‘Accidental counsellor’ Mindful Margaret River training workshop coming these school holidays

Not-for-profit group Mindful Margaret River is hosting an accredited workshop for residents next month to help guide difficult conversations at home, school and in the workplace.

The “accidental counsellor” program was facilitated by Relationships Australia as an early intervention initiative for anyone who finds themselves providing support to others and may feel a bit out of their depth, MMR chief executive Erin Statz said.

The program will run during the July school holidays to upskill and empower residents when professional services were not available.

“Our mission is to foster a resilient and connected community by building social capital around mental health,” Ms Statz said.

“We believe that strong social networks, trust, and collaboration are essential for wellbeing.”

The workshop was designed to help people navigate difficult conversations “when times get tough,” Ms Statz said.

“Many of us are not trained counsellors and can often feel out of our depth when people open up and ask advice,” she said.

“At some stage, we are all accidental counsellors, and this course is designed to help us feel confident when supporting others without feeling like we need to fix or solve it for others.

“Often, we go away from these conversations feeling worried and wondering if we did or said the right things.”

The training is aimed at parents, anyone involved in sporting or community groups, or professionals in the workplace.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 3, from 9.15 am to 1.30pm at the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River offices, and costs $10 with further discounts available.

The training, for anyone aged 15 or older, normally cost $120 per person, but was provided by MMR at a low rate to help residents develop practical skills.

To book, visit events.humanitix.com/accidental-counsellor-ewfr7nye.