Workshop 1: Understanding the Low Arousal Approach

Low Arousal is a practical, person-centred approach to support that focuses on reducing stress, preventing escalation, and responding in ways that maintain safety without adding pressure or harm. Rather than trying to control behaviour, it looks at what might be driving it (such as anxiety, sensory overwhelm, or unmet needs) and adapts the environment and supporter responses to help the person stay regulated. This includes using calm communication, allowing space and time, adjusting demands, and avoiding power struggles or reactive approaches. For BSPs, Low Arousal provides a clear framework for proactive, respectful support that reduces incidents and minimises restrictive practices while upholding dignity.

Cutting through the myths

We challenge common misunderstandings such as “Low Arousal means no boundaries” and reframe them with clear, practice-based guidance that links directly to risk reduction, safeguarding, and restrictive practice requirements.

Real-world scenarios

Explore how Low Arousal applies in everyday situations you and your teams regularly face, including:

• escalation during personal care

• refusal or disengagement

• property damage

• supporter or bystander responses unintentionally increasing behaviour

using real examples drawn from services.

Practical strategies you can actually teach others

Learn how to translate Low Arousal into clear, observable strategies that BSPs can confidently include in plans and approaches that staff can follow under pressure and apply consistently in practice.

Restrictive practice reduction

See how Low Arousal strengthens both proactive and reactive strategies, interrupts escalation cycles, and supports least restrictive, person-centred approaches.

Building staff capability

Focus on how to coach, model, and embed Low Arousal across teams, particularly where staff may default to urgency, control, or escalation.

• A full-day, practitioner-focused workshop combining:

• Short, practical teaching

• Real video case analysis

• Live demonstrations

• Small-group practice = Learn it → see it → try it.

You’ll also receive:

• Ready-to-use strategies and quick practice drills

• Curated reading + a visual Low Arousal summary

• Real-world video examples to bring it all together

• 60-day access to the recording

What you’ll take back to work or home

• A practical toolkit of Low Arousal micro-strategies to reduce escalation

• A simple way to recognise early stress signs and triggers

• Strategies to support teams, reduce burnout, and improve consistency

• Clear steps to make environments calmer and more supportive

• Ideas to turn strategies into everyday routines and team practices

Preparation:

No prior Low Arousal training needed. Just bring an open mind - and (if you’d like) a de-identified example from your practice to reflect on.

This workshop is one of three practitioner-focused workshops. Attend any single session for a high-value, stand-alone learning experience - orr complete all three for a coherent, in-depth practitioner pathway that blends live teaching, small-group practice and applied clinical consultancy.

Flexible, multi-modal learning

• Recorded access available for up to 60 days after each workshop, so you can review practical demonstrations and teaching at your own pace..

Bundle offer - save on the full pathway

• Includes attendance to Workshops 1-3

• Mix face-to-face and live online attendance across workshops to suit location and availability

• A significant saving compared with purchasing individual registrations

Professional development & accreditation (Practitioner Bundle total)
Participants who complete the full bundle may earn:

• 18 General BCBA CEUs

• 3 Ethics CEUs

• PLUS (optional): up to 2 ABAA PDUs in Cultural Diversity, Equality or Inclusion
  Certificates are issued per workshop.

Whether you need a focused update or a full practitioner pathway, this series gives you flexible access to robust, evidence-informed training — with practical tools, video exemplars and CEUs to support professional practice.

These workshops are what practitioners wish they had earlier

If you’ve ever walked away from a situation or session thinking:

• “That escalated faster than I expected…”

• “I know the theory, but what do I actually DO in that moment?”

• “There has to be a better way than this…”

• “I'm not feeling confident in what I'm doing..."

• "I'm not sure how to support this..."

You’re not alone. And this workshop is exactly for that gap.

Strengthen your practice, not just your knowledge

Theory is wonderful, but sometimes there’s a gap of applying what we ‘know’, so this focuses on:

• reduce escalation before it becomes a crisis

• support people in ways that protect dignity and safety

• feel confident in your decisions, not second-guessing yourself

Support your growth as a Behaviour Support Practitioner

This isn’t just a one-off training. It’s something that helps you:

• build real-world confidence

• strengthen your clinical reasoning

• stand out in more specialised roles

• gather meaningful evidence for your portfolio

• feel more confident writing and communicating strategies

We know time (and money) are real barriers

Most practitioners:

• don’t get enough time for deep learning

• are stretched across caseloads and supervision

• and find good training… expensive

That’s real. But this is exactly what your professional development funding is for.

👉 Use your PD budget with purpose

👉 Advocate for your organisation to support your attendance