A New Community of Practice Focused on Mental Health Simulation

As simulation is increasingly recognised as a valuable teaching tool in mental health, there is a growing need for knowledge and resources in this area. A new Community of Practice (COP) focused on mental health has therefore been established, aimed at advancing simulation in mental health education and training.

The COP’s objectives are to:

• Create an interdisciplinary forum for educators involved in mental health simulation.
• Provide a platform for networking and mutual support.
• Share resources and enable opportunities for collaboration.
• Facilitate research and evaluation of mental health simulation programs.
• Raise the profile of simulation in mental health.

The Mental Health COP will host two online meetings annually and meet in person at the SESAM congress. The most recent meeting featured insights from Norwegian colleagues on using VR, AI, and communication training in mental health simulation. 

An online meeting scheduled for 25 March 2025 will allow colleagues will share their work and discuss topics for the SESAM Annual Meeting.

We welcome any educators or clinicians interested in mental health simulation. If you have questions or would like to join, please reach out to: mental.health.cop@sesamsociety.org

• Chair: Barbara Esbjørn, Denmark 
• Co-Chair: Neera Gajree, UK 
• Secretary: Håkon Endresen Alnes, Norway