Adventure Facilitation/Community building: At the outset of the course, participants engage in a series of adventure initiatives designed to create the container and establish the emotional safety necessary for participants to engage fully with each other and prepare to enter into an experience that will foster both professional and personal, growth. In addition, the facilitation process is explored through the experiential learning model and exposure to seven generations of “giftwrapping.” Course material is introduced and both individual, and group goals, are established.

Stages of Change: Participants are introduced to the Stages of Change Model, with the emphasis being on identifying where individual clients they may work with fall on the continuum. This is followed by an applied discussion on how to engage with clients differently at each stage, including specific suggestions for intervention strategies, to support them in moving through the stages towards increased readiness to change.

Goals of Misbehavior: Based on the seminal work of Rudolph and Dreikers, the goals of client misbehavior are explored to determine the underlying needs that the client is trying to meet. Particular emphasis is placed on the staff member’s internal process and how this information can be utilized to help staff better understand clients and intervene more effectively.

Motivational Interviewing Substance Abuse & Addiction: Motivational Interviewing builds on the stages of change model, introducing a relational philosophy that is based on “rolling with resistance” and the assumption that some level of resistance is a natural and perhaps even healthy part of any change process.

Drawing from content introduced on day one, an additional set of applied techniques are demonstrated and taught that staff can directly apply in their work in supporting clients in finding their own motivation for change. A scenario follows where staff work with these different techniques.

Intentional Use of Self: An underlying premise of the training is that most issues are caused by impairment in primary relationships and therefore, the relationship is the most critical aspect for healing. Participants explore how to leverage themselves more effectively in the therapeutic process and more intentionally build relationship.

Resilience:  The critical role of resilience to mental health will be explored through various models and tools to promote self-regulation. These skills can be applied for self-care and in working with students/clients to foster resilience and overall stability in emotions and behaviors. Drawing from the neurobiology of trauma and nervous system resilience, staff are taught the hand model of the brain and how moving into “fight-flight-freeze” takes someone out of their “Resilient Zone” and into a place of heightened reactivity that can be disruptive for a group and also for an individual’s treatment process.

Group Dynamics & Facilitation: A theoretical overview of group dynamics and different types of group facilitation is presented. Afterwards, an extended scenario of a daily group is conducted, with each participant having the opportunity to to co-lead the group.

De-escalation: Building upon the foundational principal of the CFR, de-escalation is explored through a relationship lens. Focusing on emotional thresholds and the process of escalation, a crisis model is applied to guide interventions. Tools are introduced to leverage the relationship including mirroring and matching, “rescue” techniques and grounding and centering.

Vicarious Traumatization: The concept of vicarious trauma is introduced and participants are given the opportunity to explore how VT has impacted them. Coping strategies are discussed and participants complete a Self Care Plan.