Step 2 Talking Therapies: Improving Engagement and Recovery

Step 2 Talking Therapies: Improving Engagement and Recovery
Recording & slides £199+VAT
Conference recording and accompanying slides
Wed 10 Dec 2025

Step 2 services: shared solutions and fresh ideas

When PWP teams across the country are in the same boat and facing similar challenges, this study day offers a unique opportunity to share different approaches and take away fresh ideas to help tackle your service's challenges. By focussing on suitability, complexity, recovery and engagement, this structured, informative education will inspire you with shared practices and practical information you can implement in your own role and service.  

Thank you to our meeting sponsor...

Identify new opportunities

Explore shared challenges and practical solutions to improve client outcomes at Step 2. 

  • Clarify suitability criteria and improve communication around inappropriate referrals
  • Strengthen collaboration with secondary care to reduce escalation and improve pathways
  • Apply practical strategies for managing complexity and bridging to Step 3
  • Refresh recovery techniques and revisit manual MDS for better outcomes
  • Boost client engagement to reduce dropouts and support PWP treatment decisions

Education designed to inspire

Benefit from invaluable best practice course. You will: 

  • Refresh your approach with practical ideas to boost engagement and recovery rates 
  • Gain actionable takeaways from expert speakers 
  • Reignite team purpose with ideas that strengthen wellbeing and leadership

Meet your sponsor

SBK would like to thank SilverCloud for sponsoring this educational forum.


1
Introduction, instructions and chair’s opening remarks
Elizabeth Ruth, Assistant Professor and PWP Course Leader, University of Bradford
Identifying client suitability
2
Determining suitability at Step 2: Criteria clarity and communication skills
  • Understanding the markers and flags for inappropriate referrals
  • Establishing the criteria to promote consistency and reduce escalation errors
  • Improving communication and compassionately explaining service limitations to clients
Heather Stonebank, Clinical Programmes Manager, North East and Yorkshire Regional Mental Health Team, NHS England
3
Navigating and managing inappropriate referrals at Step 2: Boundaries and collaboration
  • Exploring different types of unsuitable referrals and how to identify them
  • Building effective collaboration with secondary care to reduce inappropriate step-down cases
  • Setting clinical expectations and establishing communication with GPs, CMHT and secondary care teams
Sian Sinnott, Step 2 Clinical Lead, We Are With You
4
Questions and answers with your speakers
Industry partner showcase
5
What does the research indicate are the factors involved in engagement in SilverCloud and what gets the best outcomes?
Douglas Hiscock, Behavioural Health Lead and Angel Enrique, Senior Manager Digital Health Scientist, SilverCloud by Amwell
6
Questions and answers with SilverCloud by Amwell
Navigating complexity
7
Managing complexity at Step 2 assessments: Practical solutions
  • Balancing and recognising client scope with professional judgement
  • Basic skills for managing and signposting complexity at assessment
  • Navigating the nuance: bridging the gap between Step 2 and Step 3 complexity
Jessica Stephenson and Jessica Bradnock, Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Stoke and Staffordshire Wellbeing Service, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
8
Questions and answers with your speaker
Improving recovery rates
9
A back-to-basics approach to improving recovery rates
  • Cementing basic skills: encouraging the ‘doing’ element of Talking Therapies
  • Starting patients at Step 2 using the LIFT model before stepping up
  • Re-introducing manual MDS: improving accuracy of recovery rates
Ruosi Etherden, Low Intensity & Assessment Team Leader (East Locality) and Gabi Cook, CBT Lead and Therapist, Southampton Steps 2 Wellbeing, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
10
Questions and answers with your speaker
Boosting engagement and motivation
11
Enhancing engagement at Step 2: From assessment to recovery
  • Understanding why clients disengage and how to support them
  • Navigating how to improve engagement: individual sessions, group sessions and homework tasks
  • Establishing when to refuse or end treatment for disengaged clients
Lizzie Gray, Board Director/Trustee, BABCP
12
Chair’s closing remarks and close of day

Your expert speakers:

Elizabeth Ruth

Assistant Professor and PWP Course Leader
University of Bradford
user icon

Heather Stonebank

Clinical Programmes Manager
North East and Yorkshire Regional Mental Health Team, NHS England

Jessica Bradnock

Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
Stoke and Staffordshire Wellbeing Service, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust

Jessica Stephenson

Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
Stoke and Staffordshire Wellbeing Service, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust

Ruosi Etherden

Low Intensity and Assessment Team Leader (East Locality)
Southampton Steps 2 Wellbeing, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Gabi Cook

CBT Lead and Therapist
Southampton Steps 2 Wellbeing, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Sian Sinnott

Step 2 Clinical Lead
We Are With You
user icon

Lizzie Gray

Board Director/Trustee
BABCP

Pricing Structure

  • £199+VAT for NHS, Public Sector and Charity professionals

Terms and conditions

Registration fees

You will be sent an instant payment option or invoice on registration. Your payment is required in advance.

Certification of attendance

A certificate for Continuing Professional Development will be given to every fully registered participant who completes the course, as a record of your continuing professional training and development.

Privacy notice

To view the details on how your data is being collected and used, please view our Privacy policy.

Who is this for?

This online forum has been designed for professionals working at Step 2 across NHS Talking Therapies services. 

  • Lead PWPs, Senior PWPs and PWPs
  • Service Managers 
  • Team Leaders 
  • Clinical Leads 

Audience feedback

We having been delivering successful PWP events for many years now and have received excellent feedback. But don’t take our word for it, take a look at how attendees have described our online events:

quote icon
"It's been incredibly interesting to gain insight into how other services work and what they can offer to diversify the PWP role"
- Everyturn (NHS Nottinghamshire Talking Therapies), PWP National Networking Forum 2024
quote icon
"Lovely to mix with services in each corner of the country and to hear suggestions for improving our working"
- Steps 2 Wellbeing - Dorset healthcare, PWP National Networking Forum 2024
quote icon
"Very useful and recommended"
- NHS Talking Therapies Isle of Wight, PWP National Networking Forum 2024
quote icon
"The presentations were really insightful and interesting. It was great to build my knowledge base"
- Barnsley Talking Therapies, PWP National Networking Forum 2024
quote icon
"Very inspiring, great to have some time just to think about career direction, and not just about getting through the day and a long list of appointments"
- Nottingham Talking Therapies, PWP National Networking Forum 2024
quote icon
"Professionally presented, well organised and interesting discussions/topics"
- NHS Talking Therapies Isle of Wight NHS Trust, PWP National Networking Forum 2024
quote icon
"Really useful topics covered, great speakers who shared a lot of passion and insight"
- Blackpool Talking Therapies, PWP National Networking Forum 2024
quote icon
"Great day talking about some of the hot topics"
- Steps 2 Wellbeing, PWP National Networking Forum 2024
quote icon
"Well presented and informative forum providing lots of opportunity for reflection on the poignant parts of the PWP role"
- Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Talking Therapies Service, PWP Professional Development Forum 2023
quote icon
"Really inspiring for PWPs to hear about the passion and possibilities in the role"
- Greenwich Time to Talk - NHS Talking Therapies, PWP Professional Development Forum 2023
quote icon
"I found it really inspiring and it has made me feel more positive and empowered about my role as a PWP, and how as a SPWP I can pass these messages onto other PWPs"
- Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service, PWP Professional Development Forum 2023
quote icon
"Really great event, so interesting, so much to take away and think about"
- Bedfordshire Talking Therapies, PWP Professional Development Forum 2023
quote icon
"It was incredibly valuable to share, and witness my colleague present on, my experience as a Step 2 Clinical Lead and also hear from other leaders in services about what we can do to develop the PWP role"
- We Are With You, PWP Professional Development Forum 2023
quote icon
"Really knowledgeable"
- Pennine Care NHS Talking Therapies, PWP Professional Development Forum 2023

With thanks to our sponsor

SilverCloud by Amwell a leading provider of evidence-based digital mental and behavioural healthcare solutions. Supporting 80% of NHS Talking Therapies Services, with up to 70% clinical recovery rates.

Attend as a sponsor

Our role at SBK Healthcare is to bring industry together with healthcare professionals so that you can educate and inform your audience. These trail-blazing talking therapies forums offer dedicated presentations, Q&A, networking and discussion time, each sponsor will be fully  immersed into the event and able to effectively engage with your NHS audience.

Your event, managed by us

SBK Healthcare also provides in-house forums. Working closely with you as the client we can research, produce, market and deliver the conference or online forum that best suits the audience and meets your goals.

Reach out today

If you would like more information on our sponsorship options an in-house forum or if you wish to discuss your needs and what solutions may be appropriate for your business, please contact: 

Vanessa Pearce
Contact: 01732 897788
Email: Vanessa.Pearce@sbk-healthcare.co.uk