Training Catalogue

Increase confidence to intervene when a person is in distress

This workshop is about building confidence as first responders to support someone experiencing a mental health challenge. It prepares participants to know how to recognise signs of mental health issues and how to respond in an effective way.

Participants explore the 5 Rs and apply the ASK Framework to guide mental health conversations.

This course will support participants to:

• Gain a broad understanding of the most common mental health conditions in Australia;
• Understand the relationship between risk factors and warning signs;
• Develop the skills to respond and support a person in emotional distress or crisis and refer appropriately, using the 5Rs framework and ASK principle; and
• Understand boundaries and being mindful of your own wellbeing and capacity to support a person with mental health challenges.

Suitable for staff in front-line roles and the broader community wanting to know how to help someone experiencing mental health challenges.

Increase confidence to work in a trauma-informed way

This workshop will explore how to talk safely with someone who has been impacted by trauma and teach simple strategies to support in the recovery journey.

On completion of this training course participants will:

• Understand the changes to the nervous system driving the impact of trauma without a person’s awareness or choice, and how this can be key to supporting recovery;
• Have insight into how the survival brain gets altered impacting coping such as the neutralising effect on problem solving;
• Be able to apply the principles of trauma-informed practice to develop strategies which enhance safety, minimise re-traumatisation and support recovery;
• Have increased confidence to work in a trauma-informed manner and understand how to support change with simple practice skills; and
• Identify resources and development opportunities to implement trauma-informed practices into the workplace.

The trauma-informed training is ideal for people working in the community sector or wanting to work in the community sector to assist in implementing trauma informed care and practice principles.

Increase confidence to safely de-escalate an event

Sometimes people respond to circumstances and triggers in ways that can be challenging for workers to manage. Often this is as a result of the person’s distress or frustration and can be exacerbated by environmental factors. This course is designed to support workers to recognise when a person is becoming distressed or when their behaviour is escalating, and it provides a set of tools and strategies to respond in ways that are likely to result in positive outcomes.

On completion of this training course participants will:

• Understand what is meant by the term 'escalated behaviour', common triggers and when de-escalation strategies are likely to be effective;
• Have increased competence and confidence in responding to escalated behaviours by drawing on practical models, including 'SAFE' de-escalation (Situational analysis; Assessing danger; Facilitating de-escalation through personal preparation, verbal and non-verbal techniques and; Evaluating incidents);
• Have practiced techniques and strategies that can be later applied to a range of real-life scenarios; and
• Be mindful of the impact of responding to escalated behaviours on themselves and how to integrate self-care strategies to their practice.

Suitable for workers in a wide range of frontline service delivery roles.

Increase confidence to safely de-escalate an event

The development of the adolescent brain may impact on their decision making and the escalated behaviours of a young person. This course is designed to assist in the understanding of emotional escalation, triggers, distress, sense of the adolescent self and coping strategies to effectively de- escalate an adolescent.

This course supports participants to:

• Understand adolescent brain development, cognition and consequences;
• How to effectively communicate with an adolescent during and after the escalation curve;
• Understand the triggers including social media, self-image, peer groups, relationships, education and family issues;
• Recognise effective and evidence-based de-escalation tools;
• Practical strategies to use the S.A.F.E model for de-escalation;
• Develop the confidence in the participants ‘de-escalator’s response’; and
• Explore ways to integrate self-care strategies to their practice.

Suitable for anyone who works with, or cares for an adolescent.

Increase confidence using safe everyday counselling tools

Many non-counselling professionals find themselves in day-to-day situations where they are called to support another person emotionally, such as responding to someone experiencing distress, anger, confusion, anxiety or fear.

The Everyday Counselling Skills course provides participants with the opportunity to practice using a range of tools that can be applied to a wide range of issues, in their practice as well as in their daily lives.

Participants will learn how to establish and build safe and positive relationships and provide solution- focused responses, as well as providing brief interventions and understanding when to refer.

This course will support participants to:

• Understand what is meant by ‘everyday counselling’ as distinct from formal counselling;
• Have a working knowledge of the Stages of Change model and understand when to refer;
• Build skills including relationship-building, communication, strategic questioning and feedback and provide solution-focused responses and strategies and encourage help- seeking where appropriate;
• Engage in brief interventions using the Frames model to support clients; and
• Integrate their learning from this course into their practice and/or their own lives.

Suitable for staff who want to be emotionally supportive in their work role or in their personal roles.

Respond to situations of grief and loss with greater skills and a sensitivity

Most people will experience loss at some point in their life. Grief is a reaction to any form of loss and can encompass a range of feelings from deep sadness to anger. The process of adapting to a significant loss can vary dramatically from one person to another. The extent of what was lost often depends on a person’s beliefs, culture and relationship to what was lost.

Emotions in relation to loss are often surprising in their strength or mildness. They can also be confusing. Increasing our understanding of the human response to loss allows us to be more compassionate with ourselves and others at times of great need.

The course will support participants to:

• To understand the individual nature of grief and loss through an introduction to a variety of theoretical models;
• Learn how grief presents and the impact it has when left unresolved;
• Provide appropriate support or informed referral for individuals who are grieving and identify potential ideas for healing and growth; and
• Learn how to take care of yourself whilst supporting others.

Suitable for staff who want to work in skilful and sensitive ways with clients experiencing loss as well as individuals who would like to learn more.

This course facilitates an understanding of what meditation is, how it works and most importantly provides experiential, person-centred learning in a safe environment.

People often experience mental health challenges in their lives. Mental health challenges respect equal opportunity and we are equally prone to these challenges whether we are a consumer or a provider of mental health services. We are literally all in this together. Wellbeing is a basic human right. While practised for thousands of years meditation is more relevant today than it has ever been. This is because it has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, enhance wellbeing and quality of life.

The course strips meditation from any religious orientation; grounding it in a secular, rational perspective suitable for all. Participants will have the opportunity to develop their skills during the day and take away resources to develop their meditation throughout their lives.

This course will support participants to:

• Understand what meditation is;
• Increase their knowledge of how meditation works in improving mental health and wellbeing, specifically in relation to stress, anxiety, depression, addiction and sleep;
• Explore guided meditations to experience, reflect on, discuss and takeaway written transcripts; and
• Increase their confidence and competence to continue meditation at home, work and play.

Suitable for all adults, consumers and staff working and accessing services across a variety of settings, including housing etc.

Develop skills using practice tools with real-life scenarios

People often experience both mental health challenges and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) issues. The intersection of mental health and AOD use is recognised as presenting complex challenges across both domains. This course will facilitate an understanding of how and why they frequently occur together, as well as strategies for working holistically and collaboratively to support people in their recovery.

This course will support participants to:

• Develop their understanding of mental health challenges and AOD, including signs, symptoms and risk factors for mental health and/or AOD use issues; drug types and usage; common mental health challenges and models to understand substance use and dependence;
• Develop their understanding of the complex relationship between mental health challenges and AOD use, including being able to identify risk factors, contributing factors and impacts of co-occurring challenges; and
• Develop their confidence and competence in using evidence-based informed strategies in their work with consumers and knowledge of support and referral services.

Suitable for staff working within the mental health and alcohol and drug workspace.

Master the skills to provide a quality service in the AOD space

Prevention and minimisation of harm and bolstering recovery from co-occurring mental health and AOD challenges is possible for consumers and their families by encouraging hope and cultivating resilience. Building on the foundations laid by the course: Mental Health, and Alcohol and Other Drugs Introduction, this Recovery Toolkit course provides principles and tools for engaging effectively in person-centered and recovery-oriented care. The tools and instruments learnt are only ever as good as the skill with which they are used. This course leans towards experiential, practice-based learning to move the helper to greater levels of mastery.

In this course participants will:

• Develop their understanding of and experience in self-reflective practice to guide interactions with consumers and their families;
• Deepen their understanding of the complex relationship between mental health challenges and AOD use and current trends in addiction treatment; and
• Develop their confidence in the practice using evidence-based tools applicable for all clients at any stage of recovery.

Suitable for staff working within the mental health and alcohol and drug workspace who have completed the Mental Health, and AOD Introduction pre-requisite course.

Increase confidence and knowledge to respond to a situation involving dual disability

This course will explore the concepts of recovery, trauma and strength-based approaches to working with people with complex needs and explore a recovery and bio-psychosocial approach to meet their client’s needs. The prevalence of mental health issues is higher in people with a disability than in the general population and this means that often, a person who has both a physical, intellectual, or neurological disability is also dealing with mental health challenges.

This course will support participants to:

• Increase their knowledge of the types of disabilities in the NDIS context and the impact of stigma on citizenship;
• Have a better understanding of the risk factors for coexisting disability;
• Further appreciate the significant barriers to access services;
• Increase their confidence in recognising and responding to anxiety, depression, psychosis and substance use in people living with disability; and
• Increase their confidence in putting principles into practice and using observation and communication tools to make reasonable adjustments for people with disability.

Suitable for staff in a variety of settings who work with clients with disability in therapeutic, supportive, and caring roles.

The standard two-day, 12-hour course Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course is for any interested adult and will teach participants how to assist people who are developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem or in a mental health crisis, until appropriate professional help is received, or the crisis resolves.

The 14-hour course is for adults assisting young people. Adolescence is a time important change and development. It is also the time when mental health problems can first emerge. During high school years, mental health problems are among the leading causes of falling grades, problems, with friends, and relationships, substance use, or abuse and they can have lifelong impact.

This course will teach adults how they can assist adolescents who are developing a mental health problem, experiencing worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

Formal MHFA accreditation lasts three years. For people who have previously completed the full standard course, the refresher course is a 4 hour face-to-face session that allows people who have previously completed the standard MHFA course to refresh their knowledge and skills. For people who are accredited MHFA aiders, this course offers an opportunity to extend their accreditation for a further 3 years.

Create a supportive workplace culture for staff

This positive and practical workshop is designed to promote and maintain a healthy workforce and explores ways and means to build a supportive and mentally healthy workplace culture.

This workshop is designed for those who lead, supervise and support others in the workplace, with the aim to achieve the best outcomes for both individual staff and organisations.

In this course participants will learn the following:

• Develop an understanding of mental health and an awareness of the warning signs in order to identify vulnerable staff;
• Gain awareness of the legal responsibilities of employers in identifying and responding to psychosocial hazards in the workplace;
• Gain insight into how to create/build a supportive and mentally healthy workplace culture:
• Develop the necessary tools, skills and ability to respond and support a person in emotional distress or crisis: and
• Be mindful of own wellbeing and capacity to support a person with mental health challenges.

Suitable for Managers, Leaders, HR staff and Supervisors.

Increase your knowledge and understanding of positive wellbeing, resilience and mental health strategies using positive psychology practices

This course was developed to provide participants with practical tools that they can use in their work as well as in their daily lives to build and maintain resilience and a sense of wellbeing. The course blends theory/practical activities to provide a pathway to an improved sense of wellbeing.

Positive Psychology is an emerging area of psychology that was founded by psychologist Martin Seligman. It is an evidenced-based approach to creating wellbeing by building a satisfying life through positive emotions engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment. It promotes ‘human flourishing’ and considers the strengths and strategies that enable individuals, communities, and organisations to thrive.

Participants in this course will learn to:

• Develop an understanding of Positive Psychology and the evidence upon which it is based;
• Understand and be able to apply Positive Psychology tools including the “PERMA” model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement)
• Practice a range of positive psychology strategies;
• Be mindful of their own wellbeing and how to use effective self-care strategies; and
• Integrate the learning from this course into their work and/or their own lives.

Suitable for staff who work in empowering, strengths-based and creative ways with consumers as well as individuals who would like to learn how to use positive psychology tools in their own lives.

Build safe and person-centred relationships

Participants will learn in this course how to develop strength-focused relationships and learn about practical strategies to support their clients with their recovery goals. Recovery is a key concept in mental health care and participants will be introduced to its origins, as well as its application as both a treatment philosophy and a guide to policy. Recovery will be positioned in the context of the bio- psychosocial model of understanding mental health. Participants will also learn about the importance of language in recovery-oriented practice, fostering a recovery alliance and will explore how to effectively engage in recovery planning with consumers.

This course provides participants with:

• An understanding of what Recovery is and is not;
• An understanding of the relevance of recovery principles and the CHIME framework to recovery planning;
• Increased confidence in how to use recovery planning to support a person to identify goals that align with SMART principles; and
• The ability to use recovery planning tools in a collaborative, person-centred way that ensures that individuals are fully involved the recovery planning process.

Suitable for staff working in service areas involved in helping clients create recovery plans.

Understanding boundaries, their types and why they matter

Professional boundaries are the borders that help establish professional relationships between frontline health workers and their clients. Boundaries are established within an ethical and legal context to protect each party from developing unprofessional, unethical, or confusing relationships.

This course examines the nature of boundaries and how to work within boundary frameworks while maintaining care and compassion. Participants are encouraged to reflect on their current model of practice identifying aspects of their work that can be improved through the theory and practical strategies presented.

In this course participants will:

• Understand professional and personal boundaries and why they matter;
• Understand dual relationships and how these can make collaborative practices more complex;
• Develop an increased confidence in using an ethical engagement framework to navigate boundary complexities;
• Understand how to respond to breaches of boundaries; and
• Develop additional strategies for managing personal wellbeing and the boundaries between work and non-work lives.

Suitable for a variety of workplaces providing services to a client base.

Recognise the importance of boundaries and personal self-care

This course explores the concept of change - including but not limited to global changes such as COVID - and considers its impact on our work and our wider environment.

During COVID we learnt new ways of doing things; how resilient we are; how important connection is to each of us and how things can change dramatically in a short period of time. We also learnt that we can be overstretched, overworked, and knocked off balance. We learnt that fundamentally we are all human, and we each have reactions and responses to the world around us.

In this course participants will learn:

• What is meant by self-care and why it is important;
• How to recognise signs that they need support as well as understanding how effective communication can help them to ask for, and get the support they need; and
• Explore a range of self-care strategies, including effectively setting and maintaining boundaries.

Suitable for community workers and anyone with an interest in self-care.

Supporting older people to maintain or return to better mental health

Australia has an ageing population and like people of all ages, older people may experience a range of mental health challenges in their lives. There are specific life events and contributing factors that may impact an older person’s mental health. These include retirement, grandparenthood, physical health issues, grief and loss, financial stress, cognitive issues, changing living arrangements and changing levels of independence and isolation.

The Older People and Mental Health course explores the common mental health challenges faced by older people, key risk factors, protective factors, the signs of symptoms of mental health challenges and the co-occurrence of mental health and other issues, including cognitive and physical health difficulties. The course will provide a range of practical tools and strategies for staff, supporters and carers to be able to support older people with their mental health

This course will support participants to:

• Develop an understanding of mental health challenges and the ability to recognize these challenges in older people;
• Build their skills in raising and responding to mental health concerns in older people using a range of tools and strategies;
• Further appreciate the significant barriers to access services;
• Identify mental health treatment, care and support options for an older person; and
• Integrate their learning from this course with increased confidence in their role of caring or supporting an older person whilst practicing good self care.

Suitable for workplaces that offer aged-care services and for people in general within the community who provide support services to older people.

Increase confidence with skills to carry out supervision

This course will look at how effective supervision plays a strong role in attracting, retaining, and providing ongoing support to a motivated and highly skilled workforce.

Participants will learn how to create and sustain a safe supervision space that nurtures a strong working alliance between supervisor and supervisee, and how to continually reflect on their own supervision practice so that the supervision experience is mutually beneficial and empowering.

On completion of this course participants will understand:

• What is meant by non-clincal supervision, its context, and how it supports work practice;
• The principles that underpin effective non-clinical supervision;
• Feel confident to implement non-clinical supervision processes; and
• Reflect on their own work practice and what they are bringing to the supervision space.

Suitable for individuals seeking to build their skills in providing supervision.

Build capacity to support others who self-harm

“Self-harm includes cutting, burning or hitting oneself, binge-eating or starvation, or repeatedly putting oneself in dangerous situations. It can also involve abuse of drugs or alcohol, including overdosing on prescription medications.” Sane Australia.

Dealing with self-harm can be confronting, as it can be an extreme way of trying to cope with distressing or painful feelings. Workers who can identify, understand and support a person who self- harms and can make a significant difference to their outcome. As well as the knowledge component, participants will develop their practical skills by using practice tools to respond to real-life scenarios.

This course will give participants:

• A deeper understanding of what self-harm is and how to identify it;
• Increased knowledge of how self-harm serves a short-term purpose but is not helpful in the long run;
• Practical strategies to help somebody who is self-harming including safety planning; and
• Increased confidence in supporting both the person and their families in dealing with self-harm.

Suitable for workers in a wide range of mental health and front-line roles.