Trauma Preparedness Training
We have developed a new and unique Trauma Preparedness training to significantly reduce the risk of staff being harmed by their work. Far preferable to picking up the pieces once damage has been done.
Some jobs are unique in terms of the likelihood of exposure to potentially traumatic experiences. Such experiences may include direct exposure to events that can result in a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)*and/or involve work that exposes them to other people’s trauma.
These jobs are critical, not just to the wellbeing of the communities they serve, but also in terms of the critical pressure exerted on the psychological wellbeing of the professionals in those roles. Examples of critical occupations (COs) include policing, prison work, social work, fire and rescue, and many front-line health services.
*For PTSD to be diagnosed, a person will have experienced an event that was a threat to their life or physical safety, or to have witnessed such a threat to someone else, for example, being assaulted or witnessing a car crash.
Prevention is always better than a cure…
Our Trauma Preparedness Training is a one-day psycho-educational programme.
Knowledge is power and if staff understand what can happen psychologically, physiologically and neurologically, when they experience potentially traumatic circumstances, they are then empowered to respond adaptively, initiate self-recovery and know when to seek professional support.
When an organisation knowing exposes staff to potential trauma, it is paramount that those staff are well prepared. Most people working in ‘critical occupations’, or COs, are pretty good at processing their work-related experiences most of the time, but a bit like running a marathon, it is essential to train and get prepared first. The purpose of such training is prevention of injury – the better prepared the lower the risk of harm.
Our Trauma Preparedness Training programme covers the following:
- Typical and atypical trauma inducing incidents (it isn’t always the obvious stuff that causes us problems).
- Understanding what happens to mind and body in response to high risk situations.
- Individual differences in response to trauma.
- Understanding normal responses to abnormal situations, and knowing when to seek support.
- Strategies for adapting well in the aftermath of a traumatic event, and strategies that don’t work.
- The context of trauma recovery.
- The three duties of care: to yourself, to the organisation you work for and their duty of care to look after you.
Our Trauma Preparedness Training Attendees are introduced to our psycho-education training with the aims of:
- Minimising the risk of experiencing long-term psychological harm as a result of things they might experience at work.
- Addressing prevention and quick identification.
- Helping attendees understand how human beings might respond to trauma and why there is so much variation between us.
- Understanding that experiencing a traumatic event does not mean PTSD is inevitable.
- Enjoying the event and know that it is also supportive and optimistic – sometimes psychological adversity can help us grow.
Our one-day programme is delivered by two experienced Petros facilitators (one of whom will always be a qualified psychologist/psychotherapist) in a highly interactive way, including the use of videos, small and large group discussions and case study material. Ideally, this day will be paired with our evidenced-based resilience training, The Challenge of Change, ensuring attendees also have strategies for fulfilling their duty of care to themselves.
Find out more about our Petros trainers and facilitators.
Find out more about The Challenge of Change programme for personal resilience.