Training and events
Discover all our options for
Talking Mats training: foundation, focused foundation (NEW in 2026) and advanced
How to request your own personalised professional development
If you are interested in attending any of these courses, or to request a workshop for your team, please email alaynemckee@talkingtroublenz.org
to book or enquire about other options.
Talking Mats Foundation Course In-person
Wellington: 19 June 2026; 9.00am - 4.00pm. Venue TBC
Auckland: 23 October 2026; 9.30am - 4.30pm. Venue TBC
Six hours of teaching plus breaks. Participants need to attend all six hours to receive a certificate of attendance.
Morning tea provided. BYO lunch
In-person courses need a minimum of 8 people to run.
Cost: $430 per person (including GST). Fee includes a standard Talking Mats symbol set of your choosing - order the set during the course and it will be posted to you, usually within a week.
This one-day Foundation Training Course delivered by Talking Mats Accredited Trainers, combines hands-on experience of Talking Mats with role-play, discussion and reflection of the use of the tool in a variety of real-life situations.
After completing the Foundation Course, explore Talking Mats Advanced!
Email alaynemckee@talkingtroublenz.org to book your place or enquire about other options.
Talking Mats Foundation Course Online
Option one starting August 2026
Session 1: Monday 3 August 10.30am-12.30pm
Session 2: Monday 10 August 10.30am-12.30pm
Session 3: Monday 7 September 10.30 am-12.30pm
Option two starting November 2026
Session 1: Monday 2 November 1:00-3:00pm
Session 2: Monday 9 November 1:00-3:00pm
Session 3: Monday 30 November 1:00-3:00pm
Participants must attend all three sessions to complete the course and receive a certificate of attendance.
Online courses need 6 participants to run.
Cost:$430 per person (including GST). Fee includes a standard Talking Mats symbol set of your choosing - order the set during the course and it will be posted to you, usually within a week.
This online Foundation Training Course delivered by Talking Mats Accredited Trainers, covers the same content as the in-person course and combines hands-on experience of Talking Mats with discussion and reflection of the use of the tool in a variety of real-life situations.
It consists of three 2-hour sessions over a 6-8-week period.
Most of the content is covered in the first two sessions. Between session 2 and 3, each participant videos themselves facilitating a Talking Mat with a friend, colleague or family member. Then, in the third session, each participant shares their video with other participants. Participants regularly tell us they find this session very enjoyable and helpful.
Email alaynemckee@talkingtroublenz.org to book your place or enquire about other options.
*NEW* Talking Mats Focused Foundation Course In-person
If your role means you have knowledge and expertise in specialist areas such as
Capacity: enabling supported decision-making,
Sexual health and relationships,
Keeping safe or
Thinking ahead,
then a Focused Foundation Training course could be perfect for you.
Focused Foundation courses are delivered by Talking Mats Accredited Trainers and structured so participants learn how to facilitate a Talking Mat effectively whilst familiarising themselves with the relevant specialist set.
Capacity: enabling supported decision making: 24 August 2026; 9.30am–4.30pm
Sexual Health and Relationships: 16 September 2026; 9.30am–4.30pm
Keeping Safe: 8 October 2026; 9.30am–4.30pm
Thinking Ahead: 19 November 2026; 9.30am–4.30pm
All are in Auckland, venue TBC.
Six hours of teaching plus breaks. Participants need to attend all six hours to receive a certificate of attendance.
Morning tea provided. BYO lunch
In-person courses need a minimum of 8 people to run.
Cost: $480 per person (including GST). Fee includes a Talking Mats symbol set - order the set during the course and it will be posted to you, usually within a week.
Email alaynemckee@talkingtroublenz.org to book your place or enquire about other options. For example, if your organisation would like a course at your location, contact us so we can try to make that happen.
Talking Mats Advanced
Advanced training is for anyone who has completed the Foundation Training and would like to use a more specialised resource e.g., Keeping Safe, Capacity - Enabling Supported Decision Making, Sexual Health and Relationships and Thinking Ahead.
These advanced online courses can be completed in 2-3 hours and involve you sending us a reflection on your learning following the course.
Each course will:
Explain how the resource was developed
Explain how to prepare for your Talking Mat session
Discuss implementation and challenges
Upcoming dates:
1. Capacity: enabling supported decision making – Tuesday 25 August 9.30am 12.30pm
2. Sexual Health and Relationships – Friday 18 September 9.30am–12.30pm
3. Keeping Safe – Friday 9 October 9.30am–12.30pm
4. Thinking Ahead – Friday 20 November 9.30am–12.30pm
Cost: Each course costs $267 per person (including GST). Fee includes a Talking Mats set.
Email alaynemckee@talkingtroublenz.org to book your place or enquire about other options.
Targeted skill building for legal professionals
Effective communication is critical to those in the legal profession, and lawyers are often responding to complex communication demands in difficult contexts.
The specialised speech-language therapists from Talking Trouble are here to help. We have extensive experience of working as a Communication Assistants in legal contexts, and specific expertise in areas such as communicating with children and communicating with people who have experienced trauma, or where challenging experiences or diagnoses might be relevant to how they engage.
We know that legal professionals learn quickly, and time is precious. That’s why we work within your schedule whether it be pre-work or lunch-time sessions, half or full day workshops: the choice is yours.
Delivery is designed to suit you – 1:1, learn with a peer, small or large group online or in person. Work through online modules independently or meet with one of our team in person for tailored sessions that focus on what you decide is important.
We offer professional development that is highly focussed, impactful and immediately translatable into your contexts. We also offer training delivered jointly with other legal professionals.
Our sessions are tailored to meet your specific needs e.g.
Communication with a specific client or a specific process/communication context - explaining information and processes, taking instruction, preparing for questioning, checking understanding and decision making.
Using plain language
Understanding more about language and communication in childhood and adulthood, and factors that can impact – how to identify when a different approach might help
Analysing the communication demands related to your role or task with a child, youth or adult
Learning and practising specific communication strategies under guidance and receiving feedback
Observation and feedback to you about your communication style and strategy use in a strengths-based, supportive and confidential context
Developing specific plain language resources for your context e.g. a resource that introduces you to your clients in language that is easy to understand, or a resource that helps explain common processes relevant to your practice.
Tell us what would work best for you, and we can set it up.
Email contact@talkingtroublenz.org to discuss options.
Request a workshop
We deliver professional development all around New Zealand and internationally and are frequently invited to deliver conference presentations and workshops and lectures for university undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
We have a broad experience of designing professional development for specific groups and multidisciplinary audiences e.g. professionals working in youth justice, family, criminal courts, prisons, mental health contexts, schools, care and protection settings etc.
Our team members have a wide range of expertise e.g. supporting language and communication with young children, youth or older adults. The participants gain new knowledge and practical strategies to help with the communication involved in their work.
Email contact@talkingtroublenz.org to discuss options.