Abuse disclosure is on the increase. Counsellors aren’t crime prevention officers but we want to help people feel better without them harming others. New legislation now making Coercive behaviour illegal, has implications for Counsellors and Psychotherapists working with individuals and couples. It sits within Safeguarding regulations and is reflected within the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy’s new Ethical Framework. Better understanding of behaviour profiles increases a Counsellor’s confidence in recognising pre or post offending patterns and this is particularly significant with Sex Offending and the risk assessment of emotionally abusive and coercive behaviour.

Speaking with those who are either suspects, perpetrators, witnesses or survivors of abusive behaviour is a specific skill and the legal (e.g. Serious Crime Act 2015 – Coercive control, Duty of Confidence and MAPPA, multi agency public protection arrangements), forensic (mindsets, offender ‘types’) and behavioural aspects (e.g. enhanced cognitive interviewing) used by Police are examined in this workshop, with Counsellors and Psychotherapists specifically in mind.


The workshop uses taped live offender interviews (and has some strong content) and is co-facilitated by a serving Detective who specialises in the field and a Psycho-sexual therapist who is also an ex-police officer.

CPD certificates will be provided.

Amanda (Dip Counselling) is a serving Officer experienced in (hostile) negotiation, mediation, assessment, Major Disaster Management, Specialist Interviewing, Mental Health, Vulnerable Adults, current/historic Child Abuse, Sexual Offenders and Domestic Abusers. Val (BA Counselling – ex police) is a Psychotherapist who has worked with prisoners.

A one day workshop for psychotherapists and counsellors wishing to explore couples work. It covers topics such as couples counselling models, attachment, relationship stages, violence and abuse, sexuality, practical skills and what to avoid.

This one day workshop explores emotions and feelings. It looks at anger and the different ways we express and hide it. We’ll explore ways of putting feelings into words and offer various insights into the complexities of why we feel the way we do and why we behave the way we do within relationships But it also invites participants to risk self-disclosing and discussion with other group members, which in turn can bring improved self-confidence and understanding. Facilitated by Val or one of the other qualified and experienced therapists in her team.

Psychologists are often involved with non-relational aspects of clients e.g. risk assessment and psychological testing, planning, psycho-education, report writing, audit and evaluation, service management, research, training and formulation i.e. the psychological explanation of the genesis and maintenance of psychological problems. Within the context of these activities, this one day workshop covers the more therapeutic aspects of client relating and alliance and covers specific counselling skills.

The work of Ogden and Siegal involves the identification of optimum arousal states in which emotions can be experienced as tolerable. Whilst this theory has most significance in the avoidance of re-traumatisation when working with previously traumatised clients, it has a value when working with all clients.

Sometimes clients are ready to face difficult emotional content however it is the counsellors discomfort with their own emotions which prevents them from working at the client’s optimum level. This workshop encourages exploration of self within the therapy relationship plus evaluates the skills and attitudes required for using emotions optimally and assertively with clients.

Marketing your counselling practiceBeing an excellent counsellor may not be sufficient to attract more clients. As Counselling and Psychotherapy becomes increasingly popular, so are the number of counsellors. This workshop shows you how to set yourself aside from the competition. It approaches the commercial aspects of marketing your counselling business and covers topics such as research, setting strategies, marketing planning, the marketing ‘mix’ and marketing tools. As an ex-faculty Course Director at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, I have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with you.