Description:
This training aims to support AOD workers to engage and include families when supporting clients. Single Session Family Consultation (SSFC) offers timely, accessible support to all family members while retaining a strong therapeutic relationship. In keeping with single session thinking, it enables workers to make the most of each encounter with families.
**Please ensure you can commit to the package below before enrolling.
Training package:
- Pre-requisite: Participants must complete a self-paced learning before attending the online training session. You will have approximately 6 weeks prior to the online training session to complete this at your own time (generally takes about 3 hours).
- In-person training session: Thursday 2 October 2025, 9:30AM – 1:30PM @ The Bouverie Centre 8 Gardiner Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
- Optional online consultation: Thursday 30 October 2025 – Participants will have the opportunity to attend an optional 1.5 hours online consultation 4 weeks after the training. This would take the form of a facilitated group supervision to explore your experience in applying SSFC in your practice.
Learning outcomes:
On completion of SSFC, you will be able to:
- Understand the Single Session Thinking and Family Consultation frameworks that underpin SSFC
- Convene, conduct and undertake follow-up as part of SSFC
- Address challenging situations in sessions with families
- Identify how you can incorporate SSFC into your practice
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service including peer workers.
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships, workers from other sectors (i.e. homelessness, mental health) and workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend.
Email elevate@vaada.org.au at least 24 hours before the training to cancel you registration.
Description:
This training aims to support AOD workers to engage and include families when supporting clients. Single Session Family Consultation (SSFC) offers timely, accessible support to all family members while retaining a strong therapeutic relationship. In keeping with single session thinking, it enables workers to make the most of each encounter with families.
**Please ensure you can commit to the package below before enrolling.
Training package:
- Pre-requisite: Participants must complete a self-paced learning before attending the online training session. You will have approximately 6 weeks prior to the online training session to complete this at your own time (generally takes about 3 hours).
- Online training session: Wednesday 20 August 2025 @ 9:30AM – 1:30PM
- Optional online consultation: Wednesday 24 September 2025 @ 10:30AM – 12:00PM – Participants will have the opportunity to attend an optional online consultation 6 weeks after the training. This would take the form of a facilitated group supervision to explore your experience in applying SSFC in your practice.
Learning outcomes:
On completion of SSFC, you will be able to:
- Understand the Single Session Thinking and Family Consultation frameworks that underpin SSFC
- Convene, conduct and undertake follow-up as part of SSFC
- Address challenging situations in sessions with families
- Identify how you can incorporate SSFC into your practice
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service including peer workers.
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships, workers from other sectors (i.e. homelessness, mental health) and workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend.
Email elevate@vaada.org.au at least 24 hours before the training to cancel you registration.
Date: Thursday, 19th February 2026 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Location: Online
Description:
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is one of the key practice skills you need for effective alcohol and other drug treatment. This interactive workshop offers an engaging and practical introduction to CBT and makes CBT meaningful in day to day practice. Improve your understanding of CBT theory and practice, learn a comprehensive CBT framework, and develop skills in tailoring strategies and treatment for different client presentations.
Key learning outcomes:
- Gain core knowledge and clinical skills in different types of behavioural and cognitive therapies
- Understand the CBT approach to assessment, formulation, brief interventions and treatment planning
- Apply knowledge and practice of key alcohol and other drug specific CBT interventions
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed under the AOD Traineeship Program.
Who is not eligible?
Anyone not employed under the AOD Traineeship Program, workers from other community sectors such as family violence, homelessness, mental health, non-supervisors and AOD workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
Date: Wednesday, 6th May 2026, 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Location: In-person, Melbourne
Cost: $80 + booking fee
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Description
This is a full day workshop with Jen Thompson, a psychotherapist and trainer passionate about creating welcoming, hopeful, and trauma informed service systems.
Trauma Responsive Practice is foundational training for AOD and Mental Health workers that builds on the Introduction to Trauma Informed Care e-learning.
This workshop will explore the following concepts and will bring them to life with experiential exercises and discussion:
- Creating safety and the felt experience of safety
- Understanding trauma in the context of substance use
- Bringing body awareness into our work
- Understanding trauma informed care principles and applying to our work
- Understanding Polyvagal Theory
- The Zone of fabulousness
- Collective Care and Solidarity Teams
Eligibility Criteria
This training is open to workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) and Mental Health service including peer workers.
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships and AOD/MH workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Date: Tuesday, 10th March 2026, 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Location: Online
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Description
This is a full day workshop with Jen Thompson, a psychotherapist and trainer passionate about creating welcoming, hopeful, and trauma informed service systems.
Trauma Responsive Practice is foundational training for AOD and Mental Health workers that builds on the Introduction to Trauma Informed Care e-learning.
This workshop will explore the following concepts and will bring them to life with experiential exercises and discussion:
- Creating safety and the felt experience of safety
- Understanding trauma in the context of substance use
- Bringing body awareness into our work
- Understanding trauma informed care principles and applying to our work
- Understanding Polyvagal Theory
- The Zone of fabulousness
- Collective Care and Solidarity Teams
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) and Mental Health service including peer workers.
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships and AOD workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Date: Wednesday, 12th November 2025, 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Location: Online
Description
This is a full day workshop with Jen Thompson, a psychotherapist and trainer passionate about creating welcoming, hopeful, and trauma informed service systems.
Trauma Responsive Practice is foundational training for AOD and Mental Health workers that builds on the Introduction to Trauma Informed Care e-learning.
This workshop will explore the following concepts and will bring them to life with experiential exercises and discussion:
- Creating safety and the felt experience of safety
- Understanding trauma in the context of substance use
- Bringing body awareness into our work
- Understanding trauma informed care principles and applying to our work
- Understanding Polyvagal Theory
- The Zone of fabulousness
- Collective Care and Solidarity Teams
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) and Mental Health service including peer workers.
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships and AOD/MH workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.
Date: Thursday, 9th October 2025, 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Location: Online
Description
This is a full day workshop with Jen Thompson, a psychotherapist and trainer passionate about creating welcoming, hopeful, and trauma informed service systems.
Trauma Responsive Practice is foundational training for AOD and Mental Health workers that builds on the Introduction to Trauma Informed Care e-learning.
This workshop will explore the following concepts and will bring them to life with experiential exercises and discussion:
- Creating safety and the felt experience of safety
- Understanding trauma in the context of substance use
- Bringing body awareness into our work
- Understanding trauma informed care principles and applying to our work
- Understanding Polyvagal Theory
- The Zone of fabulousness
- Collective Care and Solidarity Teams
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed under the AOD Traineeship initiative.
Who is not eligible?
Those who are not employed under the AOD Traineeship initiative, workers from other community service sectors and AOD workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
Date: Tuesday, 2nd September2025, 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Location: Catholic Leadership Centre, 576 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, VIC 3002
Cost: $40 + booking fee
Description
This is a full day workshop with Jen Thompson, a psychotherapist and trainer passionate about creating welcoming, hopeful, and trauma informed service systems.
Trauma Responsive Practice is foundational training for AOD and Mental Health workers that builds on the Introduction to Trauma Informed Care e-learning.
This workshop will explore the following concepts and will bring them to life with experiential exercises and discussion:
- Creating safety and the felt experience of safety
- Understanding trauma in the context of substance use
- Bringing body awareness into our work
- Understanding trauma informed care principles and applying to our work
- Understanding Polyvagal Theory
- The Zone of fabulousness
- Collective Care and Solidarity Teams
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) and Mental Health service including peer workers.
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships and AOD/MH workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
Date: Wednesday, 16th July 2025, 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Location: Online
Description
This is a full day workshop with Jen Thompson, a psychotherapist and trainer passionate about creating welcoming, hopeful, and trauma informed service systems.
Trauma Responsive Practice is foundational training for AOD and Mental Health workers that builds on the Introduction to Trauma Informed Care e-learning.
This workshop will explore the following concepts and will bring them to life with experiential exercises and discussion:
- Creating safety and the felt experience of safety
- Understanding trauma in the context of substance use
- Bringing body awareness into our work
- Understanding trauma informed care principles and applying to our work
- Understanding Polyvagal Theory
- The Zone of fabulousness
- Collective Care and Solidarity Teams
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) and Mental Health service including peer workers.
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships and AOD workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist.
No shows will be charged a $50 cancellation fee.
*This is a paid event*
2-day workshop:
Day 1: Wednesday, 27th August 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Day 2: Thursday, 28th August 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Location: Catholic Leadership Centre – 576 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne VIC 3002 (read more about travel contribution)
Cost: $80 + booking fee
CLICK HERE TO BOOK
Description:
Co-occurring mental health issues are the norm rather than the exception among people seeking alcohol and other drug treatment. Across this 2-day workshop you will learn how to adapt and expand your existing alcohol and other drug treatment skills to assist your clients with managing mental health symptoms.
Deepen your understanding of co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues and build your knowledge, confidence and skills to better understand clients’ needs, respond effectively, and adapt treatment. Find out what you need to know about the different co-occurring conditions you may encounter and how to effectively incorporate best practice responses into your treatment.
Learning outcomes
- Recognise and understand the common mental health conditions in alcohol and other drug treatment
- Undertake a thorough assessment and develop an integrated case formulation to guide your practice
- Apply a range of alcohol and other drug treatment skills to working with clients with co-occurring mental health conditions
- Learn how to respond therapeutically and effectively within the bounds of the alcohol and other drug treatment setting
Eligibility Criteria
This training has been funded for workers employed in a Victorian State-funded Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) service, including Peer and LLE workers.
Who is not eligible?
Students on placement or internships, workers from other community sectors such as family violence, homelessness, mental health, and AOD workers outside of Victoria.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have clearance from your line manager to attend. If you cannot attend, cancel your registration and make your spot available to someone else on the waitlist. Refunds available only up to 1 day before event.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK
