Accidental Counsellors: Responding to Refugee Trauma Related Distress and Crises
This important workshop is for those who are ‘accidental counsellors’; someone who is not working as a professional counsellor, and who needs to safely and effectively support people from refugee backgrounds ‘on the spot’ who are experiencing distress or a crisis.
Through discussions, videos and role plays, you will better understand trauma responses such as ‘black and white thinking’, angry presentations and dissociation. You will develop practical skills to communicate with empathy, actively listen, ask appropriate questions, paraphrase, acknowledge and validate, and to ground people.
At the end of the workshop you will have learnt how to contribute to the person’s trauma recovery and empowerment, act as a buffer against strong emotions, make sure the person is okay in the moment and safe to leave the session, and offer immediate support, assistance and appropriate referral.
It assumed that participants have attended (or will attend) the STARTTS workshop ‘Core Concepts in Working with People from Refugee Backgrounds‘, as it covers foundational concepts that are important to understand for this workshop.
Content includes:
- Recognising torture and refugee trauma responses to the complexity of resettlement and seeking protection
- Empathic listening
- Active listening – reflecting feelings, paraphrasing
- Asking appropriate questions
- Containment skills
- Acknowledging and normalising
- Re-establishing boundaries
- Grounding skills
- Moving towards a resolution
- Building resilience
- Identifying supports and referrals
- Ending the session
Who should attend?
This workshop is essential for anyone working with, studying a profession for, or volunteering with people from refugee backgrounds and people seeking asylum.
Our Trainer – Tristan Favaloro
Trainer/Project Officer
Tristan is a STARTTS Trainer/Project Officer, driven by a strong commitment to helping and advocating for vulnerable individuals, refugees and asylum seekers. As a qualified physiotherapist, he has extensive experience working in various NSW Residential Aged Care Facilities and community settings, where he has provided therapy, education, and training to people of all ages and backgrounds. Prior to commencing with STARTTS, Tristan facilitated the delivery and training of a Stepping On program with for Tamil refugees in collaboration with STARTTS, showcasing his passion for educating and uplifting marginalized communities. Read more…
A fantastic facilitator, someone who always gave the group an opportunity to reflect, ask questions
Cost:
Early Bird – $315 | $288 concession (5 tickets available, ends 2 months before event)
Standard – $350 | $320 concession
Note – there is a 5% late fee for registering after 8.30am the day before the event. Costs are in Australian dollars.
Registration
All registrations are online and payment is by credit card. Please click on the relevant ‘Register’ button above. A confirmation email will be sent to you automatically which will include the Zoom link. You will receive a reminder email one week and one day before the event. Please see the terms and conditions below.
Workshop delivery
STARTTS workshops are delivered by trainers experienced in the trauma field. They are interactive and normally include small group discussions via breakout rooms, case studies, self-reflections, videos and other types of activities. This workshop is delivered via Zoom. The Zoom link will be included in the registration confirmation email and the reminder emails.
Certificates and handouts
A PDF of the slides will be emailed to you a day before the event. A certificate of completion will be emailed to you the day after the event.
CPD points – 6 CPD hours
This workshop adheres to the continuing professional development standards of most professional bodies. Please check the CPD policy of your professional body.
Request in-house training
This workshop is available upon request. Please go to the ‘Request Training‘ page for further information about workshop fees and how to make a request for your workplace. Please note that requests need to be made and confirmed at least 6-8 weeks in advance as we do get booked up.
Contact us
stts-training@health.nsw.gov.au
(02) 9646 6700 Ask for the Training Administration Officer
Terms and conditions
Payment of the registration fee is online by credit card and a receipt/confirmation will be automatically emailed to you. An administration fee of $30 applies to all cancellations made more than 14 days the day before the start of the event. Registration once paid cannot be cancelled 14 days or less the day before the start of the event, regardless of personal circumstances. Registration can be transferred to another delegate only if STARTTS is informed of the name change. Registration cannot be transferred to another workshop. The concession price is for full-time students, seniors and the unemployed. A photocopy or pdf of a valid concession card must be forwarded to the STARTTS training team upon registration. Registrations will not be confirmed until full payment is received. The deadlines for the early bird and standard prices cannot be extended. Sometimes STARTTS will need to change the trainer of a particular workshop. The STARTTS Training Team can be contacted at stts-training@health.nsw.gov.au or (02) 9646 6700.