Accidental Counsellor - Virtual Workshop

Accidental Counsellor equips participants with essential skills to support individuals in distress or experiencing an emotional crisis.

In our daily lives at work, at home and in our communities, we may come across people in distress. Without the right training, it is difficult to know how best to support them.

Accidental Counsellor by Lifeline is aimed at those who would like to be able to safely and effectively support friends, family, colleagues, and peers who are in distress or experiencing a crisis.

While this course does not train participants to be counsellors, the skills learnt in the course can be applied in many contexts. It will provide participants with skills in active listening and effective questioning, and de-escalation and grounding techniques.

Participants will also learn the skills for asking openly about suicide risk and responding to the answers. The course is open to anyone and no preexisting skills or knowledge are required.

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Apply the principles of recognise, respond and refer to someone who is experiencing an emotional crisis

• Demonstrate key communication skills

• Define the importance of self-care

Workshop Details

• Group Session: 4 hours delivered virtually via Zoom – 15min break
• Platform: Zoom, with breakout rooms for participant interaction
• Device Recommendation: Use a PC or computer for full functionality (smartphones and tablets may have limitations) - Each person requires their own device.
• Link: Emailed 7 days prior to the training
• Certificate of Attendance: A certificate will be emailed to the participant upon full attendance of the workshop

Preparation

• eLearning Component: Enrolled on Lifeline Australia’s platform
• Format: Self-paced 90-minute introduction
• Participation: Highly recommended but not mandatory
• Access Duration: Details sent 14 days before the workshop - three months access after the workshop
• Refund Policy: No refunds once enrolled in the eLearning component(approx. 14 days from workshop date).

Note: This course is not intended to train participants to be professional counsellors.