Training

I started training people in 1993 when I volunteered to run bike maintenance classes for cyclists in Wandsworth!

I now write and deliver training to counsellors and other support staff in a variety of organisations on how to work with anger and conflict; anxiety; bereavement; depression; internal conflicts and trauma.

Since 1999 I’ve developed a specialism in families affected by someone else’s drug and alcohol use.  I’ve written and deliver training in: how to understand family dynamics; how to support the families of drug and alcohol users; how families can support a drug or alcohol user; setting and keeping boundaries; coping with conflict; understanding drug use; substance-related bereavement; and families' influence on drug treatment.  In addition I've written and delivered training on specialised areas in this field, such as on 'carers' issues; engaging and supporting grandparents bringing up the children of drug/alcohol users; training for the Government's FIP Key Workers; working with men affected by someone else's substance use; and ensuring equality and diversity in the workplace through sensitive and inclusive practice.  Lastly, I've written a comprehensive training course to equip family supprt workers with the knowledge and skills required to support people affected by someone else's substance use.  I've delivered this course in London, Newcastle and Bristol.

Like all my training, these are experiential training days, with a high degree of participant involvement that develops their knowledge, skills and attitudes.  Each has a clear aim and set of measurable learning outcomes.  There is a professionals' version designed to develop their ability to support family members, as well as a families' version designed to help them cope with some else’s substance use and associated behaviour.  All have been mapped to DANOS.

They are consistently evaluated very highly by participants.  Demand seems to be growing: from 11 training events in 2004, to 54 in 2009.

I do most of this work for Adfam, the leading organisation in Britain working for families affected by drugs and alcohol.  People I have trained include:

• Adfam staff and volunteers
• Agencies specialising in the support of families, such as CASA, SPODA, RODA, Snowdrops, PACT, etc.
• Drug and alcohol treatment agencies, including Addaction, Turning Point and Addiction Recovery Agency
• Drug and Alcohol Action Teams in Greenwich, Newcastle and Manchester
• The Department for Children, Families and Schools
• Local authority professionals
• Prison based staff and Crimininal Justice based drug workers across Britain.

I am an Affiliated Member of the Institute for Learning.