Niki D Therapy

Teaching

I am a tutor at the New School of Counselling and Psychotherapy where I work with students in training as counsellors, therapists and psychologists.

Training

I have developed courses which I have delivered to various agencies, including the prison service, homeless charities and youth services. I deliver the following training which I adapt to suit the needs of the agency:

• Understanding the impact of childhood abuse and trauma on young people
• Understanding and working with young people who self-harm
• Understanding and working with young people and suicide prevention
• Developing basic counselling skills for the workplace

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMA ON YOUNG PEOPLE

ONE DAY TRAINING COURSE

Course aims:

Identifying the main factors present in child abuse and neglect

• Understanding the effects of trauma on the development of the child
• Identifying the ways childhood trauma continues to impact on adolescents
• Defining complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Considering issues of resilience and recovery
• Exploring good practice within agencies
• Developing effective staff interaction with young people who are abuse survivors

This training will allow staff to develop an awareness of the signs to look out for in young people who are abuse survivors; so that they can help young people access appropriate help.

It will enable staff to have a better understanding of the feelings and behaviours that may occur in young people as a result of trauma including: abreactions, guilt, shame, attachment problems, dissociation, body objectification, revictimisation, trust issues, constricted feelings, self-medication and flashbacks.

With specific training on an issue that affects many young people who come into contact with youth services, staff will be able to respond more effectively and sensitively to young people who have abuse histories and build positive working relationships with them.

View the course flyer for the impact of childhood trauma on young people

View course flyer for childhood trauma for young women in custody

View course flyer for childhood trauma for young men in custody people

UNDERSTANDING AND WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SELF-HARM

ONE or TWO DAY TRAINING COURSE

Course aims:

• Defining self-harm & suicide
• Considering attitudes towards self-harm
• Recognising risk and indicators of self-harm
• Understanding the functions of self-harm
• Considering the impact of working with self-harming young people
• Exploring effective interventions & reflective practice from an age and gender appropriate perspective
• Considering good practice within the agency

Young people have the highest rates of self-harm compared to the rest of the population. Their levels of emotional distress are often expressed in destructive ways which can prove difficult for both the young person and people around them.

This training will consider key factors in relation to self-harm and will allow staff to reflect on the issues facing young people who self-harm, as well as providing staff with the opportunity to consider their own attitudes and reactions to these distress behaviours. Through discussion, case studies, practical exercises and use of related DVD footage, staff will explore the complex nature of self-harm as well as considering the specific needs of adolescents who self-harm.

View course flyer for working with young people who self-harm

View the course flyer for working with young men in custody who self-harm

View the course flyer for working with young women in custody who self-harm

YOUNG PEOPLE AND SUICIDE PREVENTION

ONE DAY TRAINING COURSE

Course aims

• Defining suicidality in the context of adolescence
• Considering attitudes towards suicide
• Highlighting current statistics and trends
• Recognising risk and indicators of suicidality and suicide prevention
• Considering the impact of working with suicidal young people
• Exploring effective interventions and reflective practice from an age and gender appropriate perspective
• Considering good practice within agencies

Young people have the highest rates of suicide compared to the rest of the population, particularly young men. Their levels of emotional distress are often expressed in destructive ways which can be difficult to understand.

This training will allow staff to reflect on the issues facing young people who are suicidal, as well as providing staff with the opportunity to consider their own attitudes and reactions to these distress behaviours. Through discussion, case studies and practical exercises, staff will explore the complexities around suicide prevention, as well as considering the specific needs of young people and staff support issues.

View the course flyer for young people and suicide prevention

View the course flyer for suicide prevention of young men in custody

View the course flyer for suicide prevention of young women in custody

BASIC COUNSELLING SKILLS FOR THE WORKPLACE

TWO DAY EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING IN APPLYING BASIC COUNSELLING SKILLS IN YOUR WORKPLACE

Course aims

• Define the difference between using counselling skills & counselling
• Learn active and effective listening and responding skills
• Learn how to use open-ended questions, to paraphrase and summarise
• Develop an empathic, non-judgemental and empowering approach in work with young people
• Enhance interpersonal communication skills through using basic counselling skills
• Explore how to build trust and rapport in boundaried but genuine, helping relationships with young people
• Develop self awareness & reflective skills

View the course flyer for workplace counselling skills

View the flyer for training costs

Staff working directly with young people often find themselves confronted with interpersonal challenges within these relationships. Many young people suffer from mental health problems; have abuse histories, behavioural problems and emotional difficulties.

Front line staff are often the adults that these young people turn to and want to talk with, about personal problems they are experiencing, yet many staff do not have the confidence or communication skills to respond effectively to the complexity of such communications. Training on how to use basic counselling skills appropriately within the workplace can help staff manage their interactions with all the young people they work with and enhance their practice.