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Managing Suicidal Customer Conversations Open Course

Date: 9:00am - 12:30pm Thursday 10 September 2026

To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, all proceeds from the sale of this course will be donated to Papyrus, a national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide.

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Overview

Who it's for

Reviews

Course content

Takeaways

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Course overview

Course Date

9:00am - 12:30pm Thursday 10 September 2026

Delivery

Virtual

Fee

£195 + VAT

This 1/2-day training course is ideal for anyone who regularly handles sensitive customer conversations, especially when the subject of suicide arises.

A confident, compassionate and considered response during these conversations can make the individual feel visible, valued and listened to. This increases the chance of them accessing and receiving the specialist support they need.

This course covers suicide risk factors, along with empathic responses, processes to follow and practical tools. It develops skills, confidence and resilience when faced with the most difficult of conversations. We recommend this course to Financial Institutions (particularly those handling debt collections), Utilities and Telecommunication companies.

Delegates will have the opportunity to reflect, share good practices and participate in course activities and case study discussions.

Who is this course for?

  • Customer-facing staff
  • Claims handlers
  • Complaints handlers
  • Vulnerability Champions and leads
  • Mental Health First Aiders
  • Customer Service Team Leaders

Course Reviews

Stewart H
13 March 2026
It is clearly a difficult subject area and there is the challenge of whether some of the actions will be suitable in our area of work. However it does provide some information which would be useful.
Jenny H
13 March 2026
I found the course really useful and this will assist me in supporting my teams who are more likely to encounter such calls than I am. The presenter is clearly very knowledgeable and passionate which is evident from her excellent presentation of this sensitive subject. My only observation is that the length of the course could be reduced.
John D
9 March 2026
An excellent course - the subject matter isn't the easiest to talk about but the training was very informative and well presented
Pasquale D
4 December 2025
I think the course was Great!, I can tell Helen has lots of experience on this field, so feel really confident with the content of the course and what my colleagues and myself learned on it. Even though I hope not to get one of those challenging calls, I have a massive relieve as I feel confident I will be able to deal with it and hopefully make a small difference in that vulnerable person's life
Kelly B
4 June 2025
Very helpful course got some good take away that I feel will help me better deal with these calls or conversations
Stephen M
4 June 2025
The course was a real eye opener, Helen was fantastic in her approach, very understanding and empathetic. Helen was also very informative and provided everyone with helpful tools in handling these difficult conversations.
Nikki G
30 May 2025
I thought this was a brilliant course and so informative. Would definitely recommend to others! Thank you again Helen:)
Ryan M
29 May 2025
Great content and delivery from Helen, that provided much food for thought, in terms of how we integrate some of the ideas into our business to further support staff and customers. Thanks so much for a really enjoyable day!
Paula K
29 May 2025
I really enjoyed this training. The pre-course video was great in knowing what to expect, and really put my mind at ease that there were no role plays. A very good learning & reflective day all round. The content was presented & discussed in a very caring and thoughtful manner. Even though it was a tough subject, it was explained clearly and sensitively. I appreciate all that was covered at the training as I feel it will be beneficial in my work life, and life outside of work.
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What this course covers

1. Understanding Suicide

  • Definition and terminology
  • Statistics and impacts
  • Risk Factors
  • Indicators

 

2. Responding Empathetically

  • Stopping the conversation
  • Active listening and S.H.U.S.H
  • Questions and responses
  • Responding in an emergency
  • The importance of signposting

 

3. Looking after yourself

  • Understanding personal needs
  • Emotional Resilience
  • Physical well-being
  • Circle of Control
  • Supporting colleagues

What you’ll take away

  • Identify and support an individual in crisis
  • Build a toolkit of questions and responses, and know when and how to use them
  • Know how to respond in an emergency during the conversation
  • Recognise the importance of self-care after difficult conversations

Some of the organisations we support.