Training Programs for Organizations

These workshops are available by request.

If your organization or group is interested in any these workshops please contact: Sandra Marshall – Coordinator, Training and Development, training@ckmconsultation.com

 

Advanced Supervision

Length: 1 full day

Description:

This program is designed for experienced supervisors wishing to further increase their skills in developing staff supervision contracts and holding staff accountable, motivating and leading staff through change and addressing staff discipline issues.

The material covered will examine issues that are important to the experienced supervisor and work with the participants’ current learning needs.

The day will be interactive in nature and all participants will be required to sign a confidentiality contract so that participants can feel free to share their own experiences in order to make the material presented as practical and usable as possible. As the schedule will be full, this workshop will require that participants be present for the entire workshop. A bibliography of helpful resource material will be made available to all participants.

In this workshop we will address:

Who should attend:

This workshop is designed for those who have been supervisors for two years or longer.

The Challenge – Caring for Self while Caring for Others: An Interactive, Experiential Workshop

Length: 1 full day

Description:

Research on secondary trauma has confirmed what every trauma counsellor and caretaker experiences….you are affected and changed by the work you do.

Every day that you go to work, you know there is a good possibility that you will be asked to listen to experiences of abuse, suffering or trauma. You will be asked to engage with compassion, sensitivity and warmth to people's experiences of pain and despair. At times, the work may leave you feeling cynical, weary, depleted and devoid of hope.

Trauma counsellors/caretakers experience many of the same symptoms that trauma survivors face: psychic numbing, despair, cynicism, and intrusive imagery. For some counsellors, this may lead to depression, addictions, inappropriate reactions and a loss of interest in work. Secondary trauma can also impair work with clients when the counsellor responds with denial, minimization or over-involvement. These reactions can make counsellors vulnerable to professional mediocrity and possible complaints of professional misconduct.

Through interactive and experiential exercises, this workshop will examine:

Who Should Attend:

This workshop is for those staff working in the human services sector and want a more experiential workshop about how to work with their own secondary trauma difficulties.

Introduction to Supervision

Length: 1 full day

Description:

This program addresses the essential skills needed to be an effective supervisor. This training will also be useful to those considering becoming supervisors.

The day will be minimally interactive in nature however, all participants will be required to sign a confidentiality contract so that participants can feel free to share their own experiences as it relates to the material that will be taught. As the schedule will be full, this workshop will require that participants be present for the entire workshop. A bibliography of helpful resource material will be made available to all participants.

In this workshop we will address:

Who should attend:

This workshop is designed for those who have recently become supervisors in the last couple of years or who are interested in considering becoming supervisors. The material covered will cover the basics skills that are essential to becoming an effective supervisor.

Issues of Debriefing Following Critical Incidents   What's a Supervisor to Do?

Length: 1 full day

Description:

Ever wonder what would help staff and managers after an organization has experienced a traumatic event? These events can be staff related or client related. An organization that is prepared for an inevitable incident will know how to respond and will be able to lead staff through a critical time with confidence. Organizational examples will be used to illustrate the material presented.

This workshop will:

Who Should Attend:

Managers and staff who are reexamining their organizations practices and want to be prepared for managing difficult and potentially damaging incidents.

Managing Difficult Situations

Length: 1 full day

Description:

This workshop will focus on the participants’ current learning needs and challenges that they are facing in their workplaces. All participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire prior to the workshop that will help them pinpoint what their learning needs are and allow the workshop leader to use relevant material.

The day will be interactive in nature and all participants will be required to sign a confidentiality contract, as all participants will be coming to the workshop seeking new solutions to old problems. As the schedule will be full, this workshop will require that participants be present for the entire workshop. A bibliography of helpful resource material will be made available to all participants.

In this workshop we will address:

Who should attend:

This workshop is designed to meet the needs of supervisors who are currently facing challenging situations in their work environment and are seeking new approaches on how to lead and direct staff. It is recommended that they have attended either the Introduction to Supervision or the Advanced Supervision Workshop.

Maximizing the Benefits of Supervision (How to get the most out of your supervision)

Length: 1 full day

Description:

Not all staff are fully aware of the purpose and function of supervision. This training will assist staff in being able to assess their own supervision needs and develop strategies to get the most out of supervision. We will also explore the reasonable expectations and realistic limitations of agency based supervision. Sometimes problems arise between supervisors and supervisees. This workshop will also examine the common problems that can arise and look at potential solutions.

In this workshop we will address:

Who should attend:

Any staff person wanting to improve their use of supervision and their working relationship with their supervisor.

Secondary Trauma and Human Service Organizations – Beyond Self Care

Length: 1 or 2 days

Working with clients who have experienced trauma will have a variety of effects on mental health workers. Research points to an inevitable conclusion that working with trauma survivors will irreversibly change the way human service workers view the world. They are likely to experience reactions that mirror symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress. Research shows that the effects of secondary trauma will be cumulative and permanent and be evident in both the workers personal and professional life.

Secondary Trauma is an occupational hazard for mental health workers who work with this population, and may manifest itself through: decrease in quality of service to clients; poor management of professional boundaries; increased professional errors and subsequent liability; demoralized work group; toxic work culture; counselor’s reenactments; loss of employees; more sick time, stress leaves and increased cost of sick benefits to the organization; increased management / employee conflict

This workshop will address:

Who Should Attend:

This training is designed to be more thorough examination of the issues of human service organizations, secondary trauma issues and self care. Focus will be on the development of practices and procedures that are directed at minimizing the impact of social service and mental health work, both at an organizational level and at a staff level.

Secondary Trauma: Impact on Staff and Organizations

Length: 1 full day

Staff are effected and changed by working with victims of trauma. Helping those who have been abused is important work and can be both rewarding and challenging for the helper. Organizations and workers who want to remain effective need to understand the impact of the work on them. Ignoring the impact of working with traumatized people has the potential to harm workers, clients and the organizations for which they work. Addressing this issue can lead to increased effectiveness, self-growth and satisfaction.

The presenter will draw from the writings and models developed by leading researchers in the area of secondary trauma. Through the use of case examples, as well as her own experience, the workshop leader will present practical, useful strategies to minimize the negative impact of trauma work to staff and their organizations. The workshop participants will be challenged to implement new strategies in their work and workplace.

This workshop will examine:

Who Should Attend:

Staff who work in Human Service Organizations

 

The Value of Supervision and Consultation to Organizations

Length: 1 full day

Description:

The differences between supervision and consultation will be addressed, including when each is most effectively used. We will explore various models of supervision and their benefits and limitations. The potential liability to clients, staff and agencies when supervision and consultation is not available will be explored. The use and value of external consultation and provision of consultation and supervision “in house” will be discussed. Various models of supervision including the potential benefits and liabilities of each model will be explored.

Goals:

All workshop participants will understand the difference between supervision and consultation. Attendees will leave knowing what the value and potential liabilities are for not having supervision and consultation opportunities available to employees. There will be an increased understanding of the value of using internal resources for supervision and consultation and when the utilisation of outside consultants will be most effective.

Who should attend:

This workshop is for staff and managers who are questioning the value of time, energy and money spent on supervision and consultation to staff. This workshop will be of particular interest to those working in agencies who provide services to traumatized populations.

Values, Ethics and Boundaries for Supervisors/Managers

Length: 1 full day

Description:

Managers who work in human services organizations have several distinct challenges when it comes to boundaries and ethics. Understanding what boundaries and ethics apply as they move from a front line to a management position. How are they different than the values, boundaries and ethics of a front line worker? These issues can be further complicated by the divided loyalties and responsibilities that managers may experience towards their staff, the clients and the larger organization. Ensuring that staff are working professionally and ethically in their roles is another responsibility. This workshop will explore the basic values, ethics and boundaries that front-line staff need to know. Participants will examine ways that these applied skills can be taught to all workers and how well written policies are essential in providing clarity and accountability.

This workshop will examine:

Who Should Attend:

Managers, executive directors and human resources personnel

Values, Ethics and Boundaries for Front Line Workers

Those who work in the human services sector are drawn to this work for a myriad of reasons. Due to the complex nature of the work, staff may be hired from a wide range of backgrounds which can include a combination of training or experience or both. Coming from such diverse backgrounds means that when workers start in the system they likely have no common language or understanding of professional values, boundaries and ethics. What are the concepts that all workers working in the human and social services sector should understand? What is an ethical dilemma and what strategies and protocols should be applied in reaching some conclusions? Participants will be required to sign a confidentiality contract to further ensure a safe learning environment to share experiences and gain knowledge of acceptable values, ethics and boundaries.

This workshop will examine:

Who Should Attend:

Front Line staff who work in Social Services, as well as managers, executive directors and human resources personnel

Wellness Issues for the Experienced Worker

Length: To be determined

Recent research validates that workers who are exposed to traumatic incidences through their work will experience secondary trauma. The risk to this occupational hazard increases over time. Therefore, the worker who is more experienced will need to take particular care in managing stress and processing their responses and feelings with regards to trauma clients.

The more senior workers will be further challenged by their own life stage and development. Such issues as aging parents, relationship breakups, losses, deaths and our own health issues add to the challenge of maintaining a balanced work and personal life.

This workshop will explore:

Who Should Attend:

Senior staff who have been in the field for a number of years, particularly those who are experiencing some of the stressful impact of their work.

When Institutions Fail Children - Who Cares?

Length: 1 full day

Social service agencies, mental health organizations, schools, child protective services and churches- all can play a critical role in the lives of vulnerable children. What happens when the “care” they provide harms or fails to support a child’s development? Who is watching when needed resources and services are not available or provided to children? What happens when staff abuse or neglect children who are in their care? Is the temptation too great for institutions to protect their staff instead of the children?

Reporting misconduct and advocating for children when systems fail to meet their needs presents significant challenges, especially to the professional who may have ethical and legal reporting responsibilities. The situation becomes more complex when the worker is responsible to managers and administrations who are part of the problem. When we fulfill our role as advocates to children, who will protect the concerned professional when they are in a collision course with their institution’s practices?

This presentation will examine:

Who Should Attend:

Those who work in agencies and institutions that work with vulnerable populations and are interested in exploring how we potentially help and how we may also potentially harm by some of our practices.

Worker Resiliency – What Organizations can do to support Staff who work with Traumatized Populations

Length: 1 full day

The essence of most work in human services is enhancement of quality of life. Most of our clients have experienced abuse, deprivation, loss or marginalization. A major source of stress for those in the helping professions is constant proximity to great pain. This dynamic can take its toll, both personally and professionally, and managers need to support workers, while ensuring that clients' needs are being met.

Organizations and professionals who do not acknowledge and prepare for the psychological impact are vulnerable to poor work performance, high turnover, boundary violations, ethical breaches, poor interpersonal work relationships, addiction, illness and difficulties in personal relationships.

This workshop will examine:

Who Should Attend:

Managers, administrators, executive directors. This training focuses on organizations and how through the development of practices, policies and procedures