Key details
Date | Wednesday 22 July
Time | 9.30am–1.30pm
Duration | Half-day
Location| Elie, Gestalt Centre Training Campus, 27 Royal Parade Parkville
Fee | $140 (includes GST)
Facilitator | Kaye Rigby and Olivia, Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault (NCASA)
About this workshop
The workshop establishes shared understandings about sexual assault, its prevalence and the impacts experienced by victim survivors. We look at common myths about sexual assault and the determinants of gender-based violence. We explore how we can strengthen our trauma-informed practice to create safety for all our clients and discuss helpful responses if someone discloses sexual assault to you. If time permits, we will do some skill practice in small groups.
What will I learn?
At the end of this workshop, participants will:
- be able to define sexual assault and know current, relevant Australian statistics
- be able to debunk some common myths about sexual assault
- be able to articulate determinants of sexual assault & other gender-based violence
- understand the impacts of sexual assault
- understand "maladaptive" behaviours as coping strategies
- understand trauma-informed practice
- understand how to respond to disclosures of sexual assault in a helpful way
- practice skills in small groups.
Who should attend?
This workshop is ideal for anyone who is, or is likely to be working with people who have experienced sexual assault, or any other interpersonal trauma, such as family violence.
About your facilitators
Kaye Rigby, Senior Counsellor/Advocate, Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault (NCASA)

Kaye Rigby is a Senior Counsellor/Advocate who has been working at CASA's for over 20 years. Like all her colleagues at CASA's around Victoria, Kaye works from client-centred, rights-based, intersectional feminist and trauma-informed frameworks. Apart from counselling sexual assault victim/survivors, Kaye's role entails supervising other counsellors, delivering training and working with secondary school students to ensure a clear understanding of consent.
Olivia, Counsellor/Advocate, Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault (NCASA)

Olivia (She/her) is a Counsellor/Advocate at the Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault (NCASA). With extensive experience in the sexual assault and family violence sector, Olivia currently works with individuals aged 12 and over, with a passion for working with young people. Olivia’s practice incorporates a variety of creative therapeutic approaches, including EMDR, sensorimotor art therapy, somatic therapy and nature-based healing. Olivia provides individual counselling, prevention work in schools and facilitates a gardening group designed to support victim survivors of sexual assault.
About the Gestalt Centre
The Gestalt Centre is the heart of Melbourne’s Gestalt community. We offer a four-year psychotherapy training program through Gestalt Therapy Australia, staying true to the experiential roots of Gestalt while embracing cutting-edge developments in contemporary Gestalt thinking and practice worldwide.
We also operate ConnectGround, a community-based counselling and psychotherapy clinic. ConnectGround serves as both a training facility for psychotherapists and a provider of low-cost individual and group therapy for clients. The clinic emphasises the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist as a key support for building awareness and adaptability. Psychotherapy interns and volunteers gain valuable hands-on experience, enhancing their skills and professionalism through client work.
Refund policy
Refunds are available up to 7 days before the event.
Please note:
In the unlikely event that this workshop is cancelled or postponed, registration fees will be fully refunded. Please note that the organisers are not responsible for any travel, accommodation, or other costs incurred by participants.
