Events Calendar

The Student Series: Social Workers in Practice provides opportunity for students to hear from professional social workers about their work and build connections within the profession. There are 8 events planned for 2019, between March and November.

Our July speaker will be Linda Ford.

Linda is an Aboriginal woman from North West Queensland with 25 years experience as a social worker in rural, remote and urban areas.

Please note the change of date from 4 to 16 July. Linda will now present in person, as well as by webinar.

We all know the statistics about the type of patient who is most likely to be vulnerable and at risk of suicide. The reality is that at some point, all mental health practitioners are confronted by a suicidal client who does not fit inside the box the stastics have led us to believe is accurate. This training is designed to give you specific strategies on how to intervene, the steps you, as a professional Mental Health practitioner need to take, to provide the most effective care and support to help your patient choose life.

Measures provide clinicians with the information they require to support the development of management/care plans, as well as the monitoring, review and evaluation of that care. Experience shows that no single measurement scale offers an accurate overall picture of a person’s mental health, and the use of a ‘suite’ of measures can help to overcome the limitations of individual measures.

This two-day clinical workshop incorporates close to 30 years of STARTTS’ experience working with refugee trauma and is based on the latest research in the trauma field. It aims to provide counsellors with a framework of the essentials of best practice in moving beyond symptoms to the context of children and young people from refugee backgrounds which includes cultural transition, resettlement, integrating into a school community and collectivism. It will cover the distinct biopsychosocial sequelae of torture and refugee trauma, including on the developing nervous system, memory and attachment; ways to overcome barriers to engaging young clients from refugee backgrounds in therapy and groups; and the importance of utilising a combination of expressive and body and mind approaches in a phased trauma treatment approach. It will emphasise the importance of incorporating family, the school and community; and working with other professionals to achieve desired clinical outcomes.

This one-day interactive professional development training explores the nature, dynamics and risks of vicarious trauma (VT), contrasts it with burnout and compassion fatigue, and supports you to stay healthy and safe in your work with people impacted by diverse traumas.

This 2 day training affords a detailed focus on increasing clinical competence in Open Dialogue and dialogical practice. It builds upon the introductory training and is informed by dialogical and systemic theory and practice. There is a particular focus on Core Elements including reflecting and other dialogical processes and Core Dialogue including the use of self. Training methods include: role plays, experiential exercises, and reflection on the nuanced and sophisticated skills of dialogical practice.

* Discount to AASW members *

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a highly acclaimed evidence based program cultivating emotional, psychological and physical resilience. It brings together meditative practices with current scientific understandings of human functioning. The 8 week program (2 hours in evening plus one Sunday retreat day) is highly experiential and includes systematic training in formal and informal mindfulness practices. It is open to health professionals and members of the general public.

This one-day interactive professional development training provides practitioners with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to work in counselling and/or therapeutic relationships with adult survivors of complex trauma.

4 CPD hours

The next Palliative Care Social Workers Practice Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 30 July at the AASW NSW Branch office (rescheduled from 26 June).

The Palliative Care Social Worker Practice Group is open to qualified social workers and social work students who work with palliative care patients in hospice, community settings and hospital settings.

Video/teleconferencing available

This one day workshop, led by clinical psychologist Dr Jennifer Sweeton, shares the most up to date neuroscience research discoveries and teaches highly effective brain base techniques aimed at facilitating recovery from mental illness.

Help couples in your practice manage conflict and deepen intimacy! This is the first step in learning Gottman Method Couples Therapy. A truly inspiring workshop, Level 1 Training will give you new insights into treatment for couples who struggle, using research-based assessments and effective interventions.

The Student Series: Social Workers in Practice provides opportunity for students to hear from professional social workers about their work and build connections within the profession. There are 8 events planned for 2019, between March and November.

Our August speaker will be Liam McGovern.

Liam works as a policy officer for the NSW Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP), an independent statutory office focusing on the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. He undertakes research and drafts submissions that contribute to the policy process and inform decision makers. Prior to this, Liam worked with the NSW Services for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) in their School Liaison Team. Since 2017, Liam has served on the executive of the Social Work in Disability Practice Group (SWID), initially as the Student Representative and now Deputy Convener.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Video conferencing available

This 3-day face to face course is an opportunity not only to be trained in the RISE UP model of supervision, but for personal growth and personalised feedback, which culminates in a formal assessment phase. It has a pre-reading component of up to 40 hours. Your presenter has extensive experience in private practice and supervision, affording you insight into cases and supervision issues

The Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young People Seminar equips social workers and other frontline professionals with practical knowledge, skills and tools that they can apply directly in their work to support young people improve and maintain their mental and emotional wellbeing.

This one-day interactive professional development training provides the trauma-informed information and skills needed by personnel working with people and families with experiences of domestic and family violence (DFV), past and current.

2 CPD hours

SWID is an AASW practice group for social workers working in the field of disability services, both in government and non-government organisations. Its main purpose is to facilitate support, networking, lobbying and professional development. Any social worker in the field of disability, from any organisation is welcome to join.

Video conferencing available.

A gold coin donation is requested, to go towards morning tea for the next meeting

This one day workshop will give participants a greater awareness of the key factors which impact on client-worker interactions such one’s worldview, privilege, bias and representation. Participants will come away with general knowledge of the socio-political contexts of the main countries of origin of refugees coming to Australia and how culture, identity and meaning are impacted by torture and other traumatic events, resettlement, interactions with the host culture and the Australian service provision context. The workshop will explore key worker attitudes and skills for working in a culturally competent and trauma informed manner with people from refugee backgrounds.

The emphasis of this two-day training program is upon imparting practical, accessible skills to use immediately with survivors of complex trauma (especially child abuse and neglect).

* FPS Relevant Activity *

Join Slater and Gordon's Maggie Poole to discuss briefly on the intersect of the law and social Work. Joining Maggie will be Bill King, Principal Lawyer for Medical Law. Bill will provide an overview of this complex area of law.

Via Webinar

Delivered by one of Blue Knot Foundation’s most experienced and revered facilitators, Dragan Zan Wright is a transgender psychotherapist and trainer who has worked extensively in the fields of Gender Diversity, Complex Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care and Practice.

This training is designed for practitioners who work in a counselling and/or therapeutic relationship with complex trauma clients, and utilise clinical assessment, case formulation and treatment/care planning in their daily practice. This two-day interactive professional development training presents the three-phased approach for working ‘bottom up and top down’ with clients who have complex trauma histories.

Non verbal and creative interventions with clients are shown to have many benefits. Making an altered book in a therapeutic context can provide a framework for exploring a variety of themes, experiences and narratives, whilst supporting changes in perspectives and encouraging a sense of agency. For social workers, learning how to facilitate altered book making offers the opportunity for a new way of engaging with clients, which can be a catalyst for further therapeutic work.

Supervision is an essential safeguard for clients, a support for counsellors, and a process through which practitioners can develop their skill and competence. This course can be distinguished from other courses as it offers comprehensive training with opportunities for hand on experience, there is an emphasis on practical knowledge and skills with the content grounded in evidence-based search an years of practice which brings together psychological and management theories within a experiential model

This course is designed to expand your range of clinical skills with hypnotherapy, psychotherapy & counselling. There is a special component of regression and hypno-analytical therapy contained in this course.

* FPS Relevant Activity *

There will be times when people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds talk about their previous traumatic experiences of war and violence to workers and volunteers; or get angry or upset, or display other types of trauma reactions. This workshop has been designed to give workers not trained as counsellors some basic tips and skills for how to recognise and deal with difficult behaviours in the workplace. It is mostly practical and focuses on a series of case studies and role plays to develop skills in dealing with trauma reactions. It is assumed that participants have attended an introductory workshop by STARTTS such as the Core Concepts or equivalent.

This one-day interactive professional development training alerts attendees to the possibility that their clients and/or co-workers may have experiences of childhood and/or other past or current trauma(s), which are affecting their health, wellbeing, daily interactions and functioning.

Do you find working with couples a challenge? Would you like to feel more confident to be able to work with couples? Being an effective couple therapist requires us to develop skills that may not come naturally. This two day workshop teaches participants the fundamental skills of couple therapy and explores the challenges of working with adults who present with relationship problems and the particular issues they bring to the counselling room.

*FPS relevant activity *

** AASW Member discount **

This one-day workshop is designed to put a framework of understanding around working with people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. It focuses on understanding the link between what refugees have been through, the impact of torture and other traumatic events, the stressors of detention, resettlement and cultural transition. It explores how to work in a trauma informed and culturally competent way that promotes recovery and fosters feelings of trust, safety and control, while minimising the risk of retraumatisation. Participants will be encouraged to think about how to apply the concepts to their own workplace, and will leave the workshop feeling more confident in utilising their skills and experience with people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

1.5 CPD hours

Agenda includes acknowledgement of Overdose Awareness Day, which is on 31 August.

Training: Self-care in mental health recovery

Presenter: Sue Aenishaenslin has a wealth of experience using recovery models of practice within the field of mental health.

Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD - A treatment for complex trauma. This two-day workshop aims to train clinicians to deliver CPT. The training is practice-oriented and includes video clips of expert demonstrations. You will also be provided with a comprehensive manual and client handouts (in hard and soft copy) for clinical use.

* FPS Relevant Activity *

We all know the statistics about the type of patient who is most likely to be vulnerable and at risk of suicide. The reality is that at some point, all mental health practitioners are confronted by a suicidal client who does not fit inside the box the stastics have led us to believe is accurate. This training is designed to give you specific strategies on how to intervene, the steps you, as a professional Mental Health practitioner need to take, to provide the most effective care and support to help your patient choose life.

This one-day interactive professional development training provides the information and skills needed by all personnel working in the legal and justice sector to better assist, advocate for and support the large numbers of their clients impacted by diverse traumas, past and present.

This one-day interactive professional development training explores the nature, dynamics and risks of vicarious trauma (VT), contrasts it with burnout and compassion fatigue, and supports you to stay healthy and safe in your work with people impacted by diverse traumas.

Measures provide clinicians with the information they require to support the development of management/care plans, as well as the monitoring, review and evaluation of that care. Experience shows that no single measurement scale offers an accurate overall picture of a person’s mental health, and the use of a ‘suite’ of measures can help to overcome the limitations of individual measures.

Join WWILD and register for this Training Module individually or take advantage of our discounted suite of 3 Online Training Modules.

Live Webinar

• Introduction to People with Intellectual Disability
• Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence
• Supporting Recovery from Trauma

This one day workshop will give participants a greater awareness of the key factors which impact on client-worker interactions such one’s worldview, privilege, bias and representation. Participants will come away with general knowledge of the socio-political contexts of the main countries of origin of refugees coming to Australia and how culture, identity and meaning are impacted by torture and other traumatic events, resettlement, interactions with the host culture and the Australian service provision context. The workshop will explore key worker attitudes and skills for working in a culturally competent and trauma informed manner with people from refugee backgrounds.

Join WWILD and register for this Training Module individually or take advantage of our discounted suite of 3 Online Training Modules.

Live Webinar

• Introduction to People with Intellectual Disability
• Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence
• Supporting Recovery from Trauma

There will be times when people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds talk about their previous traumatic experiences of war and violence to workers and volunteers; or get angry or upset, or display other types of trauma reactions. This workshop has been designed to give workers not trained as counsellors some basic tips and skills for how to recognise and deal with difficult behaviours in the workplace. It is mostly practical and focuses on a series of case studies and role plays to develop skills in dealing with trauma reactions. It is assumed that participants have attended an introductory workshop by STARTTS such as the Core Concepts or equivalent.

15 CPD hours

This training is designed for practitioners who work in a counselling and/or therapeutic relationship with complex trauma clients, and utilise clinical assessment, case formulation and treatment/care planning in their daily practice. This two-day interactive professional development training presents the three-phased approach for working ‘bottom up and top down’ with clients who have complex trauma histories. Informed by current research, it assumes foundational knowledge around complex trauma, trauma-informed practice, attachment theory and affective neuroscience, and builds on it.

*Can count towards AASW Mental Health Accreditation CPD requirements*

Join the practice group for their September meeting.

Guest Speaker: Claire Walsh - Intentional Self Harm

This one-day workshop will give participants a greater understanding of the impact of torture and refugee trauma on group participation and dynamics, and how it can be effectively managed. It will cover the general principles of group facilitation in a cross-cultural context; and the things to be aware of and techniques to create a safe and engaging learning experience, to encourage a meaningful exchange of ideas, and to involve each member in thinking through different issues. Group facilitation tools and practical exercises to encourage meaningful participation will also be covered.

Refugees have experienced persecution, torture and other traumatic experiences in the context of organised violence, which has implications for healing from trauma and rebuilding lives in Australia. It is essential that workers have the skills to manage conflict when it arises and provide a safe service provision environment. This practical workshop focuses on understanding and resolving conflict in a trauma-sensitive way. It is informed by latest research in the conflict and trauma field, and aims to draw the link between the two fields. Participants will come out of the training with an understanding of how conflict, violence, the trauma experience and trauma-healing are related, and practical skills of facilitating resolution of conflict in a trauma-sensitive way.

Mindful Self-Compassion is an outstanding workshop. The program consist of didactic and experiential training exercises in mindfulness and self-compassion, to improve professional skills and personal lives.

Rapidly expanding research shows that mindfulness and self-compassion are strongly associated with emotional well-being, lower levels of anxiety, pain and depression, better healthy habits such as diet and exercise, more satisfying personal relationships and enhanced self-care.

* FPS Relevant Activity *

Mindful Self-Compassion is an outstanding workshop. The program consist of didactic and experiential training exercises in mindfulness and self-compassion, to improve professional skills and personal lives.

Rapidly expanding research shows that mindfulness and self-compassion are strongly associated with emotional well-being, lower levels of anxiety, pain and depression, better healthy habits such as diet and exercise, more satisfying personal relationships and enhanced self-care.

* FPS Relevant Activity *

Loss and associated grief are defining characteristics of the refugee experience. This two-day clinical workshop will give participants a greater awareness of the key components of loss and grief counselling when assessing and treating refugee survivors of torture and trauma. It will introduce participants to a model of cross cultural grief treatment and its relevance to the refugee resettlement context associated with the loss of loved ones and homeland, change of social status, and a loss of a sense of belonging, meaning and purpose. It will give participants practical strategies for how to treat grief, including traumatic grief, and assist clients rebuild their lives in Australia.

This experiential and arts based workshop provides a fresh approach to understanding therapists' self care. You will use art based activities to help you recognise the impact your work can have on you, identify your individual self care needs and the strategies which can support you, and plan how to integrate self care into your life.

This one-day workshop is designed to put a framework of understanding around the unique issues faced by children and adolescents from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. It focuses on understanding the link between what refugees have been through, the impact of torture and other traumatic events, the stressors of detention, resettlement and cultural transition. It will look at the impact of war and violence from a developmental perspective, with attention paid to attachment and resilience. It explores how to work in a trauma informed and culturally competent way that promotes recovery and fosters feelings of trust, safety and control, while minimising the risk of retraumatisation. Participants will be encouraged to think about how to apply the concepts to their own workplace, and will leave the workshop feeling more confident in utilising their skills and experience with children and adolescents from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

The aim of this course is to enable the achievement by all participants of a satisfactory level of competence for supervising social work staff in an effective, efficient and sensitive manner. The course will focus on the development of supervisory skills, techniques and knowledge using a variety of methods, including presentations, small group discussion and experiential learning assisted by the use of video.

Attend this workshop and articulate the benefits of happiness to our physical health, emotional well being, relationships and job performance. Administer specific practices to cultivate gratitude, compassion, self compassion and connection and understand how to integrate these practices effectively into treatment.

This one-day workshop is designed to put a framework of understanding around the unique issues faced by children and adolescents from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. It focuses on understanding the link between what refugees have been through, the impact of torture and other traumatic events, the stressors of detention, resettlement and cultural transition. It will look at the impact of war and violence from a developmental perspective, with attention paid to attachment and resilience. It explores how to work in a trauma informed and culturally competent way that promotes recovery and fosters feelings of trust, safety and control, while minimising the risk of retraumatisation. Participants will be encouraged to think about how to apply the concepts to their own workplace, and will leave the workshop feeling more confident in utilising their skills and experience with children and adolescents from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

Do you support people who have experienced trauma and abuse?

Many people who experience mental distress have experienced trauma in their lives. Trauma can result from family dysfunction, school, or workplace bullying, violence and conflict, neglect and abuse. Trauma survivors are at risk of being re-traumatised in social service and health care settings that are trauma informed. Services that do not understand and respond effectively to the impacts of trauma risk compounding the effects and create further harm. This course is designed for workers within the mental health and community service sector who support people who may have experienced abuse or trauma in the context of human relationships.

This practical one-day training workshop begins with a brief review of historical approaches to couples therapy and how research has revealed the ineffectiveness in those approaches. Ari will then present some of Gottman’s (leading couples therapy researcher) findings about destructive patterns in couple relationships and their predictive validity as well as those aspects that enhance satisfying and enduring relationships.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

This two-day clinical workshop is informed by STARTTS’ research and is focused on the unique challenges of working clinically with children from refugee backgrounds under six years of age and their parents/caregivers who have experienced war and violence. It will explore how direct and indirect traumatic experiences impact on the mother and child pre- and post-natally. Consideration will be given to influences such as the developing nervous system, memory and attachment, potential delays in all areas of development as a result of the complex interactions of refugee-related trauma, ways to overcome barriers to engaging young children from refugee backgrounds and their parents in therapy; the importance of balancing structure with child-centred / relationship based following of the child, regulating emotions, using play, music and movement. Attention will also be given to how to act as a role model, mentor and supporter for parents. The workshop will discuss incorporating the family’s cultural beliefs in therapy and how to integrate an interpreter into sessions.

Motivational interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented style of communication with particular attention to the language of change. It is designed to strengthen personal motivation for, and commitment to, a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person’s own reasons for change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion. Motivational interviewing utilises the principles and practices of person-centred counselling to engage a person in a conversation about change.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

This 2 day training affords a detailed focus on increasing clinical competence in Open Dialogue and dialogical practice. It builds upon the introductory training and is informed by dialogical and systemic theory and practice. There is a particular focus on Core Elements including reflecting and other dialogical processes and Core Dialogue including the use of self. Training methods include: role plays, experiential exercises, and reflection on the nuanced and sophisticated skills of dialogical practice.

* Discount to AASW members *

How can we differentiate bipolar disorder from borderline personality disorder (BPD), obsessive-compulsive disorder from obsessive compulsive personality disorder, or a cognitive lack of empathy from the emotional lack of empathy that is part of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)? Although personality disorders are often talked about, their symptoms can be difficult to recognise - particularly by novice therapists who may be baffled by behaviours associated with personality disorders. This seminar will provide an understanding of the ten DSM-5 listed personality disorders, with an emphasis on: learning to identify the symptoms; understanding the lived experience of consumers; and learning to manage some of the difficult behaviours.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

The unpredictability of mood swings and rages associated with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) can be confusing and challenging for family, friends, co-workers and therapists alike. This seminar will provide an in-depth understanding of BPD and NPD.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

Narratively oriented therapists take the position that our lives are shaped by stories. We never see the world as it is, we always see through a narrative ‘lens’, we give value to certain aspects of experience and neglect other aspects, we are constantly interpreting what is happening in, to and around us. It is through the stories we have about ourselves, others and life in general that we make sense of things and navigate our way in the world. And how we see the world clearly shapes how we act in the world.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

This training will introduce participants to the Open Dialogue model of care (Finland) and the dialogical clinical practices that underpin and emerge from this model.
There will be a particular focus on the role of open network meetings in Open Dialogue, as well as working therapeutically with families and wider systems in a variety of clinical contexts.

* Discount for AASW members *

1.5 CPD hours

Agenda includes acknowledgement of Blue Knot Day.

Training: Working with adult survives of childhood trauma.

Presenter: Sue Partridge, AMHSW and Certified Neuropsychotherapy Practitioner

There will be times when people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds talk about their previous traumatic experiences of war and violence to workers and volunteers; or get angry or upset, or display other types of trauma reactions. This workshop has been designed to give workers not trained as counsellors some basic tips and skills for how to recognise and deal with difficult behaviours in the workplace. It is mostly practical and focuses on a series of case studies and role plays to develop skills in dealing with trauma reactions. It is assumed that participants have attended an introductory workshop by STARTTS such as the Core Concepts or equivalent.

Why are some people ageing with a great sense of freedom and others with a sense of despair? Is it just a matter of attitude? What does the current research say about ageing with resilience? Evidence suggests that emotional wellbeing generally increases with age unless the older person is experiencing some major health issue or disadvantage (Centre for Mental Health 2014).

*This training may qualify for Focused Psychological Strategies (FPS) CPD. Please refer to the Dept. of Health website for more information.

At this Art Camp, you will be able to learn and enjoy creative ways of working with clients ( Children, Adolescents, Adults) and groups (Families, Corporations) , using Art Journals, Sand Play, Drawing, Drama Therapy, Body work, Masks, Paintings, Land Art, and more.

This course will present a mindful approach to working through loss, grief when learning new ways to cope with a changed world. The workshop will draw on John Kabat Zinn’s (2016) work which suggests that ‘The challenge of mindfulness is to work with the very circumstances in which you find yourself regardless of how discouraging and stuck you feel.’

*This training may qualify for Focused Psychological Strategies (FPS) CPD. Please refer to the Dept. of Health website for more information.

Non verbal and creative interventions with clients are shown to have many benefits. Making an altered book in a therapeutic context can provide a framework for exploring a variety of themes, experiences and narratives, whilst supporting changes in perspectives and encouraging a sense of agency. For social workers, learning how to facilitate altered book making offers the opportunity for a new way of engaging with clients, which can be a catalyst for further therapeutic work.

This workshop explores how both supervisors and supervisees provide input towards key processes in supervision.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

This two-day workshop presents a highly practical and interactive workshop (case-based) for treating PTSD patients; the content is applicable to both adult and adolescent populations.

* FPS Relevant Activity *

Complex trauma is highly damaging but frequently unrecognised and inappropriately treated. While current research in the neurobiology of attachment has major implications for treatment of trauma, the potential of these insights is not widely operationalised in clinical practice and confusion about the differences between ‘complex’ and ‘single incident’ trauma persists.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

Recent developments and research in neuroscience indicate that direct attention to and work with the emotions is necessary for effective therapeutic change. More particularly, ‘affective embodied experiences are central for change to occur’ (Schore 2012).

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

This one-day workshop is designed to put a framework of understanding around working with people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. It focuses on understanding the link between what refugees have been through, the impact of torture and other traumatic events, the stressors of detention, resettlement and cultural transition. It explores how to work in a trauma informed and culturally competent way that promotes recovery and fosters feelings of trust, safety and control, while minimising the risk of retraumatisation. Participants will be encouraged to think about how to apply the concepts to their own workplace, and will leave the workshop feeling more confident in utilising their skills and experience with people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

In this two-day workshop, the first day gives theory and practice of group therapy. The term 'group therapy' can be applied to a variety of theoretically and practically different kinds of groups from the psychoanalytic to the CBT.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

2.5 CPD hours

The AASW NSW Aged Care Practice Group meets bimonthly at locations across Sydney. Social workers across the public and private sector working in the field of aged care are welcome to attend.

The purpose of the group is to discuss relevant issues affecting social work practice in aged care, provide a networking platform for workers across NSW and provide ongoing professional development.

The emphasis of this two-day training program is upon imparting practical, accessible skills to use immediately with survivors of complex trauma (especially child abuse and neglect).

* FPS Relevant Activity *

Dr Margherita Spagnuolo Lobb brings her well received 1-week summer Gestalt Therapy residential straight from Italy to Tallows Beach Retreat Centre between the Teatree Lake and the Pacific Ocean!

The EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Certification is a 3 day engaging and deeply interactive course. Over the 3 days you will learn how to use EFT for yourself, with individual clients and in groups. There is also a short pre training to complete online. The wide range of benefits of EFT as a therapeutic tool is being increasingly recognised, largely due to numerous research studies conducted to assess the benefits of the modality. You will learn to use EFT to reduce stress, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, cravings, pain, phobias and more…

The EFT Certification is suitable for participants from all levels of the Social work profession – from student to advanced practitioner.

*AASW member discount**

This course will teach you the fundamentals of CBT, guided imagery, counselling, stress management and relaxation. The emphasis is on using a positive approach with your patients.

* FPS Relevant Activity *

This seminar aims to enhance counselling practitioner’s knowledge, sensitivity and awareness for working with transgender people. Some of the topics covered will be; awareness of language when referring to transpeople, scales of sex and gender, the current DSM gender dysphoria diagnosis, referral requirements for treatment and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health standards. Specifically, this training addresses background information, terms & definitions, diagnosis criteria, the prevalence of gender diversity & aspects of assessment.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

This 2 day workshop covers the core concepts and techniques of family therapy practice, providing an overview of the influence of the major schools of thought on contemporary practice. The emphasis will be on applying theory as systemic practice, through teaching, demonstration, video, role play, case illustrations, group discussion and small group exercises.

The Adolescent Culture workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to engage and be a part of an informative and experiential/interactive session about young people today. This workshop will include discussions, activities and information on adolescent culture, highlighting what young people are experiencing, feeling, participating in and experimenting with. In addition, participants will walk away with a tool belt with skills and strategies to best engage with and motivate young people.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information

This workshop will draw from the work of Paul Gilbert, founder of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and Dennis Tirch, founder of The Centre for Compassion Focused Therapy. The healing properties of compassion have been written about for centuries, including the Dali Lama who connects compassion with happiness. CFT is an integrated and multimodal approach that draws from evolutionary, social, developmental and Buddhist psychology, and neuroscience.

* This training may be considered Focused Psychological Strategies. Please refer to the DoH website for further information