Community Trainings
Sunrise’s Community Trainings are offered to anyone who is interested in strengthening their trauma-informed skills with peers. Our team of professional trainers can come to your location or you and your team can come to our training facility.
These are offered on a sliding scale to businesses, non-profit organizations, faith communities and anyone interested in building their skills. Cost is not a barrier.
Recovery Messaging Training: How NOT to hurt with your words
This training explores the stigma surrounding substance use and mental health recovery, and challenges participants to rethink common recovery-related language that may unintentionally cause harm. Even with the best intentions, many of us use phrases or concepts that reinforce stigma without realizing it.
This training identifies harmful terminology, explains its impact, and offers more accurate, respectful, and humanizing alternatives. By learning to communicate in ways that promote dignity and hope, we can better support both ourselves and others in recovery.
Facilitated by Sunrise Certified Peer Support Specialists, this free training combines professional expertise with lived experience to show how the words we choose can either harm or heal—and how intentional, recovery-oriented language can make a powerful difference.
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Training@sunriseinasheville.org
Verbal De-Escalation
This training equips participants with practical tools and a trauma-informed mindset to safely and effectively de-escalate situations involving emotional distress, aggression, or crisis. De-escalation is not only about helping another person manage behavior—it’s also about regulating your own internal state and using communication strategies grounded in dignity, safety, and empathy.
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Training@sunriseinasheville.org
Motivational Interviewing
This training provides a complete and practical overview of Motivational Interviewing (MI). It moves beyond basic definitions to equip attendees with the reflective, non-confrontational communication skills needed to foster motivation, build rapport, and support change in individuals at all stages of recovery or engagement.
MI should be framed as a flexible, trauma-informed tool that can be used across settings—especially in low-barrier, harm reduction-focused services.
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Training@sunriseinasheville.org
Resource Navigation and Networking
Learn how to confidently connect people to vital community resources. This training focuses on empowering others through system navigation, resource connection and authentic relationship building
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Training@sunriseinasheville.org
Ethics and Boundaries
Participants will examine the roles of values, ethical guidelines and healthy boundaries in peer relationships- especially when working in recovery settings where shared experiences can feel personal.
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Training@sunriseinasheville.org
Wellness Within: Self Care
This training explores self-care as a foundational practice. Participants will learn how to manage stress, prevent compassion fatigue and maintain healthy boundaries.
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Training@sunriseinasheville.org
Trauma-Informed Response Training
The GAINS Center has developed training for criminal justice professionals to raise awareness about trauma and its effects. “How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses” is a half-day training for criminal justice professionals to:
- Increase understanding and awareness of the impact of trauma
- Develop trauma-informed responses
- Provide strategies for developing and implementing trauma-informed policies
This highly interactive training is specifically tailored to community-based criminal justice professionals, including police officers, community corrections personnel, and court personnel.
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Training@sunriseinasheville.org
RISE: First Episode Psychosis Awareness
Learn the signs and steps needed to take when you or a loved one has experienced a first episode of psychosis. learn that recovery is possible for individuals aged 15-30 years, especially if treated within three years of the first episode.
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact RISE Coordinator Brianna Heiser at BHeiser@sunriseinasheville.org
Overdose Prevention
This life-saving training equips participants with the knowledge and confidence to recognize an opioid overdose, respond effectively and administer the overdose-reversal medication, Narcan
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Sunrise’s Overdose Prevention Coordinator, Destiny Morrow at DMorrow@sunriseinasheville.org
Sunrise Programs and Overview
Learn some of the reasons why overdose deaths have skyrocketed in the past 10 years, what are some causes for chaotic substance use and how Sunrise’s peer support and programming supports recovery in all its forms.
To schedule a training at your location or at Sunrise’s Training Center at 370 North Louisiana Avenue, Asheville 28806, please contact Sunrise’s Marketing and Development Director, Jodi Ford at JFord@sunriseinasheville.org