The Brief Encounters® training is the essential foundation to other training provided by One Plus One. The longer course has been independently evaluated and is also accredited through the Royal College of Nursing.

At the end of this training course participants should be able to:

• Draw on a working knowledge of relationships, i.e. the stages and changes through which they develop, common problems and a basic understanding of how couples and parents interact
• Recognise many of the ways in which couple and parental problems appear and be more able to make an early intervention.
• Use an effective approach for working with parents called Brief Encounters® using good listening skills and a simple counselling model.
• Respond more confidently and competently to support parents who have relationship difficulties whether married, cohabiting, as step-parents or parenting alone

A number of training options exist:

+ Three day course (click to expand)

The three day course is the most comprehensive training option as it gives professionals a deeper understanding of the importance of relationships, empowering them with the confidence to offer support as it is needed. The course is led by two experienced trainers with the first module run on the first day, and the second and third modules run a week later over two consecutive days. During the three day course, the trainers provide plenty of opportunities for skills practice as well as evidence-based information on relationships. Participants leave the course knowing the theory behind the brief intervention model as well as having the confidence to use it in a work setting. When a group of colleagues train together, the course is also a profitable team-building exercise.

+ Book training

+ One day workshop (click to expand)

This one day workshop is an introduction to using the Brief Encounters® framework and skills, supported by evidence based materials. This is particularly useful for groups with a diverse knowledge and skills base, where information about couple and parental relationship will add value to their work.

+ Book training

+ DVD/Video Resource (click to expand)

The one day workshop is designed for professionals who would like an overview of the principles of the Brief Encounters® model without the in-depth skills practice. The DVD/video resource introduces the skills, guidelines and boundaries of Brief Encounters® and comes with a facilitator’s guide and participant’s workbook. The workshop can be run by an in-house facilitator as a half day training. Individual workbooks for participants will need to be purchased separately before training.

+ Buy resource + Book optional training

+ Become a Trainer for Brief Encounters (click to expand)

If you are an experienced freelance or in-house trainer for family practitioners working within a local authority, Children’s or NHS Trust, or for or other frontline professionals that would benefit from the three day Brief Encounters® training, you may like to apply to become a B/E Trainer. You may be in a position to cascade the training to other trainers and provide ongoing support to practitioners. We run periodic training for Trainers and if you are interested, please send us your CV.

+ Apply to be a trainer

For Brief Encounters® training in Ireland, please contact Maeve Hurley or Kathy Jones.

An independent evaluation conducted by the University of Greenwich in 1998 showed that “the Brief Encounters® training has been a remarkable success”. Six months after training:

• 94% of practitioners trained were using the model, with over half using it daily or weekly
• 91% were more able to manage their involvement in their clients’ problems
• 88% learned to manage their time more effectively.

The full report can be downloaded here (pdf, 3.2MB).