Solution-Focused Practice for Mental Health crises– Skills to promote Safety & Hope (3 day course)

Dates :

Day One: Wednesday 7 October

Day Two: Wednesday 4 November

Day Three: Wednesday 2 December

Times: 09.30am – 4.30pm each day

Aims:  This Edge event over three days, which builds capability in Solution Focused Practice (SFP), is designed with a range of professionals (including mental health nurses, occupational therapists, social workers and psychiatrists) in mind.

Following the critically acclaimed book edited by Nick in 2025 (Solution Focused Practice and Mental Health Crisis: Inclusive Support), and with the research base growing for the usefulness of SFP in environments of mental health crisis (SASH and ASSURED), this course will enable participants to learn experientially: to understand the core assumptions of the approach as well as the key techniques that sustain Solution Focused conversations.

Taking a ‘not-knowing’ stance with people in need of crisis support, this approach provides ally-ship to anti-racist practice and can be applied to workplace scenarios in trauma-conscious ways.

The training will enable participants to optimise their ability to build fast rapport, amplify strengths, support self-advocacy and consolidate recovery for the people they work with day to day.

Learning outcomes: By the end of the course participants will have:

• Developed their understanding of the origin and core assumptions of SFP

• Developed capability to build Solution Focused questions

• Applied the learning to workplace settings

• Received consultation on the workplace practice that they have undertaken.

Day 1

Programme

09.30 – 10.15 Introduction to the course, practical arrangements, best hopes, pre-reading.

10.15  - 11.00 Session 1: Introducing ourselves and experiencing Solution Focused questions (in relation to personal performance and work role) – work in pairs; feedback to wider group.

11.00 – 11.15 Break

11.15  - 12.30 Session 2: Twin-tracking any professional duties alongside a therapeutic opportunity – practicing how to start (particularly with mandated clients); live demonstration; small group work. Establishing best hopes for the talking – learning how to make a loose contract; agreeing a direction of travel for the client work – video of live practice as well as small group work.

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch

1.30  – 2.45 Session 3:Visualising a preferred future – using the tomorrow question and understanding the importance of detail – video; live demonstration; small group work/plenary.

2.45 – 3.00 Break

3.00 – 4.00 Session 4: Scaling questions and other person perspectives – live demonstration; small group practice; video.

Homework – Read two short articles; attempt to use some of the skills at work; make notes about the experience; be prepared to discuss on Day 2.

Day 2

Programme

09.30 – 10.15 Introduction to the course, practical arrangements, best hopes, pre-reading.

10.15  - 11.00 Session 1: Recapping the learning – starting to discuss to work-based scenarios – plenary; small group work. Questions that elicit strengths, resources and competences (rather than deficits) – practicing strategy and identity questions – small groups; video.

11.00 – 11.15 Break

11.15  - 12.30 Session 2: Allyship and anti-discriminatory practice – trauma-conscious; anti-oppressive; working with clients and colleagues – plenary; core assumptions; case studies.

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch

1.30  – 2.45 Session 3: Building questions and using lists – listening with a constructive ear – small group work; video.

2.45 – 3.00 Break                                 

3.00 – 4.00 Session 4: Recapping the learning – applying learning to work-based scenarios in plenary and small groups.

Homework – Read two short articles; more attempts to use some of the skills at work; make notes about the experience; be prepared to discuss on Day 3.

Day 3

Programme

09.30 – 10.15 Introduction to the day, practical arrangements, best hopes, pre-reading.

10.15  - 11.00 Session 1: Trouble-shooting workplace scenarios – exploring experiences from practice – small group work and plenary.

11.00 – 11.15 Break

11.15  - 12.30 Session 2: Full conversation trial – pairs – use of best hopes; tomorrow question; scales; lists.

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch

1.30  – 2.45 Session 3: More role play; more video – adapting to the learning needs of the participants.

2.45 – 3.00 Break

3.00 – 4.00 Session 4: Ongoing support for SFP in your workplace – discussing future support needs.

4.00– 4.30 Final questions, evaluations and close.

The course will be delivered by Nick Perry

Nick has been a registered social worker since 2002 and has practiced continuously as an Approved Social Worker then Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) since 2007.  He has extensive experience as a practice educator and supervisor.  The mainstay of his social work experience has been in environments of mental health crisis.  Nick is a visiting lecturer on the Brighton University AMHP training programme.  He undertook his SFP learning with BRIEF and is accredited by the UK Association for Solution Focused Practice (UKASFP).

BOOKING INFORMATION:

All Event bookings must be made online with payment made in full by credit/debit card.  We do not send invoices/use purchase order numbers for Event bookings for NHS delegates  (this policy does not affect our commissioned bookings)

Course access details will be emailed direct to delegate(s) upon completion of your booking.  

Includes all course materials and a certificate. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to email events@edgetraining.org.uk  or call 07341 277487.