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Last DoorContinuing Education
Courses
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Sign InGet Started
Basic Group Counselling Skills
Introductory

Basic Group Counselling Skills

This practical one-day course teaches Canadian counsellors and healthcare professionals foundational group counselling skills—facilitation, motivational interviewing, trauma‑informed and culturally safe practice, managing dynamics and conflict, confidentiality and ethical documentation, and stage‑based group planning for addiction/recovery and co‑occurring presentations. Participants leave able to design and lead structured psychoeducational and process groups, set measurable goals, manage challenging behaviors, and track outcomes.

Lifetime accessCertificate of completion16 lessonsMobile & desktop
Motivational InterviewingTrauma-Informed CareCounselling SkillsCultural CompetencyConcurrent DisordersDocumentation & EthicsGroup Facilitation
Basic Group Counselling Skills
$60CAD
6 CEU hrs

What you'll learn

Differentiate psychoeducational, process and support groups and select evidence-informed formats for Canadian settings
Design clear session plans and time allocations (60–90 min models) and 6–12 session curricula for recovery groups
Apply motivational interviewing (MI) principles adapted for group facilitation to elicit change talk
Implement trauma‑informed and culturally safe practices, including Indigenous cultural safety principles and reconciliation‑informed approaches

Professional Recognition

CACCF - Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation - Approved CEU Provider

Approved for 6 Continuing Education Hours from The CACCF

Eligible for professional development credit with:

CRPOCollege of Registered Psychotherapists of OntarioBCACCBC Association of Clinical CounsellorsOCSWSSWOntario College of Social Workers and Social Service WorkersBCCSWBC College of Social WorkersACSWAlberta College of Social WorkersCNOCollege of Nurses of OntarioBCCNMBC College of Nurses and MidwivesCRNACollege of Registered Nurses of AlbertaIC&RCInternational Certification & Reciprocity Consortium
Disclaimer
These bodies use self-directed professional development models and do not pre-approve CE providers or courses. Registrants are responsible for determining whether activities align with their individual learning goals. Certificate of completion provided for your professional development records.
Manage group dynamics, challenging behaviours and conflict using non‑coercive de‑escalation and safety planning
Meet legal/ethical obligations in Canadian practice: confidentiality, duty to report/warn, provincial documentation expectations
Set measurable group goals and use validated outcome/progress measures (e.g., OQ‑45, PCOMS, GAIN tools, Ontario/Canadian examples) to track progress
Run structured practice sessions, give/receive feedback, and create a 30‑day implementation plan for leading groups

Requirements

  • Some prior helping or clinical experience (e.g., counselling, social work, nursing, addictions work) recommended
  • Professional registration or supervised practice where required by provincial regulators
  • Willingness to participate in role‑plays and small‑group exercises
  • Access to a device for digital templates and outcome forms (optional printed copies provided)
  • Familiarity with local/provincial reporting and privacy rules is helpful (resources provided during course)

Who this course is for

  • Entry‑level counsellors and psychotherapists in Canada
  • Registered social workers, addiction counsellors and mental health nurses
  • Allied health professionals working in mental health and addiction services
  • Peer support workers and community facilitators working under clinical supervision
  • Program coordinators and health professionals planning to start group programs

Course Content

4 sections • 16 lessons • 6 hours total length

About this course

This practical one-day course teaches Canadian counsellors and healthcare professionals foundational group counselling skills—facilitation, motivational interviewing, trauma‑informed and culturally safe practice, managing dynamics and conflict, confidentiality and ethical documentation, and stage‑based group planning for addiction/recovery and co‑occurring presentations. Participants leave able to design and lead structured psychoeducational and process groups, set measurable goals, manage challenging behaviors, and track outcomes.