Having Difficult Conversations - Well!

This is a "pay to learn" Carrot S-Learning course, learners will need to purchase a ticket to access this course. For more details on types of Carrot Learning courses please visit our FAQs page.

For the purpose of this course, we’ll define a difficult or challenging conversation, as an interaction where you need to work with information and emotions thoughtfully in order to have a positive outcome. We all have different styles of communication but most of us find a few specific types of interactions more likely to provoke our anxiety. At work it is not uncommon for us to have to broach sensitive topics, to have to say ‘no’ to people, to give bad news or interact with people who are angry, distressed or confrontational. Despite this many of us worry about getting these conversations ‘right’ and can dread them happening.

It doesn’t have to be that way! In this course, we will look at skills to assess situations, build therapeutic alliances and have positive communications - all of which can combine to reduce the frequency of challenging situations. We will look at strategies for preventing difficulties from escalating, including risk assessment, actions you can take to stabilise situations, including self-regulation, and communication strategies including defusing and de-escalating, responding to complaints. We will finish with time spent on reflection and self-care.

We know that we will be in situations that can challenge us. It makes sense to review our skills so we can handle them sensitively and compassionately and where possible bring them to a positive outcome.

Learning Outcomes 

• Consider what is mean by ‘challenging’ conversations.
• Explore the observing and listening skills that can deescalate difficult situations.
• Understand the simple environmental factors that can help avert aggression

About Your Course Facilitator

Nicky Lambert has been a mental health nurse for 20 years and is now teaching as an Associate Professor (She is registered as a Specialist Practitioner (NMC) and is a Senior Teaching Fellow (SFHEA). She is also a co-director of the Centre for Coproduction in Mental Health and Social Care.

She has worked across a range of mental health services both in the UK and internationally supporting staff and practice development in acute and mental health trusts, councils, businesses, and charities. She is active in supporting mental health and wellbeing with the RCN and Unite. She is an editorial board member for Mental Health Nursing, a member of MHNAUK. Nicky engages with local trusts and with the Psych to support sexual safety in mental health services. She is also a Trustee for West Hampstead Women's centre (holder of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service). Nicky has a professional Twitter feed: @niadla and is keen that all people with an interest in mental health engage together as a community to support good practice and challenge discrimination.

After Your Course

You will be connected to a peer group that you will be able to continue to discuss the topic and offer and receive peer support whilst implementing your learning.

Retain access to all the resources shared during the course.

You can download:

Your Course Certificate

Your Course reflections and your recorded actions from within the Carrot Learning platform.