Training

An introduction to trauma. Symptoms and diagnoses. Neurobiology: what is trauma and what happens in the brain?

How to work safely with trauma. Spotting the signs. Stabilisation and grounding techniques. Window of tolerance. Avoiding re-traumatisation.

Knowing the limits – for the client and for yourself. Vicarious trauma. Referring onwards to specialist services such as EMDR.

Suitable for trainee therapists, and those not yet experienced in working with trauma. This is not a qualification to enable you to offer specialist trauma therapy; this is an introduction to working in a trauma-informed way with clients who are not experiencing severe trauma symptoms.

An up-to-date understanding of ASD Level 1 (which used to be called Asperger’s or “high functioning” autism).

Why has the rate of autism diagnosis increased exponentially in recent years? Do all autistic people have a “superpower”? Is everyone a little bit autistic? Do autistic people lack empathy?

This session explores these questions and more, including topics such as:

• The wide range of autism profiles and features in different people
• Late diagnosis in adults
• Female-pattern autism
• Debunking the myths
• Misdiagnosis
• Real life examples and case studies
• Working with autistic clients, service users or colleagues

The aim is to bring autism to life and to understand what it feels like to be autistic in a neurotypical world.

Suitable for anyone who works with “mild” autism (used to be known as Asperger’s Syndrome), whether that’s autistic clients, service users, colleagues, friends or family members. This session does not cover working with autistic children, nor medium and high support needs – it’s specifically about “covert” autism of the type which often isn’t diagnosed until adulthood.

Everything you need to know to set yourself up in private practice. Practicalities like insurance, taking payments, and managing appointments. Renting premises. How to write and store client notes ethically, safely and legally. Marketing, advertising and how to write a good profile.

Also includes an exploration of how it feels to move into private practice. Do you want to work independently? What are the positives and negatives? How will you manage self-care, resilience, and ongoing emotional support?

Suitable for both newly qualified therapists, and those who have worked within an organisation but are now setting up in private practice for the first time.

A practical and experiential training session in which you will learn several unique ways of working creatively with clients on Zoom, Teams, Google Meet or other video calling platforms.

We will explore the creative use of image searches, AI tools, and an innovative way of bringing gestalt chair work to life online.

This course is normally delivered online, but can be delivered in-person if preferred – it requires a venue with a high-speed internet connection and all participants to bring one laptop and one smartphone/tablet each.

CPD for qualified counsellors (or trainees on placement). Must have prior knowledge of working online with clients.

A comprehensive introduction to supporting people around grief and loss, whether from bereavement, relationship breakup, diagnosis of a serious or terminal illness, or loss of home, family, work, or identity.

Understanding grief

• An introduction to grief, loss, bereavement, and mourning
• The five stages of grief, the dual process model of grieving, and continuing bonds after loss
• A basic introduction to the neuroscience behind grief – what happens in the brain when we suffer a loss?

How to support someone who is grieving

• Active listening and emotional support skills for helping people who are grieving – what to say, and what not to say
• Dispelling some of the common myths
• Coping with feelings of guilt, shame, and pressure to “move on” or “get over it”
• Growing around grief: remembering, honouring, and celebrating your loved one. Traditions, rituals, anniversaries, spiritual or religious beliefs
• Real life examples and case studies

Wellbeing and safeguarding

• Complicated / problematic grief and knowing when to refer someone for therapy
• Resources and sources of support e.g. charities, helplines
• Self-care for you when supporting someone who is grieving

This training is aimed at support workers, volunteers, befrienders, helpline workers, and anyone else who provides emotional support to people experiencing loss and grief.