Stuart Sorensen’s background is mental health nursing and as such he has a wealth of direct experience of working with people suffering from all forms of mental health problems. Stuart qualified as a nurse in 1995 and gained his post graduate diploma from Sunderland University in 2003. His training has the feel of reality about it rather than the ‘ivory tower’ type of presentation that comes from merely reading a book. He has been a full time trainer in health and social care since 2006.As a trainer Stuart is keen to help staff ‘at the coalface’ to find a balance between the conflicting (and seemingly impossible) rights of workers, carers and service-users. Stuart understands the difficulties and dilemmas facing workers on the front line because he has faced them too.Stuart has long been interested in the effects of different communication strategies with service-users, colleagues and trainees. He also trains other trainers in these techniques.Generally speaking Stuart likes to begin by emphasising similarities between workers and service-users to develop empathy before using everyday situations to illustrate the points made throughout the training. He has worked extensively for various county and borough councils and also provided training on safeguarding and on mental capacity and related legislation on behalf of both the UK and Scottish governments.Specialties: Mental health, Therapeutic risk-taking and risk appreciation, POVA/SOVA/Safeguarding, Using non-verbal communication in social care, Mental Capacity Act (England & Wales), Adult Support & Protection Act (Scotland), Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (England & Wales), Deliberate Self Harm, Psychosis, Withdrawn service-users, Psychosis and schizophrenia, Challenging Behaviour