The Therapist's Growing Edge:
Taboo Topics in Therapy
For therapists who want to feel more comfortable and confident exploring ‘sensitive’ topics with clients.
We’ve all been there, wondering if we should ask more about that thing. It feels uncomfortable, we’re not sure if it’s appropriate.
Or maybe we know we need to ask about it but have no idea how to do it well so we make a hash of it, maybe offend the client, or oops, run out of time.
Sex, drugs, money, suicide, religion, violence etc.
These and other culturally taboo topics frequently challenge therapists.
They’re issues laden with moral judgements and often aren’t spoken about much anywhere.
Clients are usually shy to bring these issues to therapy and often indirectly test the waters to check the therapist’s openness.
If they encounter shyness in the therapist, this can reinforce a sense of moral judgement, ensuring they never bring the issue up directly (or find another therapist better able to hold the conversations).
What the workshop covers
Understanding what holds us back as a therapist from asking into sensitive topics.
Finding language to help the client to explore these issues.
How to discern, when you have to (duty of care), when you should (clinically indicated), and when you shouldn’t (contraindicated) ask more about taboo topics.
Who is it for?
Therapists and therapists-in-training who want to feel more comfortable and confident exploring ‘sensitive’ topics with clients.
All modalities are welcome.
No prior knowledge of Process Work required.
Register for Taboo topics in therapy
Your Trainer - Dr Silvia Camastral
Silvia is a process-oriented psychotherapist with a PhD in Psychotherapy and over 25 years therapy experience.
She has been training and supervising therapists for nearly two decades as a senior faculty member of Australia and New Zealand Process Oriented Psychology (ANZPOP), and other institutions including ACAP and QUT.
Professional Qualifications:
- PhD in General Psychology
- Masters in Counselling (QUT)
- Diploma in Early Childhood Education
- Diploma in Process Oriented Psychology
Professional Memberships:
- Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia
- International Association of Process Oriented Psychology
This course is eligible for professional development points with most psycho-therapeutic professional associations including PACFA and ACA.
TRAINING DETAILS
DATE AND TIME
This training will be offered once in 2026:
- Wednesday 21 October from 11am-1pm (Sydney time)
WHERE
Online on Zoom. The link will be emailed to you ahead of the workshop.
Please ensure you have a private space for the duration of the workshop.
It's also best if you can have your video on for the workshop if your bandwidth allows for it.
Register for Taboo topics in therapy
ANZPOP acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands we live and work on, the Aboriginal Australian, and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the Maori First Nations peoples. We pay respect to their elders across time. We give thanks for the Indigenous knowledge that has informed the Process Work approach. We honour the courage, resilience, and spirit of First Nations peoples to counter the ongoing impacts of colonisation on their culture, well-being, and sovereignty.
