Training

I offer a number of workshops and seminars. Of particular interest for me is workshops on the topics of motivational interviewing and compassion focused therapy, as described below. I am available to present on these topics in person or online, and as brief seminars or longer skills training workshops. If you would like more information, please feel free to email me directly here.

• Understand the fundamental spirit and principles of MI.

• Gain up to date information regarding MI research and evidence.

• Develop empathic counselling skills, central to using the technique.

• Learn open questions, affirmations, reflections and summaries (OARS).

• Learn about the importance of motivational language including change talk and sustain talk.

• Understand the dimensitons of change talk: desire, ability, reasons and need.

• Understand the predictive role of commitment language.

• Experience the delivery of the MI technique through demonstration and practice.

• Gain confidence to deliver MI in a clinical setting.

• Learn when and how to use advice and other more directive elements of MI.

• Observe, experience and practice elements of MI.

• Review experiences with MI.

• Support one another.

• Develop advanced listening skills.

• Learn to nurture the rhythm and flow of motivation and motivational language.

• Deepen the concept of motivation.

• Learn how to strengthen importance, confidence, readiness and commitment.

• Understand discord (resistance) and learn how to manage these interactional challenges.

• Consider the tension and influence between client-centeredness and directiveness.

• Observe and give feedback.

• Be observed and given feedback.

• Learn about the recent advances in the science of compassion.

• Understand the evolutionary basis of compassion.

• Understand the biological and neurological findings associated with compassion.

• Learn about the hypothesised psychological benefits of compassion and self-compassion.

• Learn about the outcome research and the effectiveness of CFT with clinical populations.

• Develop an understanding of the evolutionary-based perspective on emotion, behaviour and motivations.

• Understand the role of attachment in emotion regulation and the development of the compassionate self.

• Identify the link between compassion and care-giving and care-receiving motivational systems.

• Identify the “two psychologies” of compassion and its constituent elements or attributes.

• Learn the range of CFT skills presented to cultivate these attributes of a compassionate person.

• Learn practice that cultivate compassion and build a sense of the compassionate self.

• Learn the spirit, principles and skills of motivational interviewing, and the role of MI in CFT.

• Consider inhibitors and facilitators to compassion and self-compassion as sustain talk and change talk

• Understand the importance of language in behaviour change and compassionate action.

• Learn to accept and validate language around inhibitors of compassion

• Learn to gently guide towards exploring and elaborating on language around facilitators of compassion.

• Identify compassion as a motivation and a commitment to engage with suffering and take helpful action

• Learn how to strengthen client commitment towards compassionate action.

• Demonstrate and utilise some of the core aspects of motivational interviewing in the context of CFT.

• Learn skills and strategies to apply with clients straight away.

• Learn about shame, shame experiences and shame memories.

• Understand the traumatic qualities and centrality of shame memories.

• Learn about the extensive evidence base and the effectiveness of working with shame memories with CFT.

• Experience body-based practices for soothing and calming the body.

• Learn how to use the Shame Experiences Interview for assessing shame memories phenomenology.

• Experience imagery-based practices for connecting with the Shamed Self and cultivating the Compassionate Self.

• Experience embodiment practices aimed at embodying the Shamed Self and shifting into the Compassionate Self.

• Learn how to work with the Shamed Self via the Compassionate self through imagery, acting and writing.