Skip to main content
Not Found
Digital Seminar

RUNNING GROUPS IN FORENSIC SETTINGS: A Deep Dive


Faculty:
Dr Luke Hockey, MAPS, FCFP
Duration:
One full day
Format:
Audio and Video
Copyright:
Sep 13, 2022
Product Code:
AUD022185
Media Type:
Digital Seminar
Access:
Never expires.

Other great resources - exclusive savings when you add now!

Description

Delivering group treatment programs in forensic settings can bring incredible growth for both participants and clinicians, however comes with a unique set of challenges that are not often acknowledged. We will discuss a broad overview of group therapy foundations (including Yalom’s Therapeutic Factors and Gestalt Group Therapy) and how these can be viewed and utilised in the forensic setting. The role of the group therapist in a forensic context will then be explored in detail, including how to balance your obligations to the participant, the corrections system and the community. 

Then, from a practical perspective, Luke will focus on: (a) the co-facilitator relationship in detail, including how to give and receive feedback while managing defensiveness, (b) dealing with entrenched cognitive distortions in a group context, (c) managing personality disorder dynamics in the group room, and (d) how to balance trauma informed care when group participants are both perpetrators and victims.

The day will finish with learning specific group therapy treatment techniques that Luke has developed and delivered successfully across a number of forensic group treatment programs. These techniques have been adapted from many therapeutic approaches including Motivational Interviewing, Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Mentalisation-Based Treatment. Workshop participants will come away with a variety of skills and techniques to enhance the therapeutic goals and outcomes. Participants are encouraged to come with questions regarding their own group treatment clients.

CPD


CPD

PESI Australia, in collaboration with PESI in the USA, offers quality online continuing professional development events from the leaders in the field at a standard recognized by professional associations including psychology, social work, occupational therapy, alcohol and drug professionals, counselling and psychotherapy. On completion of the training, a Professional Development Certificate is issued after the individual has answered and submitted a quiz and course evaluation. This program is worth 5.45 hours CPD for points calculation by your association.



Handouts

Faculty

Dr Luke Hockey, MAPS, FCFP's Profile

Dr Luke Hockey, MAPS, FCFP Related seminars and products

Receptive Psychology


Dr. Luke Hockey is an endorsed forensic psychologist with over 10 years’ experience working with individuals with personality disorders. He has worked in private practice, public and private prisons, hospitals and for not-for-profit community organisations. Luke has delivered lectures and training workshops for Deakin University, ISN Psychology College, the APS College of Forensic Psychologists, and government departments. He is passionate about working with challenging clients and providing avenues for change, as well as assisting other clinicians to develop their skills in this area. Luke currently works in private practice, treating a variety of clients, writing psycho-legal assessment reports for court and providing supervision to other mental health professionals.


Objectives

Learning objectives of this training:

  1. Apply traditional group therapy theories to the forensic population
  2. Broaden and deepen your understanding of how to manage the challenges of running forensic group therapy programs
  3. Explore your own awareness of the co-facilitator relationship and learn how to manage associated difficulties
  4. Learn practical treatment skills that you can use when running forensic groups.   

How will participants benefit from attending this presentation?

  1. You will have a greater understanding of the importance of the co-facilitator relationship and how to manage it
  2. You will learn techniques to manage the difficult presentations that occur in a forensic group including entrenched cognitive distortions and personality disorders
  3. You will have a range of applicable skills to enhance your work as a group facilitator in the forensic system

“This training will focus on the unique challenges that come with running group treatment programs in a forensic context, and explore the co-facilitator dynamic, trauma informed care with perpetrators who are also victims, and provide practical skills to use in forensic groups” - Luke Hockey

Outline

Morning Session (3 hours with a morning tea break)

  • Introduction to group therapy theories including Yalom’s therapeutic factors and Gestalt group therapy
  • How these group therapy theories can be viewed and utilised in the forensic context
  • Discussion of the role of a group therapist in the forensic context, including how to balance your obligations to the participant, the corrections system and the community. 

Afternoon Session (3 hours with a afternoon tea break)

  • Exploration of the co-facilitator relationship, including how to give and receive feedback and how to manage defensiveness in the relationship
  • How to work with entrenched cognitive distortions and antisocial attitudes in a group context, including personality disorder dynamics
  • Balancing trauma informed care when the group participants are both perpetrators and victims
  • Learning of group therapy techniques and skills that have been developed specifically for the forensic population.

Target Audience

This training has been designed for anyone working within the criminal justice system running psychoeducational and/or therapeutic group treatment programs. Having a basic knowledge of foundational therapeutic approaches (e.g. CBT, Motivational Interviewing) is recommended. .

This could include psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses, occupational therapists or counsellors.

Please wait ...

Back to Top