Professional Development

Learn about the experience of common mental disorders: mood disorders, psychosis, and anxiety disorders. Develop a better understanding of how to best support those with mental illness and their family members.

This workshop will provide up to date information and introduce the fundamental skill set of Motivational Interviewing. Learn helpful skills to assist people to engage in behaviour change.

Introduction and overview of the mental health problems that older people experience most commonly, for the benefit of healthcare workers in all fields.

This interactive workshop will help participants develop cultural competency in their practice. Define culture, differentiate between observations, judgments, and evaluations, and be aware of your own cultural values. Learn the differences between refugee and migrant people’s experiences.

Gain the skills to identify and de-escalate an agitated person while keeping yourself and others safe. Gain confidence in managing distress and aggression, and strategies for self-control. Learn the role of communication and the importance of debriefing following a challenging situation.

Develop an understanding of significant ethics and boundaries concepts. Learn to make decisions that protect people’s rights while minimising the risks to the healthcare worker, and use an ethical dilemma problem-solving framework.

Develop your confidence in how to manage persons with suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviours. Discuss recent New Zealand data on suicide and self-harm, models for understanding risk and protective factors, along with recommendations for management plans.

Participants will gain skills and practice in a model for formulating risk and tools for intervention. This is an advanced workshop suited to professionals with some level of training and experience in screening and managing youth and adults with self-harm and suicidal behaviours.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive behavioural treatment which emphasises skills training to help people learn and use new skills and strategies to develop a life that they can experience as worth living. This workshop will provide an introduction to DBT and some of its key components. It will give participants an understanding of DBT skills and how they may be used in their daily practice with clients.

Gain the knowledge and skills to use an evidence-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) model designed in a way that is fun and engaging for children and youth.

This workshop is an introduction to health-related legislation for community workers. It will provide you with the knowledge and understanding to ensure you are managing your role within the boundaries of relevant health-related legislation in Aotearoa in order to protect the rights of those individuals affected.

Learn skills to engage in safe and effective relationships with clients in support-focused situations while maintaining your own safety and boundaries.

Further develop your Motivational Interviewing (MI) skill set with a focus on enhancing evoking and change talk. This interactive and experiential workshop will provide participants with the skills to help them become more focused in their interactions and apply MI to their practice and become more effective in using this skill set.

This workshop provides an overview and update of current approaches to working clinically with people with Co-Existing Mental Health and Substance Use Problems (CEP).

Gain a basic understanding of anxiety and how it particularly relates to children. Learn how to support parents/workers with anxious children to feel confident and competent to manage anxious behaviours in a way that promotes the child’s bravery and wellbeing.

Safety is important when travelling around the community, and working in private homes presents potential risks to staff and clients. This workshop will discuss risk assessment and management, identifying potential threats and explore personal boundaries. Learn how to decrease risk and increase confidence in dealing with challenging situations.

This workshop aims to give people who are working with, or coming into contact with, residents who hoard, tools and methods to effectively assist them to clear space in their home.

Develop your skills to effectively and clearly document your work in supporting people with mental health issues. This interactive workshop will provide you with the knowledge to produce notes that are wholly reflective of the health care relationship and activities, while meeting legislative and workplace requirements.

ACT is a transdiagnostic model and has an impressive body of research showing its efficacy across a range of disorders. This workshop will provide an introductory overview of the ACT model and its components. Participants will have an opportunity to practice and build skills over the day.

Explore the reality of Te Tiriti, the issues it presents for healthcare, and its implications for practitioners and services in the broader healthcare setting.