Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders
What does this course involve?
Developing a deeper understanding of schizophrenia, psychosis and the experiences of people living with psychotic disorders.
Schizophrenia and psychotic disorders are often misunderstood and can be surrounded by fear, stigma and inaccurate assumptions.
This course explores what psychosis can involve, how it may affect a person’s thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour and everyday life, and the different factors that can contribute to someone’s experience.
Bill encourages participants to look beyond diagnostic labels and symptoms to understand the individual experiencing them — helping develop greater confidence when communicating with and supporting someone experiencing psychosis.
Understanding the person’s experience
Experiences such as hearing voices, unusual beliefs or changes in someone’s perception of reality can be difficult for others to understand.
For the person experiencing them, however, they can feel very real.
Developing an understanding of psychosis can help us move away from fear, judgement and confrontation and towards more informed and appropriate ways of communicating and providing support.
Topics can include:
- Understanding schizophrenia and psychotic disorders
- What is psychosis?
- Recognising possible signs and symptoms
- Hallucinations and altered perceptions
- Hearing voices
- Delusions and unusual beliefs
- Changes in thinking and communication
- Understanding someone’s experience of reality
- Factors that may contribute to psychosis
- Stress, trauma and mental health
- Substance use and psychotic experiences
- The impact on everyday life and relationships
- Challenging myths and misconceptions
- Stigma surrounding schizophrenia
- Communicating with someone experiencing psychosis
- Responding without unnecessary confrontation
- Supporting someone experiencing difficulties
- Recognising when additional or urgent support may be required
No PowerPoint. No Death by Slides.
Bill believes the best training happens through conversation, discussion and genuine engagement — not by reading information from a screen.
Every Just Say Training course is written and delivered personally by Bill, drawing upon more than 35 years of experience working in mental health and related services.
There are no PowerPoint presentations. Instead, participants are encouraged to ask questions, discuss real situations and explore the subject in an open and engaging environment.
The result is training that feels relevant, memorable and connected to the real world.
What can you expect from the course?
Psychosis can sometimes result in behaviour or communication that other people find difficult to understand.
Bill helps participants consider what the experience may be like from the individual’s perspective and how our own response can influence communication, trust and engagement.
The emphasis is on understanding the person rather than defining them by their diagnosis.
- Understand Psychosis – Develop a clearer understanding of psychosis and the different ways it may be experienced.
- Understand Schizophrenia – Explore schizophrenia beyond the stereotypes and misconceptions that often surround it.
- Explore Different Experiences – Consider hallucinations, hearing voices, unusual beliefs and changes in perception.
- Challenge Stigma – Explore common misconceptions and develop a more informed understanding.
- Communicate Effectively – Consider appropriate ways of communicating with someone experiencing psychosis.
- Look Beyond the Diagnosis – Recognise the individual, their experiences and their needs rather than focusing solely on symptoms.
Year of Experience
Years Delivering Training
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Courses Written & Delivered by Bill
Why choose Schizophrenia & Psychotic Disorders training?
Schizophrenia and psychosis remain among the most misunderstood areas of mental health.
Misconceptions can create fear, stigma and barriers between individuals experiencing psychosis and the people trying to support them. Greater understanding can help change this.
This course helps participants understand experiences such as hallucinations, hearing voices and unusual beliefs from a more informed perspective, while developing greater confidence around communication and appropriate support.
It can be particularly valuable for people working within mental health, healthcare, social care, policing, criminal justice, housing, homelessness services, substance misuse services, education, counselling, charities and other support services.
The aim is to move beyond the diagnosis and recognise the person experiencing it — replacing assumptions and stigma with greater knowledge, understanding and confidence.