropriate support
  
• Direct the person toward the right resources (occupational health, medical professionals, internal support services)
  

In other words: learning to respond to psychological distress just as one learns physical first-aid gestures.

Why This Training Has Become Essential Today

The numbers speak for themselves — and so does the field reality:

• Stress and anxiety are the leading cause of long-term sick leave.
  
• Burnout is no longer an abstraction: it affects every type of organisation, in every sector.
  
• Managers are often left alone to deal with emotional or human situations for which they have neither the tools nor the reference points.
  

Organisations today face several challenges:

Regulatory: mental health is part of employers’ legal duty to prevent workplace risks.
Managerial: teams expect human leadership capable of listening and support.
Performance: healthy teams work better, innovate more, and solve problems faster.
Employer brand: talent increasingly chooses workplaces that take mental health seriously.

Ignoring the topic means exposing the organisation to unnecessary risk — reacting instead of acting.

What Are the Benefits for the Organisation?

MHFA/PSSM delivers real, measurable value.

1. A Culture of Care and Prevention

Employees become attentive to early warning signs.
Critical situations are detected sooner, before they escalate.

2. Better Equipped Managers

It moves leaders beyond the vague injunction to “be kind” and into concrete skills: what to say, how to say it, and where the limits are.

3. A Healthier Social Climate

When conversation flows, tensions decrease.
The sense of support grows. Trust strengthens.

4. Reduced Human and Operational Risks

Fewer sick leaves, fewer conflicts, less disengagement.
More stability and continuity within teams.

5. Alignment With ESG and CSR Priorities

Mental health is now a recognised pillar of workplace well-being and sustainable performance.

How Long Is MHFA (PSSM) Training?

In France, PSSM follows a standardized format:
14 hours, delivered over four half-days (consecutive or not).

It combines theoretical input with highly practical learning: role plays, case studies, and hands-on exercises.

It’s dense, pragmatic training — and immediately actionable.

If you’d like to learn more or organise a training session, let’s discuss your needs and build the programme that will make a real difference.