The passage discusses changes in approaches to humanitarian aid worker mental health. It notes a shift from crisis response models to preventative care and an increased focus on staff well-being. Factors like unpredictable work environments, threats of violence, organizational changes and loss of team structures impact mental health. Recent research highlights the importance of resilience-building and understanding brain health. Going forward, opportunities include increased training, practical resilience strategies, and improved global mental health standards and access to care.
What is Trauma and Why Must We Address It? (Part I: Implications for Clinical...MFLNFamilyDevelopmnt
This 2 hour webinar will highlight various types of trauma and its impact on individuals and families. The presenters will provide an introduction to trauma-informed care and highlight benefits in utilizing this treatment approach for prevention and intervention work with both military and civilian families. The video to this presentation can be found here: https://learn.extension.org/events/1734#.VIemvr7yPKA
What is Trauma and Why Must We Address It? (Part I: Implications for Clinical...MFLNFamilyDevelopmnt
This 2 hour webinar will highlight various types of trauma and its impact on individuals and families. The presenters will provide an introduction to trauma-informed care and highlight benefits in utilizing this treatment approach for prevention and intervention work with both military and civilian families. The video to this presentation can be found here: https://learn.extension.org/events/1734#.VIemvr7yPKA
By Oblio Stroyman, M.Ed, LMFT, NCGCII
Presented at the 2011 Oregon Problem Gambling Services Spring Training, Salem, OR. Please contact author for publishing/sharing rights.
Mental health continues to be an important issue affecting so many Canadians. I wrote three stories for the series for the Canadian Nurses Association in partnership with the Mental Health Commission of Canada. The stories were: Reducing Stigma in Health-Care Settings; Suicide Prevention and Postvention Initiatives; and When Mental Illness and the Justice System Intersect.
By Annette Selmer, MS, LPC; Facilitated by Jackei Fabrick, MA, LPC at May 2011 Oregon Problem Gambling Services Spring Training.
Please contact presenters for use or sharing of presentation material.
ACT implementation may include a variety of
community stakeholders as well as both local and state
health authorities. If an organization is providing
effective ACT services, many systems which interface
with ACT clients (e.g., behavioral healthcare, primary
healthcare, criminal justice) have an investment in the
outcomes generated by ACT, because clients will not
be showing up in those systems as frequently. Courts,
hospitals, managed-care companies, and the local
mental health authority all interact with the
individuals you are serving. Therefore, it is important
to engage these key stakeholders in the
implementation process.
Making Recovery Real: Improving Employment Outcomes Using Peer Support ServicesMHTP Webmastere
Making Recovery Real: Improving Employment Outcomes Using Peer Support Services.
This presentation details the important role Peer Support Specialists play in improving employment outcomes
among those recovering from mental illness.
Developing Emotional Intelligence for Healthcare LeadersYasmin AbdelAziz
Skills in emotional intelligence (EI) help healthcare leaders understand, engage and
motivate their team. They are essential for dealing well with conflict and creating workable
solutions to complex problems.
An edited, and reedited, version of the story I wrote for RPS on the need for Person Centered Hospital Care in 2015. We ALL hope to avoid the past experiences of 4 point restraints, isolation rooms and punitive care that is so often experienced as re traumatization. It wasn't helpful for the clients or the staff either. That's what we are all working together to CHANGE.
Listen to this presentation on Counselor Toolbox Podcast, available on any podcast app. Earn CEUs for this at https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/399/c/
By Oblio Stroyman, M.Ed, LMFT, NCGCII
Presented at the 2011 Oregon Problem Gambling Services Spring Training, Salem, OR. Please contact author for publishing/sharing rights.
Mental health continues to be an important issue affecting so many Canadians. I wrote three stories for the series for the Canadian Nurses Association in partnership with the Mental Health Commission of Canada. The stories were: Reducing Stigma in Health-Care Settings; Suicide Prevention and Postvention Initiatives; and When Mental Illness and the Justice System Intersect.
By Annette Selmer, MS, LPC; Facilitated by Jackei Fabrick, MA, LPC at May 2011 Oregon Problem Gambling Services Spring Training.
Please contact presenters for use or sharing of presentation material.
ACT implementation may include a variety of
community stakeholders as well as both local and state
health authorities. If an organization is providing
effective ACT services, many systems which interface
with ACT clients (e.g., behavioral healthcare, primary
healthcare, criminal justice) have an investment in the
outcomes generated by ACT, because clients will not
be showing up in those systems as frequently. Courts,
hospitals, managed-care companies, and the local
mental health authority all interact with the
individuals you are serving. Therefore, it is important
to engage these key stakeholders in the
implementation process.
Making Recovery Real: Improving Employment Outcomes Using Peer Support ServicesMHTP Webmastere
Making Recovery Real: Improving Employment Outcomes Using Peer Support Services.
This presentation details the important role Peer Support Specialists play in improving employment outcomes
among those recovering from mental illness.
Developing Emotional Intelligence for Healthcare LeadersYasmin AbdelAziz
Skills in emotional intelligence (EI) help healthcare leaders understand, engage and
motivate their team. They are essential for dealing well with conflict and creating workable
solutions to complex problems.
An edited, and reedited, version of the story I wrote for RPS on the need for Person Centered Hospital Care in 2015. We ALL hope to avoid the past experiences of 4 point restraints, isolation rooms and punitive care that is so often experienced as re traumatization. It wasn't helpful for the clients or the staff either. That's what we are all working together to CHANGE.
Listen to this presentation on Counselor Toolbox Podcast, available on any podcast app. Earn CEUs for this at https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/399/c/
Es para refexionar un poco sobre el bmx lo cual es un deporte sano, abeces muchos la toma como vandalismo lo cual no lo es. Es un deporte donde te esfuerzas tu para llegar a un proposito y ser un buen rider.
Creating adaptable communities summary from Empowering Adaptable Communities ...Innovations2Solutions
Sodexo was honored to be a featured presenter at the 2nd Annual Atlantic Center for Population Health Sciences Empowering Adaptable Communities Summit. The Summit was held on October 21 and 22, 2015, in Morristown, New Jersey, at the College of Saint Elizabeth. The event was devoted to providing new insights, information, inspiration, and personal connections in our united efforts to empower communities to be more adaptable.
The development of closed cultures in healthcare is not a new phenomenon. Closed cultures can occur in any industry, profession, or team because closed cultures are the product of several conditions that have been established.
A briefing for Public Health teams on a public mental health approach resilience, trauma and coping beyond the pandemic, and addressing the needs of communities and workplaces
How to Create a Supportive Environment for Mental Health Professionals Solh ...Solh Wellness
Discover expert tips to foster a supportive environment for mental health professionals. Enhance well-being and productivity with proven tips by Solh Wellness.
Read and respond to each peer initial post with 3-4 sentence long re.docxniraj57
Read and respond to each peer initial post with 3-4 sentence long response
Peer #1
For the Research Assignment, I have chosen to focus on an area of Healthcare that rarely gets the
attention it deserves.
Mental health.
I
chose this topic because I am personally effected by it and so are many millions of Americans. Mental illness is also one of the leading causes of
death in our nation and one life is lost as a result of suicide, abuse or incarceration every 17mins in the United States. Mental illness has been my
area of focus throughout this program and the advocacy and participatory philosophy will be useful for the final project because it suggests that
“
that research inquiry needs to be intertwined with politics and a political agenda” (Creswell, p.9). I do believe that mental health has a specific
agenda for a study and that there has been constant aim for reform in healthcare and mental health. This social issue is definitely pertinent right
now and topics that address it such as “empowerment, inequality, oppression, domination, suppression, and alienation” (Creswell, p.9), and are
really the focus of the study. The goal of this project for me, is to provide a voice to participants and give them the ability address the concerns that
will lead to reform.
According to Kemmis and Wilkinson (1998) this philosophy offers four key features of the advocacy/participatory framework of inquiry:
1. Participatory actions are focused on bringing about change, and at the end of this type of study, researchers create an action agenda for change.
2. It is focused on freeing individuals from societal constraints, which is why the study begins with an important issue currently in society.
3. It aims to create a political debate so that change will occur.
4. Since advocacy/participatory researchers engage participants as active contributors to the research, it is a collaborative experience.
Research Problem Statement
My Vision is to Provide members of the community with the opportunities and education needed to prevent death due to suicide, acts of self-harm
and the traumatic impact of mental illness. By promoting resilience, the enhancement of community resources, conflict resolution and support for
individuals, families and the communities of those who suffer with mental disorders, illness or have a sudden mental health crisis. The target
population includes all individuals within Chatham County, with unmet mental health needs.
These individuals are currently not being served by
traditional methods due to financial, structural, and personal barriers including access and stigma. Untreated mental health
issues of these
individuals put them at risk for exacerbation of physical health problems, suicide attempts, premature moves to long-term care settings, and
psychiatric hospitalization, incarceration, residential alcohol/drug treatment or homelessness. The target population is all individuals within
Chatham County, ...
James Caringi, PhD Presentation at 2016 Science of HOPE
Description:
Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) is defined as, “the natural and consequent behaviors and emotions resulting from knowing about a traumatizing event experienced by a significant other, the stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person” (Figley, 1995). Professionals and caregivers frequently work with individuals, families, groups, and communities who have experienced multiple adverse childhood experience (ACE) traumas and as a result, are at high risk for experiencing STS. Secondary Traumatic Stress can lead to personal health issues, loss of productivity, and turnover and therefore should be a concern for practitioners and administrators.
This presentation will address the causes of STS and offer ideas for both prevention and recovery. In addition, findings from empirical research projects examining STS, burnout, and peer support will be reviewed. Methods to create a trauma informed organization that can both prevent and mitigate the impact of STS will be reviewed and critiqued. Finally, the presenter will facilitate an action research process designed to enable participants to begin the development of self-care plans that they can use in their organizations.
1. 5/10/2014 Mental Health | MonthlyDevelopments Magazine
http://www.monthlydevelopments.org/article/mental-health-0 1/3
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Mental Health
The changing approach to humanitarian assistance.
By Alicia Jones, Assistant Director, Don Bosch, Director of Clinical Services, and Rick Williamson, Consulting Psychologist,
Headington Institute
Over the last decade, the humanitarian community has come a long way in understanding the challenges aid work presents
to the mental health of humanitarian staff. It has slowly shifted from a trauma response model—waiting until individuals
exhibit problems before helping them—to a model that embeds aspects of preventative care within agency policies. And it
has gradually shifted from viewing staff crises in the field as strictly a matter of individual vulnerability to recognizing our
collective ethical imperative for staff well-being.
Most mental health crises in the field are normal reactions to highly abnormal situations, and no one is immune from the
toxic psychological effects of these situations. This is pushing employers to become increasingly cognizant of their
responsibilities in this regard. The growing impact of legal liability is certainly adding to this pressure. Many organizations
now provide more predeployment preparation, security training, and some access to mental health or peer support
services. Finally, research has demonstrated the significant role management plays in the ability of humanitarian staff to
cope with challenging environments. A chaotic agency response to crisis or challenge significantly influences the impact of
trauma on staff.
So perhaps now is a good time to evaluate where we stand. What has changed? How are changes in organizations’
structures or the context of aid work impacting aid worker mental health? What are we learning about mental health and aid
work that deserves our attention? Where do we go from here?
What has changed?
The delivery of aid has grown more complex. Increasingly, aid work entails a delicate equilibrium between various political
and religious factions. These negotiated environments are highly changeable and require frequent shifts in operations. Such
constant and often unpredictable change can result in a decreased sense of personal control, a central ingredient in keeping
stress from becoming toxic.
Moreover, aid workers are increasingly the direct targets of intentional violence and threat. Kidnapping, assault and
bombings are becoming more common. As the likelihood of encountering critical incidents increases, organizations need to
be aware of the impact of repeated hits on brain health and be extremely thoughtful about both rest and recovery policies
and also security and how security training is conducted. Preparing workers in advance on how to operate in hostile
environments and how to understand and control their own psychological responses to critical incidents can literally be the
difference between life and serious injury or death.
2. 5/10/2014 Mental Health | MonthlyDevelopments Magazine
http://www.monthlydevelopments.org/article/mental-health-0 2/3
NGO structures are also shifting. Major shifts in organizational leadership and strategy are creating seismic waves of
change that are felt from the very top level of leadership down to the front lines. This unpredictability adds to the strain
national and international staff already encounter as they adjust to these changes and the accordant uncertainty about their
own roles in the future.
As international agencies shift to nationalizing responses it raises questions about who will be responsible for staff care and
how it will be funded. In the midst of budget cuts, such staff support resources are often trimmed and streamlined. A new
staff care approach is needed that fits the emerging humanitarian model.
Finally, team-based models are breaking down, which is also leading to a loss of the emotional support, protection and
camaraderie they once provided. Individuals that are part of a high functioning team are far more psychologically resilient
than individuals operating on their own. This is partly due to the significant stress buffering impact team support provides.
Resilient teams naturally boost the resilience of all the members. Furthermore, in the chaos of disaster response, there is
comfort in clearly defined roles, established lines of communication and familiarity with ways of operating. With the
emergence of new disaster management models, finding new ways to enhance a sense of team and build in these
protective factors will be a worthwhile investment.
What deserves our attention?
The latest findings in neuroscience have important implications for aid worker mental health, both in terms of mental health
impact and recovery, and also in terms of what is needed to remain resilient. Increasingly we are learning how brain
structures are influenced by our environment, our support systems and our own behaviors and activities that either enable
or undermine brain health and function. In other words, aid workers who lack the proper resilience building regimens may
experience emotional challenges and cognitive declines related to structural and physiological changes in their brains. This
understanding highlights the importance of preventative care. As the brain structures change due to repeated exposure to
toxic or traumatic stress, individuals are increasingly prone to anxiety, depression, burnout and impaired functioning.
There is a growing understanding that resilience is not simply a cluster of personality and genetic traits that allow some
people to bounce back while others remain vulnerable. Clearly some individuals do have an advantage or disadvantage due
to their genetics or upbringing, and this needs to be taken into account by individuals accepting various posts and by
organizations in hiring or placement. However, resilience is increasingly seen as a state, not a trait. This means that what
we actively do to promote our own brain health is ultimately more influential than the cards we were dealt in life. The latest
findings from studies by us and our partners provide a better understanding of these behaviors and disciplines.
Organizations need to support activities and policies that build resilience practices in order to offset the impact of high
intensity environments; doing so is clearly beneficial to both individuals and the organization.
These resilience-enhancing practices may look or be implemented differently depending on gender, cultural or faith
practices. This has practical applications and highlights the need to adjust regional staff support programs to take into
account these differences.
Paralleling the complex notion of resilience is the complexity of vulnerability and security: the definition of who is at risk.
Some individuals may be at greater risk for critical incident exposure because of culture, gender, sexual orientation or
religion; stories about aid workers being singled out for assault on the basis of one of these factors are all too common.
Supporting the well-being and mental health of multinational teams will require sensitivity to and evaluation of these risks in
ways that account for varying threat levels among members. It is increasingly important to ensure that training programs
target how to manage these group-specific risks.
Gender assault and harassment remains a significantly underreported, major mental health concern. Those who have
encountered sexual assault are far more likely to develop depression or PTSD than the average population. Combine this
with the other stresses of relief work, legal systems or cultural stigmas that may discourage the reporting of assaults, and
other health complications that may accompany assault, and we have a significant burden that continues to be borne by
untold numbers in the aid community.
Where do we go from here?
Shifts in the humanitarian context can impact aid worker mental health. Yet, clearly not all change is bad. Change is
necessary. There is much we can learn from the field of change management in terms of recognizing that major shifts are
inherently stressful, even when the overall trajectory is a good one. Reflecting on who within the system is hurting and why
is an important process that will help strengthen emerging models for staff support and agency response. Furthermore,
several positive, current trends are creating opportunities to support the mental health of humanitarians.
The widespread movement to professionalize aid and development has generated a number of regional and academic