Get into the holiday spirit and treat yourself to a gift that might be shared with your family, friends, even someone you just happen to meet. And this “gift that keeps on giving” – to borrow a phrase once popular in advertising – is the perfect description of a two-part course, “Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training, Blended.”

The first part of this MHFA course is an independent, two-hour, online, self-paced session. The course then concludes with an in-person session led by qualified instructors that will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 1500 Brookdale Road, Naperville.

During the course, First Aiders will receive instruction in how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults 18 and older, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis and addictions.

Registration deadline and additional information: Registration deadline is Monday, Jan. 13.  Detailed information about the program and registration is available at https://011825StThomas.eventbrite.com.

Cost of the program: $25.00 plus the Eventbrite registration fee.