The Occasional Counsellor™ – Canberra, ACT

The Occasional Counsellor™ is for staff who are not employed in a counselling role but are called upon to give others emotional support, including receptionists, case managers and direct care staff. The focus of the workshop is teaching the participants strategies for assisting individuals who are sad, upset, bewildered, confused, angry or suicidal while clearly remaining within their role.

The workshop covers the following areas:

• the skills of the helper including the importance of empathy and when not to empathise
• understanding professional boundaries including understanding your role and the limits of your role
• the difference between emotional support and counselling
• simple, practical strategies for supporting individuals who may be acutely emotionally distressed while keeping yourself safe and remaining in your role
• self-care for the worker.