Difficult conversations are part of working with people but knowing how to approach them with confidence, empathy and clarity isn’t always easy.
Pause, Listen, Lead is a practical online professional development workshop for early childhood educators, teachers, school leaders and education support staff who want to communicate more effectively with colleagues, teams and families.
You’ll learn practical strategies to help you prepare for challenging conversations, listen with purpose and respond in ways that strengthen relationships rather than create further tension.
This workshop can help you when you need to:
- raise a sensitive issue with a colleague
- navigate disagreement or tension within a team
- respond to a concerned or upset parent or family member
- support someone through a difficult situation
- communicate expectations or boundaries clearly
- approach a conversation you’ve been putting off
- stay calm and constructive when emotions are running high.
What you’ll learn
Through practical strategies and guided reflection, you’ll explore how to:
- recognise what makes conversations difficult
- prepare for challenging or sensitive discussions
- listen actively and with empathy
- communicate clearly without escalating tension
- respond thoughtfully when conversations become emotional
- build trust and psychological safety through everyday communication
- reflect on your own communication and leadership style.
You’ll leave with practical approaches you can use immediately in your workplace.
About the online workshop
Good communication isn’t about having the perfect words. It’s about knowing when to pause, how to listen and how to respond with intention.
In education settings, conversations can involve competing priorities, strong emotions and complex relationships. Whether you’re speaking with a colleague, supporting your team or responding to a family, the way you approach a difficult conversation can shape what happens next.
Pause, Listen, Lead creates space to develop the communication skills that help make those conversations more constructive.
The workshop combines practical strategies with opportunities to reflect on real situations from education settings, helping you build confidence in conversations that matter.
Who should attend?
This online workshop is designed for people working across early childhood, primary and secondary education, including:
- early childhood, primary and high school educators and teachers
- classroom teachers
- year advisers and coordinators
- wellbeing and support staff
- educational leaders and managers
- deputy principals and principals
- counsellors and other professionals working with children, families and education teams.
You don’t need to be a formal leader to attend. If your role involves navigating challenging conversations with colleagues, teams or families, this workshop is for you.
Details
Date: Tuesday 27 October 2026.
Time: 6:30pm to 8pm (AEDT).
Location: Online webinar, attendees will receive their access details the week of the webinar.
Speaker: Dr Mary Jo McVeigh OAM, social worker, director and founder of Cara House
Ticket price: $65 per person (including GST).
Booking form: Download the booking form
Purchase tickets: Purchase tickets
If you would like to purchase your ticket via bank transfer, please email (info@committedtochildcareconferences.com) the team and we will send you our banking details.
Professional accreditation
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
This presentation meets the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:
- Standard 6 – Engage in professional learning.
About the speaker
Dr Mary Jo McVeigh OAM
Social worker, director and founder of Cara House
Mary Jo is the founding CEO of Cara House, which is one of Sydney’s leading trauma consulting and training agencies. She has worked in the field of trauma and child protection for nearly 40 years in Belfast, London, Auckland and Sydney.
Mary Jo has a Masters in Social Work and is a trained trauma therapist. She is recognised as an expert in the field of child protection, trauma therapy and leadership coaching.
Mary Jo is a lecturer at the University of Sydney and most recently completed a research PhD in Social Work at the university, focusing on children’s rights and participatory values.
Her session will focus on practical strategies teachers can use to create safe, supportive classroom environments that promote healing, resilience and learning.
Registration policy
Read our registration policy.