Mental Health Practitioner

The first time learners use Bodyswaps, an onboarding sequence familiarises them with the features of the app, takes them through an avatar selection and embodiment activity, and prepares them for the experience to come. 

In the onboarding, learners will: 

• Find out how this training is different from the rest
• Select their avatar
• Discover their virtual journal
• Learn how to navigate and use the tools and settings

The learner begins by being introduced to their learning objectives and their task. As a member of a community mental health practice, they are assigned to visit Susan, a patient experiencing suicidal thoughts, at her home. The learner's role is to engage in a conversation with Susan to connect with and support her, including talking to her in their own words.

Then, the learner is invited to complete a short, Likert-style, self-reflection survey to indicate how confident they feel about talking to someone with suicidal ideation. They are asked to assess their confidence level on each of the following points:

• Starting the conversation
• Asking questions to gain insight
• Responding appropriately

These self-reflection questions will be repeated in the debrief at the end, to assess how the learner’s confidence levels have changed.

Note: If you wish to receive data about how the learner’s confidence levels have changed as a consequence of the training, it’s important that they complete this introduction and the debrief at the end.

Before learners meet Susan they review her case notes and patient profile. Then, they find themselves sitting across from Susan in her home.

When speaking to someone who is suicidal, it is crucial to create a safe environment where they feel respected and understood. The learner initiates the conversation with Susan by choosing an open-ended question out of the three sample options. This allows them to open the conversation without being too blunt or intrusive.

A scaffolded conversation then continues in a total of three exchanges. The learner talks to Susan by choosing from three-option multiple choices, with only one focused on building trust and encouraging her to talk more. For example:

• Tell me more. 
• How much time do you normally spend alone?
• It sounds like a weekend away might do you good.

The learner won’t be able to move the conversation forward until they’ve chosen the most appropriate option and will be provided with feedback for each choice they make.

Choosing the correct options allows the learner to tactfully bring up Susan's suicidal thoughts, validate her feelings and encourage her to express her emotions. As Susan begins to open up, the learner gains some valuable insights into her life, for example that she’s married, likes knitting, and used to enjoy walking her dog, but is now grieving its loss. She also expresses a sense of worthlessness and a desire to disappear, feeling that her presence is a burden.

Now, the learner is invited to use what they learned about Susan to help her.

Speaking in their own words, learners formulate a plan of activities to help Susan cope better with her days, as well as offering guidance about what to do when suicidal thoughts become overwhelming.

AI analytics pick up keywords which demonstrate that the learner understands how to demonstrate empathy for the patient and build a relationship that’s based on trust.

To achieve the best result, learners should use Susan’s name, validate her feelings, refer to the activities she likes, and remind her that emergency help is always available.

At the end of the activity, the learner receives feedback about the keywords they used and a chance to reformulate their answer and support Susan again.

The learner is congratulated on completing the simulation. The module is wrapped up with a reminder that discussing suicide is emotionally charged for everyone involved and that feeling anxious or distressed as a consequence is only natural. The learner is reminded that in such moments it can help to share their feelings with someone they trust, or with one of the confidential helplines available.

Finally, the learner repeats the self-reflection questions from the start of the module to see how their confidence levels have changed.

Note: With soft skills training, it is not unusual to find that learners’ confidence levels actually fall upon completion. This is because people are often overconfident in their ability to communicate or empathise before the training begins. As the experience raises self-awareness, confidence levels may fall in response.

Before the learner leaves the module, they are asked to complete a short survey about their experience.

This survey is not compulsory, but the data helps us to assess the effectiveness of our product and identify any areas that need improvement. Clients also find it beneficial when assessing ROI.

They are asked to mark whether they agree or disagree with the following statements, on a 10 point scale: 

• I would recommend this experience to others.
• The experience helped me identify elements I could improve upon.
• I now have a better understanding of how to give support to someone who is experiencing suicidal ideation.