Working Ethically with Risk

Risk is a difficult and uncomfortable topic.

When we are working with risk, we may have fears around getting things wrong or making things worse. We may struggle with the impact on our own mental health of managing clients with levels of self-harm or suicidal ideation. We may ourselves have experienced loss by suicide or our own risk in this area.

This training is designed to support counsellors and therapists in this difficult work, through presentation, discussion and some experiential work that should inform your practice, whether you are new to the profession or are an experienced practitioner, or if you encounter risk in other types of work.

The day will include the opportunity to:

• Explore our own beliefs around suicide and self-harm
• Examine risk assessment – the importance of asking the right questions in the right way
• Discuss breaking confidentiality and how to be more confident in when and how
• Review Willows’ risk protocols and how to use them for best practice
• Look at the benefits and potential pitfalls of safety planning
• Emphasise self-care of the therapist when working with risk

About the speaker:

Katherine Caffrey is an experienced counsellor and clinical supervisor with special interests in children and young people, neurodivergence and working with risk. She has worked in a range of settings and now has a busy private practice where she supervises a number of therapists and supports clients with a range of presentations often including suicidal ideation and self-harm. She provides training for well-being, working with suicide and risk, and specialised training for counsellors who want to work with children.

Katherine has worked with the BACP to provide risk CPD for several years and has also recently worked to update some of the Good Practice in Action resources. She has written a module for the Open University about working with risk in therapy and is currently in the process of co-authoring a book in the Relational Ethics series on relational ethics in education settings.

Practicalities:

Breaks - There will be two short refreshment breaks and a lunch break. Free tea & coffee will be available on site, and there are a number of shops and cafes locally that delegates may wish to use during lunch.

Parking - Limited free parking is available on site on a first come first served basis. There are a number of pay as you go car parks locally. The closest is on 51 Prospect Place, SN1 3LJ, which is just 1 minute walk away.

Train/Bus - Willows Training is accessible by local bus routes. The main Swindon bus and rail stations are approx 20 minutes walk away.

Who is this workshop suitable for?

This workshop has been designed as a source of Continued Professional Development (CPD) for Counsellors, Psychotherapists, other mental health professionals, and students undertaking counsellor/psychotherapy training. It may also be helpful for anyone working in a caring, helping or pastoral profession, including Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Youth Workers and Social Workers.

About Willows Counselling and Training Service

Willows is a registered charity offering Counselling and Counsellor Training in Swindon, Wiltshire. With more than 30 years' experience, Willows is well established in both knowledge and reputation in the local area and beyond.

Willows offers the full suite of qualifying courses for counsellors: CPCAB Levels 2, 3 and Level 4 Diploma. For qualified therapists, they run a Postgraduate Diploma in Trauma (Level 6 equivalent), an NCPS Advanced Specialist course, as well as a programme of one-day CPD workshops and training conferences.