de-escalation skills

Equip your team with practical strategies to safely manage challenging behavioUrs, defuse tension, and navigate high-stress interactions.

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Duration

HALF DAY (4 HOURS)

Location

ON-SITE OR INTERACTIVE ONLINE

Group Size

5-15 (TAILORED FOR TEAMS)

CERTIFICATION

CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION

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OVERVIEW

Workplace conflict and challenging interactions can escalate quickly without the right intervention. When staff are unprepared for aggressive or unpredictable behaviour, it can lead to safety risks, intense stress, and poor outcomes for everyone involved.

KEY OUTCOMES:

  • Identify the physical and verbal warning signs of escalation before a situation peaks.

  • Respond effectively to elevated emotions, such as anger, frustration, or distress.

  • Use body language, tone, and active listening to lower tension and build rapport.

  • Firmly but respectfully communicate limits and protect your personal safety.

  • Recover, debrief, and report effectively after a stressful encounter.

  • WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT:

    "A good reminder of how to approach a situation, don't get tunnel vision, use a low tone, be assertive but not aggressive/passive"

  • Flora

    "Telephone conversation skills were great - especially when we have to deliver bad news"

  • Terry

    “I hadn't thought about planning the structure of a conversation, how to advise of bad news then how to end the call. High conflict personalities was also great"

Who is the course for?

  • Frontline and customer service staff dealing with the public

  • Healthcare, disability, and community support workers

  • Retail, hospitality, and security personnel

  • Staff who need to safely hold boundaries and enforce rules

  • Managers supporting teams in high-stress environments

COURSE MODULES

  1. Early Threat Recognition

    Learn to spot the physiological and verbal cues of the 'fight or flight' response early. Understand the escalation cycle and when to intervene.

  2. Verbal & Non-Verbal Strategies

    Master the use of tone, pacing, and open body language to project calm authority. Learn how your own physical presence can either escalate or defuse a situation.

  3. Emotional Regulation

    Develop techniques to maintain your own composure. Learn how to avoid taking aggressive behavior personally and stay grounded in the moment.

  4. Safe Boundary Setting

    Learn how to say 'no', enforce rules, and communicate limits without inciting further anger. Feel more confident 'holding the line' respectfully.

  5. Post-Incident Management

    Understand the importance of the comedown phase. Learn best practices for team debriefing, self-care, and reporting after a high-stress incident.

BOOK ONLINE OR REQUEST A QUOTE:

how to get a group QUOTE?

REQUEST A GROUP QUOTE

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