Questions People Ask

Last week was an ideal training week in that I got a lot of questions. Nothing worse for a trainer than a roomful of blank stares. I encourage participants to ask lots of questions during the training week. I let them know that any question is acceptable. Yes, there have been a few instances that I regretted being so encouraging, but the vast majority of the time I have seen this approach pay off for everyone.

There are a variety of questions people ask. We even cover different categories of questions participants may ask in our training manual. This way Certified Instructors will be prepared on how to manage those questions. Of course, participants will ask perfectly logical questions seeking information. A question of that type that I get quite often is whether people going through the course can use the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention^® techniques outside of the human service environment.

The answer to this question is a qualified, “yes.” HOWEVER, the course is designed for those individuals who have a “duty of care” to others. It was devised to be used, for example, by teachers of all kinds, nurses, therapists, counselors, case managers, psychologists, social workers and those who provide security for the places where these individuals work. Established for application with students, patients, residents, clients, consumers and other individuals who receive human service.

The course is not designed for married couples to help get the romance sparking again. Although, one great way to show your spouse that you care is by listening to him or her empathically. The course might not save a marriage, but some aspects of the course could get two people talking to each other in a civil manner. It could help people realize that their partner is acting out for reasons that have nothing to do with them. Specifics of the course could assist couples in learning how to avoid the same argument traps they keep falling into.

The training was not established to help parents raise their children. On the other hand, I’ve been setting limits with my kids using the techniques I’ve learned and they are some of the most well-behaved kids I’ve ever seen. I know I can’t be impartial when it comes to my own kids, but complete strangers in stores and restaurants tell me the same thing. It’s also helped me to recognize my own limitations on what a parent can do to help children make the best choices. That recognition has value.

Some of the verbal and non-verbal skills taught in the course could be applied to other areas. We could all profit by learning how to better stay in control of our emotions and not take acting out behavior so personally. The course helps individuals in becoming better communicators with others around them. Personally, I don’t know anyone who couldn’t benefit from better communication skills.

Can you use the knowledge you’ve gained through Nonviolent Crisis Intervention^® traning to improve your life? Of course you can. Application of skills learned in training into your personal life is one thing. However, implementing a formal training process in your workplace is something else entirely.

Get helpful hints for crisis intervention.