AW photo - unofficial

Meet CSM’s Account Director, UAE

To mark World Mental Health Day 2022, we took five minutes with Aysel Waring – Account Director, and Mental Health First Aider, to discuss the importance of mental health and why she undertook the training.

Describe your career in 5 words or less.

An enjoyable hurricane

As part of our Global Wellbeing Program, 10% of our global teams have been trained as Mental Health Ambassadors and Mental Health First Aiders. The roles offer anyone developing or suffering from ill mental health, or a crisis, someone to reach out and talk to within the business. Can you tell us a little bit more about what the training entails…

Training is focused on raising awareness about mental health to ensure we can spot changes in behaviour among our colleagues and know how to offer support. It equips us with the ability to know how to talk about it and provide initial support, even if it’s just pair of ears to listen.

Why did you put yourself forward to become a Mental Health First Aider and why do you think it’s so important?

Mental health has been a priority for me since finding myself in a dark place about four years ago. On top of not knowing what to do to help myself, I also realized that people around me didn’t really know how to support. So, when there was an opportunity to learn more and train as a Mental Health First Aider I thought it was a great opportunity to learn life skills that will help my colleagues.

What was one thing you learnt during your training that you didn’t know before?

I was shocked with the statistics around how many people struggle with anxiety and depression disorders. And I learnt something that I never really considered before: ask people direct questions about how they’re feeling, even if it seems awkward or difficult.

When not at work, what would we find you doing?

Work and parenting my young daughter take most of my time on weekdays, so you probably won’t find me doing anything exciting! But on weekends I love spending mornings at the pool, messy painting or creating cheese boards for dinner!