First Steps Forward

He has delivered training to police officers on investigating violence, both as a lecturer and through a charity. He has also worked in social care, where children are often the unseen victims of parental discord, building better relationships between partners and supporting children and adults where violence at home affects them as individuals and as a family.

As a counsellor Dave has an extra insight: not only the practical experience of working with families and adults, but also a Master’s degree in Understanding Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Where one or more of the people involved is neurodivergent, Dave can combine these specialist skills to support more effectively.

As counsellors we are all required to attend meaningful supervision with another experienced counsellor. It is an opportunity to discuss whether there are better ways to give our clients a better experience.

Dave sees supervision as an opportunity to grow and learn himself through working with others, while facilitating, empowering and supporting peers to develop and grow. Supervision is different from counselling, though many of the same skills are used, and needs a more stood-back way of looking at the work. Many counsellors have had poor experiences of clinical supervision, so Dave aims to offer the best he can: ethical, honest and transparent with supervisees.

That work included crisis intervention and workshops to upskill parents. Dave’s experience of supporting people with SEN, neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD and more) and learning disabilities helps him pick the strategies most likely to work for each individual and family. He offers training on general or specific neurodiversity, and bespoke training built on real-life experiences and examples, teaching strategies, support and mentoring.

Neurodiversity corporate training and workplace reasonable adjustments. A dual role: informing, training and facilitating in the workplace so neurotypical staff better understand their neurodivergent colleagues, while also working with neurodivergent staff to improve their experience at work, with reasonable adjustments that support the Equality Act and a more productive, less anxious and less stressful workplace.