The Leading Provider for
Trauma Support
Workshop: Introduction to self-Care for the helping profession
Stress, burnout, and professional impairment are prevalent among mental health professionals and can have a negative impact on their clinical work, whilst engagement in self-care can help promote therapist well-being. This course examines the role of self-care in the promotion of well-being among mental health practitioners. Specifically, in domains of self-care practice, including awareness, balance, flexibility, physical health, social support, and spirituality and the importance of taking a proactive approach to self-care.
advance debriefing: a holistic approach
This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of advanced debriefing, a holistic approach to trauma counselling. The presenter, Tobie Snyman, and developer, Claus Dittmer, argues that traditional debriefing methods may be ineffective and even harmful, and proposes a new approach that considers the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of trauma. Read more...
Advanced Debriefing –
a holistic approach
By Claus Dittmer (MA Pastoral Studies - NWU)
Psychological debriefing is broadly defined as a set of procedures including counselling and the giving of information aimed at preventing psychological morbidity and aiding recovery after a traumatic event. Debriefing is generally applied within the first few days after a traumatic event, lasts one to three hours, and usually includes procedures that encourage and normalize emotional expression.
Some evidence about the ineffectiveness of debriefing has come from randomized trials that have used broad definitions of debriefing; thus, it might be that these findings have arisen because an inappropriate form of debriefing was used. There is little evidence to support current debriefing practices, and little is known about why debriefing might adversely affect recovery. There does, however, continue to be a great need for an early intervention that is demonstrably effective after a trauma.
There are various ways of approaching the debriefing process all trying to achieve the same goal. However, today we are going to approach it by looking at different areas in the person’s life and allowing them to guide the process with what they feel comfortable in sharing and taking on. The counsellor’s role is to guide this process and make sure that all the areas are covered, but also to make sure that the process is not forced beyond what the patient is comfortable with or what might further- or re-traumatize them.
