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Details of the Workshop:

Date: Thursday, 17th of February
Time: 4pm - 6pm 
Location: BGT, 25-39 Barkly Street, Ballarat
Cost: Free
Catering: ​Provided

Have you ever found yourself sitting in the “Counsellor’s Chair” and wondering how you got there?  

Does your heart sink when a staff member wants to have a chat about their “mental health” or tells you they are feeling a bit depressed or anxious? 

Do you freak-out or feel uncomfortable when someone isn’t “quite themselves” or is acting a bit out of character? 

If so, you are not alone. 

About the workshop 
In this exciting and practical workshop, we will give you the confidence to support others including your colleagues, customers, clients, managers or even your family members and friends when they are upset, angry, distressed or going through a hard time. You will learn some simple, but important tricks that will ensure those on the receiving end of your support feel heard, understood and cared for and leave the conversation knowing what to do and where to go for further help if needed. 

We will not be teaching you “how to be a counsellor” but rather what to do and say when someone needs a little extra support.   

We know, that many people find themselves offering a listening ear and providing emotional support and guidance to others without any formal training. 

In fact, many business owners and workers in customer facing roles find themselves in this position on a regular basis. 

A compassionate and respectful response during these times of need can positively affect the outcome of the individual involved. However, we are also aware that supporting others can take a toll on our own wellbeing. So, we are here to help make those casual chats about mental health a little easier for everyone.  

Who should attend 
This workshop is suitable for anyone without formal counselling training that finds themselves in the position of providing informal support and “counselling” from time to time. 

This includes workers in client or customer facing roles, managers, supervisors and team leaders or even those people who want to know how to respond better to family and friends when they are upset. 

What we will cover 
By the end of the workshop you will be able to: 
-  Identify the importance of relationships in overall health and wellbeing  
- Differentiate between empathy and compassion and why this is important  
- Understand the importance of discretion, privacy and confidentiality 
- Recognise when someone is in crisis or needs emotional support 
- Gently move someone from a high emotional state to a calmer state  
- Confidently and safely ask about suicide 
- Set boundaries and limits to reduce “over-sharing” and prevent burnout 
- Know when to refer someone on to specialist services and how to access those services