Callers in crisis

Date(s): 11 May 2027

Times: 9.30 - 12.45

Delivery: Online over Zoom

Course overview:

Administrative staff and those providing telephone support and advice are often the first point of contact for service users. Grounded in best practice, this half day course develops confidence and communication skills to respond safely and appropriately to people experiencing mental health crisis across remote support channels (telephone, text, webchat and video).

Aim(s):

To develop confidence and communication skills to respond safely, appropriately and confidently across remote support channels to people experiencing mental health crisis.

Objectives:

By the end of the course participants will have had opportunities to:

Take time to reflect and consider their own responses and wellbeing in a supportive environment
Connect with colleagues about the current mental health picture for the people they are supporting who may be experiencing distress and crisis
Consider the underlying causes of mental health distress, and how to respond to a range of distress helpfully
Learn the key principles of supporting a distressed person, explore the requirements for active listening listening, and how these responses translate to support offered remotely by telephone (with reference to text, email, webchat and video)

Maximum group size: 12

120.00 +VAT

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Upcoming dates

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Your trainer(s)

Sal Ball

Sal Ball is a mental health practitioner with approaching 30 years’ experience of developing and delivering mental health projects and support groups in the voluntary sector. She has built an expertise in training and developing good practice for volunteers, frontline staff and specialist mental health professionals in supporting individuals in distress, both remotely and in person.

Her areas of specific interest are around supporting those in emotionally demanding roles, including peer-led and grassroots projects, to gain resilience, confidence, and satisfaction from the challenging work they undertake. She has worked extensively in the fields of peer support, trauma, personality disorder, and self-harm.

She is currently developing these skills and interests further working as a Nature Connector and Forest Therapy Practitioner.

What people say

"Reassuring and confidence building. Nice to cover some key skills to use when dealing with a difficult phone call. Sal did a fantastic job, she is clearly very knowledgeable and has a great way of putting everyone at ease making the learning enjoyable. Thank you!"

Social Prescriber, January 2021

"Really enjoyed it. Course leader was excellent and brought a wealth of expertise and knowledge. Helpful concrete strategies. Made me feel positive about my role and what I can do to help. It felt relaxing, which is amazing given we were using Zoom! Thank you for a great morning."

Clinical Services Administrator, January 2021

"Interactions with other staff members in different job roles helped to gain a wider perspective. I found the course leader's teaching methods and approach fantastic. Great mixture of learning methods and resources."

Clinical Services Administrator, January 2021

"I loved how the course was structured and how engaging it was. I felt connected with the group of attendees. Small group was great, it felt comfortable to share our stories and perspectives."

Ward Administrator, December 2020

Training for teams

Do you have a whole team that would benefit from our training or would it be more practical for us to come to you? All of our courses can be adapted for your organisation or region and delivered online or in-person at a venue chosen by you.

Callers in crisis