Top Skills for Mental Health Support Workers: Communication, Empathy & Organisation

September 30, 2025•1 min read

Top Skills for Mental Health Support Workers: Communication, Empathy & Organisation

Working in mental health support requires specialised skills beyond basic care. These include emotional resilience, empathy, and structured communication.

1. Emotional Resilience

You must maintain boundaries while providing compassionate care.

2. Empathy

Understand trauma-informed care and how to validate emotions without judgement.

3. Clear Communication

Use calm, respectful language. Training in active listening and crisis communication helps.

4. Organisation

Maintain accurate records, track appointments, and ensure medication routines are followed.

Final Tip

Mental health support is challenging but deeply rewarding. Prioritise your self-care and training to stay effective and balanced.

Join Sparks Academy and get tools that actually work on shift, not just on paper.

Kim Matthews

Hi, I’m Kim! I’m the founder of Sunshine Family Support and Crushing Goals, established in 2020 from my personal journey navigating neurodivergence. As a mother to three incredible neurodivergent children, I intimately understand the challenges and joys of this path. The core of Sunshine Family Support is intertwined with my experiences—I struggled to find suitable caregivers for my family, leading me to develop a hiring method through trial and error. This method now assists other families in similar situations. Through many interviews, a realisation struck me: my next mission involves helping individuals improve their support work skills. This endeavour not only furthers careers but also improves the standard of care in the disability support space.

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