Managing Conflict & Aggression with Clients

Managing Conflict & Aggression with Clients

Key issues addressed by this course:

• Identify key factors that contribute to conflictual situations and the practical implications of how to respond to them
• The signs and effects of different substances on aggressive behaviour - including those you would not expect
• Learn how to use "territory" and the environment you're seeing the person in to your advantage
• Develop de-escalation skills with clients
• Use the facilitation-assertion balance to successfully defuse difficult situations with clients
• Learn what are TRUE predictors of risk and explode common myths
• Explore the relationship between clients' mental health problems and how to handle conflict with them

How would you deal with the following?

• A client is swearing in every sentence they use with you. Do you challenge it or not ?
• A client has been pacing around the room complaining about the bad service you offer. You are sitting down. They suddenly stand over you. What are your options ?
• You have a choice of seeing a difficult client in your home or at your place of work. What are the pros and cons of each option ? This course will help you to deal with these and many other similar cases.

Course Outline:

09.30 Registration
09.45 Common conflict situations
(Small group exercise and discussion)
10.45 Preparatory issues - conflict prevention (1)
(Presentation, demonstration & discussion)
-non-verbal personal behaviour and cuing
11.00 Refreshments
11.15 Preparatory issues - conflict prevention (2)
- the assertion/facilitation balance
(Presentation, practice & discussion)
11.45 Identification of cues of possible escalating conflict
- Situational, verbal and non-verbal
(Presentation, demonstration & discussion)
12.30 Lunch Break
13.30 De-escalation strategies
(Presentation, demonstration, practice & discussion)
- The importance of the control of pacing
- Key verbal and non-verbal techniques
15.00 Refreshments
15.15 "If things start getting physical..."
Non-physical methods of responding
(Demonstration, practice & discussion)
15.45 Understanding and addressing mental health issues within conflict situations
(Presentation & discussion)
16.15 Plenary
(Q & A)
16.30 Finish