When the accidental counsellor is you

Your best friend’s teenage child trusts you and reaches out saying ‘I need help’. You’re concerned about someone you know and want to check that they are OK. What do you do? What’s the best approach? How can you feel confident when you need to provide this type of support?

“Conversations about mental health or personal issues can feel challenging but a listening, non-judgemental person can bring about positive change,” says David Thomas, CEO of Lifeline Northern Beaches. “Understanding that you can provide support while being equipped with knowledge of services to suggest to someone for ongoing help is essential when you’re involved in this sort of conversation.”

Lifeline is Australia’s leading crisis support service and is available anytime by calling 13 11 14

Lifeline has supported help-seekers for more than 50 years and has developed training workshops to equip participants to recognise when someone may need support, respond appropriately and empathetically, and how to refer to professional services and support.

“Our training workshops are designed to impart the skills and knowledge to feel confident in providing initial support,” says Katie Biggs, Training Manager at Lifeline Northern Beaches. “These skills can be used at work or in your personal life to improve listening and communication.”

The ‘Accidental Counsellor’ workshops are based on the training delivered to Lifeline’s Crisis Supporters, while also explaining the limitations of what you can do and appropriate boundaries for self-care.

The training offered by Lifeline Northern Beaches provides practical skills enabling you to step into the shoes of an accidental counsellor and respond to and support others when they are distressed or experiencing a personally challenging time.

“It’s important to understand that you can give appropriate support in the moment and there are many options for further assistance,” says Mr Thomas. “A great starting point is learning to use the three R’s model: recognise signs of distress, respond confidently, appropriately and empathetically, and know where to refer for professional help.”

Lifeline Northern Beaches runs monthly four-hour ‘Accidental Counsellor’ workshops to provide foundational skills for when you need to give emotional support as well as providing an opportunity to improve your knowledge. 

The workshop learning outcomes are focused on:
– improving communication and skills for active listening
– identifying signs when a person may need emotional support
– developing confidence to respond to someone experiencing emotional distress
– developing confidence to ask and respond to someone who is feeling suicidal 
– knowing what professional support is available, and how to help others access it, and 
– tips and tools for self-care.