Working in private practice means there's no team to call on when risk is present in the room. No duty manager, no colleague down the corridor, no debrief at the end of the day.
This course has been built specifically for that reality — helping you move from uncertainty to informed, ethical confidence when a client discloses suicidal ideation or risk is present in your sessions.
This is not a tick-box course. It is a reflective, honest, person-centred approach to one of the most significant areas of private practice.
WHO IS THIS FOR
This course is suitable for you if you are:
— A counsellor or psychotherapist working in private practice
— Newly qualified and preparing to work independently
— Experienced but looking to consolidate or refresh your approach to risk
— A trainee approaching the end of your training
— Working in an employed setting and wanting to strengthen your risk practice
You do not need to have worked with risk extensively. If this is an area you have been avoiding or feeling underprepared for — this course is exactly for you.
What you will learn
By the end of this course you will feel more confident to:
— Understand risk as a dynamic, contextual process rather than a fixed clinical state
— Recognise verbal and behavioural warning signs in session
— Ask directly about suicidal ideation — and know why this matters
— Assess risk as an ongoing process using appropriate frameworks and tools
— Develop collaborative safety plans with clients
— Respond proportionately across low, medium and high risk presentations
— Document your clinical reasoning in a way that protects you and your client
— Look after yourself when working with emotionally demanding material
— Know your referral pathways, ethical responsibilities and professional obligations
Whats included ?
10 self-paced video sections with full transcripts
Each section covers a distinct area of risk work, from understanding what risk is through to therapist wellbeing and case vignettes. Work through at your own pace and return to individual sections whenever a client presentation brings something into focus.
Pause for reflection prompts
At the end of every section a reflection prompt invites you to connect the learning to your actual practice. These are not assessments — they are an invitation to think.
9 downloadable resources including:
— Collaborative Safety Plan template
— Risk Factors Reference Card
— Self-Soothing and Grounding Tools
— Post-Session Reflection Template
— Documentation Checklist
— Supervision Agenda Template
— Voicemail and Email Templates for private practitioners
— Ethical Frameworks and Key Resources guide
End of Course Quiz reference document
20-question end of course quiz
Designed to assess understanding and application rather than memory. Pass mark 75%. Unlimited retakes.
Certificate of completion
Issued automatically on passing the quiz for your CPD records.