Taking Care of Ourselves

workshop for Psychotherapists, Counsellors and allied professions

10am to 4pm

By the end of this workshop you will be able to:

Learning objectives:

 By the end of this workshop you will be better able to:

• Identify some of the main causes of therapist burn out and poor mental health
• Recognise signs of vicarious trauma and other signs of psychological harm in self and others
• Explore personal and professional barriers to taking reasonable care of self
• Identify some practical options for therapist self-care and support

Course content: 

• What is therapist self-care and why should I practice it?
• Professional standards relating to active engagement in self-care
• Common and uncommon stressors for counsellors and therapists: work related stress, client related risk factors, personal history and life experience
• Secondary, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue
• “Do as I say, not as I do” – why don’t we practice what we preach?
• Self-assessment: identifying personal and work-related triggers
• Practical approaches to taking care of ourselves:
  • The process of building resilience
  • The boundaries continuum and how to stay in the helpful zone
  • Practising self-awareness
  • Practicing self-soothing
  • Learning from experience
  • Professional and workplace support
•  Putting it into practice: personalised action plans for self-care

 Workshop methods:

• Information sharing
• Self-care self-assessment
• Group discussion
• Small Group work
• Practical exercises
• Handouts and electronic resources

Training fees:

• One day course: £750 (6 hours) inclusive of materials.
• Half-day course: £400 (3 hours) inclusive of materials.
• Travel outside the M25 area will be charged at standard rail fare.