Supporting Someone in Need?
You’re Already Making a Difference as an Accidental Counsellor
Are you often the one friends, family, or colleagues turn to for emotional support? Do you find yourself unsure of how to respond or worry about saying the wrong thing? You’re not alone. Many of us find ourselves in similar situations, and it’s natural to feel uncertain.
Being an accidental counsellor isn’t about being an expert with all the answers; it’s about being a supportive presence. And that’s where our Accidental Counsellor Training can help you feel more comfortable and confident in these situations, even if you consider yourself experienced or a “natural” at giving support.
Who Is This For?
Whether you’re an educator, early learning professional, disability support worker, allied health practitioner, or in any role where you find yourself responding to others’ emotional needs without formal counselling training — this is for you.
Supporting those around us in times of distress is important, and we understand that you want to help, even if it sometimes feels outside your comfort zone. This page provides practical guidance and resources to empower you in offering compassionate, confident support, whether in your personal life with family and friends or in your professional role.
What Really Helps?
As accidental counsellors, we often feel the pressure to “fix” things, provide solutions, or give the right advice. But think about a time when someone simply listened to you, even when there was no immediate answer to your problem. Perhaps it was a situation where nothing could really be changed, at least not in that moment.
Yet, despite that, you walked away from the conversation feeling a little lighter, a little less burdened, maybe even reassured. Your situation might have stayed the same, but something within you shifted — because you didn’t feel alone.
That’s what truly helps. In many cases, being a supportive presence doesn’t mean offering solutions. It means offering your attention, showing that you’re there, and helping someone feel seen and understood. Often, that’s what people remember and appreciate most.
Practical Tips for Being an Accidental Counsellor
To help you feel more comfortable, here are some simple, effective ideas and techniques that can make a big difference in your conversations:
- Listen With Intention and Attention: Focus fully on the person, tuning into both what’s said and unsaid. This helps them feel truly heard and valued.
- Ask Solution/Strengths-Based Questions: Encourage them to explore their own strengths and solutions with gentle, open-ended questions. For example, “If there were a small change that could make a big difference for you, what might that be?”
- Practice Self-Care: Remember, you can’t give what you don’t have. Prioritise your own needs, making space for what brings you energy and life, so you can continue to support others effectively.
- Know Your Limits: Recognise when it’s best to refer someone to professional support, respecting both your boundaries and theirs.
Feel free to download our 7 Accidental Counsellor Tips for more helpful techniques and ideas for being an Accidental Counsellor.
Your Support Matters More Than You Know
By being there and offering a listening ear, you’re already providing invaluable support. Even small actions like a kind word or a patient silence can make a big impact. And you don’t have to be perfect — just willing to show up.
Accidental counsellors like you have found that a little guidance goes a long way in feeling more comfortable and confident in this role. Here’s what a few of them have shared:
Ready to Explore More? Empower Yourself with Helpful Resources
Our Accidental Counsellor Training Programme is designed for anyone who wants to feel more confident and prepared in offering support. Whether you’re part of a school team, work in disability support or allied health, human resources, a business owner, or an individual looking to make a difference, this programme equips you to be a supportive presence in the lives of those around you.
There are three ways to access the Accidental Counsellor Training:
The Accidental Counsellor Training Options
What is The Accidental Counsellor Training about?
Rocky Biasi
Why I Created The Accidental
Counsellor Training
Hi, my name is Rocky Biasi. As both a high school teacher and school counsellor (now in private practice 25 years), I recognised the importance of providing basic counselling skills to school staff who aren’t formally trained as counsellors.
Since then, thousands of school staff across Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia have completed my Accidental Counsellor Training, and its reach has expanded to include a wide range of professionals, such as educators, early learning professionals, disability support workers, allied health practitioners, human resources personnel, and community service workers — anyone who finds themselves offering support without formal counselling training.
The training is endorsed by:
- Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA)
- ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI)
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Accidental Counsellor Training?
Accidental Counsellor Training is a programme designed for individuals who frequently find themselves providing emotional support to others, even without formal counselling qualifications. This could include educators, healthcare professionals, support workers, or anyone in a role where they encounter people experiencing distress.
The training focuses on building practical skills and confidence in offering compassionate and effective support while maintaining healthy boundaries and prioritising self-care.
2. Who is this training for?
This training is for anyone who:
- Regularly finds themselves offering emotional support to friends, family, colleagues, or clients.
- Feels uncertain about how to respond effectively to someone’s distress.
- Wants to learn practical, solution-focused techniques to empower others.
- Is interested in improving their communication and active listening skills.
- Wants to learn strategies for maintaining their own well-being while supporting others.
3. What are the benefits of this training?
Participants in Accidental Counsellor Training report several benefits, including:
- Increased confidence: Feeling more equipped to handle challenging conversations and offer appropriate support.
- Improved communication skills: Learning to listen actively and ask empowering questions that encourage self-reflection and solutions.
- Enhanced well-being: Developing strategies for self-care and boundary setting to avoid burnout and compassion fatigue.
- Empowering others: Gaining tools to help others identify their strengths and find their own solutions.
- Creating positive change: Facilitating a more supportive and empathetic environment in both personal and professional settings.
4. What topics are covered in the training?
The Accidental Counsellor Training covers a wide range of topics, including:
- The 3 components of Accidental Counselling: Understanding the framework for effective support.
- Psychology of influence: Utilising strategies to guide others towards positive change.
- Well-being habits: Establishing boundaries and prioritising self-care to avoid burnout.
- Essential communication skills: Mastering active listening and responding empathetically.
- Solution-focused questions: Asking powerful questions that encourage self-discovery and problem-solving.
- The Miracle Question: Helping individuals envision a future without their current problem.
- The Exception Question: Identifying existing strengths and resources for overcoming challenges.
- The Scaling Question: Facilitating progress and measuring change.
5. How long is the training and how is it delivered?
The Accidental Counsellor Training offers flexible options:
- Face-to-face: Full-day training sessions (9 am to4 pm) are available in various cities.
- Shorter, tailored sessions can also be arranged.
- Online in real time and self paced: The self-paced online course provides 9.5 hours of instruction and is accessible through the membership portal that includes a library of up to 100 mental wellbeing courses Live Online: Real-time online sessions are conducted via Zoom.
- In-House: Invite us to work with your team or staff only at your location.
6. Is the training accredited for professional development?
Yes, the Accidental Counsellor Training is endorsed by:
- NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
- ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI)
- Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA)
Participants can earn professional development hours by completing the training.
7. How much does the training cost?
The cost of the training varies depending on the format and delivery method. You can find detailed pricing information on the Accidental Counsellor Training website. Options include:
8. How can I register for the training?
You can register for the Accidental Counsellor Training by visiting the official website. There, you can:
Endorsed Professional Development Training
Completing The Accidental Counsellor Created by Rocky Biasi (in person/live virtual) will contribute 6 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Student/child Mental health addressing standard descriptors 3.3.2, 4.4.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
Completing The Accidental Counsellor Created by Rocky Biasi (self-paced online-on- demand) will contribute 9 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Student/child Mental health addressing standard descriptors 3.3.2, 4.4.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.