Seeking Solace and Safety

A Mental Health Response to People with Trauma Histories

“Work to minimize the trauma associated with the care system…People, particularly women who have been assaulted or abused in the past, often report the mental health system as reactivating that original trauma”.  

 --BC Provincial Mental Health Advocate’s Report 2000
 

An interdisciplinary training for all clinical staff was collaboratively designed to promote safe recovery, and prevent inadvertent retraumatization of patients with trauma histories at Riverview (psychiatric) Hospital. This curriculum was then piloted (with in-house co-facilitators) on two wards and evaluated by the BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health.  In-house trainers in 2002-2003 are taking the course to other sections of the hospital.

Content:

The 12 hour curriculum is in 2 parts:

I. Preventing Retraumatization
II. Safety and Containment Skills

It can be delivered in 4 modules, each 3 hours in length for ease of scheduling.

Features include:

• Building an agency-wide response through enhancement of current practice

• Customizing to the site with an interdisciplinary advisory committee, including consumer and family reps

• Incorporating “best practices” for trauma recovery in the “safety stage”, helping survivors increase their emotional and physical safety

• Collaborative team approaches that empower patients and prevent “staff splitting”.
   

From the evaluation:

• 85% of the 70 interdisciplinary staff trained in the pilot reported the sessions “very helpful” in raising issues that will be relevant to their work.

• Participants reported a “definite increase in confidence in their ability to work with patients with severe trauma histories”.
   

For more information on the curriculum and on customizing to your setting, contact:

Kathleen Whipp MSW RSW
Counselling & Consulting
604-948-4870