Connected Self have developed the Respond Rather Than React workshop series that is delivered by Connected Self psychologists. This workshop series has been developed by Ivan Raymond for individuals and/or organisations who work with children, young people and adults who present with challenging needs and at-risk behaviours.

The workshop series includes:

• Respond Rather Than React: Understanding and working with children and young people with complex needs and behaviours.
• Respond Rather Than React: Teaching children and young people with complex needs and behaviours.
• Respond Rather Than React: Managing bullying within schools.
• Respond Rather Than React: Working with children and young people with backgrounds of trauma and abuse.
• Respond Rather Than React: Working with children and young people within the care system.
• Respond Rather Than React: Working with young women with complex needs.
• Respond Rather Than React: Working with angry and aggressive clients (Organisational violence) - for more information click here

Features of Respond Rather Than React Workshop Series


Connected Self have pioneered the Respond Rather Than React workshop series. This set of workshops have been delivered with overwhelming positive feedback throughout South Australia and the Northern Territory. This unique workshop series uses best practice information and experiential exercises to support both individuals and agencies:

• Understand the underlying needs of clients presenting with complex needs
• Respond to these needs as opposed reacting to the overt behaviours
• Manage their own emotions and reactions within challenging situations
• Apply mindfulness and grounding skills to manage complex situations and clients.
• Skills required to respond to and manage aggressive tendencies in both themselves and others

The underlying aim of these workshops is to integrate theory into practice. The facilitators have significant practical experience in their chosen areas and they bring together a large number real-life case examples to extend the learning objectives. In short, we aim to answer the following question for the trainee:



"what does this theory or knowledge mean for me as an adult who has to work on the frontline with children, young people and/or adults with complex needs"



The design and delivery of our training packages is based upon the following:

• Our training is tailored to the specific needs of our clients.
• We aim to make training fun - laughing promotes deeper learning.
• We integrate experiential exercises and metaphors into the training to assist in the application of the training -for more information on experiential learning click here.
• Our training is based upon a scaffolding learning approach.
• Our training includes detailed handouts.
• We evaluate all of our training and make this available to the sponsor organisation.
• Attendance certificates are provided to all trainees.

Testimonials


This is a selection of participant feedback from a two-day workshop delivered to teachers, residential care workers, Principals, social workers and school counsellors in Darwin.

• "This was an excellent presentation - very educative"
• "Everything was a highlight"
• "Great workshop, I've really enjoyed it and got alot out of it"
• "The whole course was excellent and made me think about making new goat tracks in the way I respond rather than react"
• "I really enjoyed this 2 day course/presentation and will use many of the examples discussed. Ivan is a very good presenter."
• "Often we get the same information, strategies etc in PD training that we've had before. This time we learned new things, new strategies and how they directly relate to a child's psychology. It got us thinking and talking, very good indeed"
• “Two days of diamonds. Thanks Ivan”
• “I had a fun time learning”
• “Many highlights. The idea of "finding the diamonds" forced me to reflect on what was said and take the conept on board".”