Vicarious Trauma and Wellbeing Workshop

Reflective Frontline Working is a one-day workshop supports the mental health, wellbeing and resilience of frontline workers.

The course has a practical, down-to-earth and solution focused approach, equipping participants with skills to manage vicarious trauma. Participants develop reflective practice skills and go away with an individually tailored wellbeing tool kit to improve and sustain wellbeing working on the frontline. Improved staff wellbeing also enables a higher quality of support to be offered to service users, a reduction in burnout and sick leave, and happier individuals and teams.

This course will support participants to:

• Better understand the impact of frontline working on the nervous system.

• Apply this understanding to better manage difficult emotions, i.e., stress, anxiety, low mood and depression.

• Develop reflective practice techniques and tools for managing vicarious trauma.

• Recognise internal and external resources available, and utilise these.  

• Identify barriers to implementing change and find creative solutions to overcome these obstacles. 

The workshop is delivered through engaging, creative teaching, reflective group exercises and discussion, with space for self-reflection and application. 

The workshops are offered to groups of 12, offering in depth application of ideas for each participant. The smaller nature of each group enables solutions to emerge from participants own experiences of the frontline, enabling them to apply the content to their own unique experiences, needs and personalities. 

I have delivered this training workshop to a wide range of charities and organisations across Sussex, including Brighton Voices in Exile, Citizens Advice Brighton and Hove, Brighton YMCA, Amaze and Justlife.

Please see below testimonials from participants and organisations…

“At BHT Training, Abby is a much-valued member of our freelance trainer team and delivers the Vicarious Trauma & Wellbeing course with compassion, professionalism, and expertise. Abby consistently creates a safe, welcoming, and supportive space where participants feel respected, validated, and empowered. Her training provides meaningful insight into the effects of vicarious trauma while also offering practical and accessible tools for self-care and nervous system regulation. We’re grateful to have Abby on the team!”- BHT Training

“We have collaborated with Abby twice to bring her workshop to frontline practitioners working across the homelessness and wider support sector, in Brighton & Hove and Sussex. This workshop creates a much needed space for workers to learn about and reflect on the impact of vicarious trauma...gaining helpful tools and practices to take away and use in their day-to-day lives. Her extensive frontline experience in homelessness work as well as being a fully qualified therapist gives a real depth to the content of the workshop whilst also ensuring a safe space where participants feel comfortable to share, be vulnerable and learn from one another. The workshop is very accessible, creatively delivered and very well received by those who participate.”- The Practice Network

“Abby’s empathy…understanding, knowledge and skill enables her to create a supportive space that encourages…personal exploration, capacity and resilience building. I would highly recommend any organisation in this field commissioning training for their workers with Abby. So much training is on how to engage clients. This is a space just for workers to understand the impact of vicarious trauma and…ways they can develop tools for self-care. This should be core training for all hostel and supported housing workers!”- Brighton YMCA

About Abby

Abby worked as a frontline worker in homelessness and drug and alcohol services for 7 years and has since trained as a psychotherapeutic counsellor. She is passionate about combining her experience and training to support the mental health and wellbeing of frontline workers. Abby completed her post-graduate diploma in psychotherapeutic counselling at the University of Brighton and is a registered member of the BACP.

Booking a day workshop for your staff team

If you would like to book the workshop for your staff team or want more details about the workshop, please get in touch by email at abbyperrinscounselling@gmail.com. The cost of booking a day workshop in Sussex is £680 (excluding venue). I am based in Sussex, but am able to bring the workshop further afield with an additional fee depending on location. I am always keen to understand an organisation or individual’s specific needs and desired outcomes from a training, so please feel free to include this when you message. If you would like to book an individual space on a workshop, you can do this through Brighton Housing Trust’s training programme.