Trauma Informed Interviewing in the Healthcare Setting, 7 August 2024

Already traumatised people can be further traumatised when engaging with services and needing to answer lots of questions. This workshop equips workers with practical strategies in conducting interviews in a culturally safe and trauma-informed way, and responding to the person’s distress. It will also address the vicarious trauma that workers may experience when exposed to the distress and difficult content when assisting traumatised people seeking assistance for a variety of issues.

Content includes:

• Recognising and understanding trauma
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• Impacts of trauma on the brain, memory and relationships
• Establishing safety and trust
• Engaging effectively and building rapport
• Questioning skills
• Navigating the challenges of memory and checking for understanding
• What to do if someone becomes distressed/has a panic attack/dissociates
• Empowering people through providing information and allowing choice
• Identifying supports
• Closing a session sensitively
• Vicarious trauma, boundaries, and self-care

Who should attend?
Relevant to anyone who needs to get information through asking questions, via a formal interview or more informal means, from people who are suffering from some type of trauma, in order to provide appropriate assistance and support services.

Trainer - Dr Iyngaran Selvaratnam
GP, Community Development Worker/Trainer, STARTTS