Workers who are not employed as counsellors often find themselves placed in an impromptu counselling role as a result of issues or requests for help that arise from contact with clients in their workplace setting. They feel they can’t refuse to help, but how do they respond? Without the clarity and assurance that comes from professional support, resources, training and experience, or even a clear mandate to ‘do counselling’, the accidental counsellor is confronted with a range of difficult dilemmas.

This highly participative workshop will provide participants with a wealth of frameworks, information and skills development opportunities so that they can respond with increased skills and confidence.

This workshop aims to give participants information, skills development and increased confidence in their work roles. The training includes activities and discussions and focuses on developing awareness and understanding, as well as practical skills.

This workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to:

• Define the attributes required of an ‘accidental counsellor’
• Identify a range of basic counselling skills relevant to their role
• Practice skills to assist clients to identify their needs, to select suitable strategies, to achieve their goals and make appropriate referrals
• Discuss and practice motivational interviewing techniques
• Practice a variety of basic communication skills including engagement, active listening and questioning
• Identify skills to respond appropriately to distressed clients and crisis situations
• Reflect on and articulate the boundaries of their role
• Identify a variety of self care strategies

Who should attend? Open to all.