Development and application of emotion regulation skills with distressed clients or colleagues

Professions that interface with people and situations where there are high levels of stress will necessitate at times, responding to patients or colleagues in emotionally dysregulated states.  The skill set to navigate heightened emotional reactions, while simultaneously managing your own response, is key to keeping you and your patient or colleague safe.

It is common to approach interactions with others from an ‘outside-in’ perspective. ‘What is the other person doing, how do I feel and how should I respond?’ In part one of this training, we approach from an ‘inside-out’ perspective; ‘How are my internal responses influencing my interaction with this person, and how can I respond effectively?’

In part two, you will learn strategies to assist a patient or colleague to soothe and calm themselves (co-regulation skills), what will help, and well-intentioned responses that may inadvertently escalate distress.

An ‘inside-out’ approach does not make you responsible for how another person behaves. Rather, it empowers you to respond in ways that builds skills and confidence to respond in a trauma informed way, with sensitivity, calmly and with the ability to navigate difficult conversations, setting clear and safe boundaries. A further benefit is these skills can be effectively applied in personal relationships!