Journey to Recovery The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM MCG, Melbourne 5 - 6 March, 2015
Program Handbook
Contents Committee
2
Sponsors
2
Partners
2
Welcome
3
Keynotes Speakers
4
Program
6
Program Information
8
Venue & Map
9
General Information
10
Staying Well at the Conference12
Committee
Conference Sponsors
The Expert Advisory Committee provides specialist sectorial advice to ensure the conference achieves the purpose of promoting and advancing the field of attachment and trauma informed practice. We wish to thank the following members for innovation and valuable contribution to the structure, content and ethical considerations in developing the Conference.
The Organising Committee is grateful to the following who, at the time of printing, have given their support in many different ways:
Anne-Maree Rogers EACH Social & Community Health Bronwyn Harrison OzChild Merilyn Duff EACH Social & Community Health Nicky Bisogni Adults Surviving Child Abuse, Mental Health Professional’s Network Ariane Florent Lighthouse Foundation Rudy Gonzalez Lighthouse Institute Catherine Keating Lighthouse Institute Eleanor Bignell Lighthouse Institute
Conference Exhibitors
Conference Partners
Conference Wellness Program 13 Keynote Speaker Abstracts
14
Poster Presentation
15
Oral Abstracts
16
Social Media
21
2
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Welcome Building on the success of the inaugural Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed Practice in 2013, it is with great enthusiasm that I welcome you to the 2015 edition of this community event. Lighthouse Institute, in collaboration with our conference partners, Adults Surviving Child Abuse, Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, EACH Social and Community Health, Mental Health Professionals Network, and OzChild have worked together to bring you another exciting program showcasing the work of numerous internationally renowned experts, in addition to new innovations from around the world in attachment and trauma informed practice. Through these presentations, you will hear about some of the amazing work that is being done to support survivors of trauma in their recovery journey and will explore how this work has progressed over the past 18 months, with a particular focus on what the current research is saying about trauma recovery, what is best practice at an international level, and how we can scale up innovation and collaboration to reach more people. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the conference sponsors and exhibitors: The Australian Government of Health and Mental Health Australia, MacKillop Family Services, Permanent Care and Adoptive Families, Kimochis, the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare and Knightlamp. I would also like to thank those who have generously donated their time and/or goods to support the conference, particularly the Wellness Program volunteers who will be ensuring our delegates stay well at the conference. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work closely with all members of the Conference Expert Advisory Committee made up of Anne-Maree Rogers (EACH), Bronwyn Harrison (OzChild), Cathy Kezelman (ASCA), Merilyn Duff (EACH), Nicky Bisogni (ASCA & MHPN), and Ariane Florent (Lighthouse Foundation). Their advice and input into the structure, content and delivery of the conference and ongoing support has been invaluable. We have speakers and delegates from all over the world participating in the conference and we feel truly honoured that so many inspirational and influential people will be attending this event. We hope that the conference will inspire you all - that you take in and reflect on the diverse knowledge being shared over the coming the days and leave with a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm for the advancement of this vital work. I look forward to reconnecting with those of you who participated in this event in 2013, and welcome those of you who will be joining us for the first time.  Rudy Gonzalez Conference Chair Executive Director, Lighthouse Institute
www.lighthouseinstitute.org.au info@lighthouseinstitute.org.au Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
3
Keynote Speakers
DR MICHAEL MERZENICH, PhD Dr. Merzenich is the brain behind BrainHQ and the author of Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life. For nearly five decades, he has been a leading pioneer in brain plasticity research. As co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Posit Science, Michael Merzenich heads the company’s science team. Dr. Merzenich has published more than 150 articles in leading peer-reviewed journals (such as Science and Nature), received numerous awards and prizes (including the Ipsen Prize, Zülch Prize, Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award and Purkinje Medal), and been granted nearly 100 patents for his work. He and his work have been highlighted in hundreds of books about the brain, learning, rehabilitation, and plasticity. Dr. Merzenich’s work is also often covered in the popular press, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, Wired, Forbes, Discover, and Newsweek. He has appeared extensively on television. He is the scientific consultant and provided the brain assessments and brain training exercises for the Discovery Channel show “Hack My Brain” (which aired in Australia as “Redesign My Brain.”) His work has also been featured on four PBS specials: “The Brain Fitness Program,” “Brain Fitness 2: Sight and Sound,” “The New Science of Learning,” and “Brain Fitness Frontiers.” Dr. Merzenich earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Portland and his PhD at Johns Hopkins. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison before becoming a professor at the University of California, San Francisco. In 2007, he retired from his long career at UCSF as Francis A. Sooy Professor and Co-Director of the Keck Center for Integrative Neuroscience. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1999 and the Institute of Medicine in 2008. In the late 1980s, Dr. Merzenich was on the team that invented the cochlear implant, now distributed by market leader Advanced Bionics. In 1996, Dr. Merzenich was the founding CEO of Scientific Learning Corporation (Nasdaq: SCIL), which markets and distributes software that applies principles of brain plasticity to assist children with language learning and reading.
DR LOUISE BYRNE Dr Louise Byrne works within the mental health sector from the perspective of her own experience of significant mental health challenges, service use and Recovery. For over 15 years Louise experienced hospitalisation and extended periods of debilitating mental unwellness, before finding her niche as a lived experience practitioner - helping to bridge the gap between the experiences of people using mental health services and the perceptions of service providers. Louise has worked from her lived experience in a variety of roles in government, non-government and tertiary settings since 2005. Her current position is at CQUniversity, Australia where she is employed as a fulltime lived experience in mental health academic. Louise’s PhD explored the emerging lived experience workforce in Australia. Louise teaches the Recovery approach in mental health from the perspective of her lived understanding. Research has found great benefit to students in lived experience teaching of the concepts including, an increased interest in working in mental health and a reduction in stigmatising attitudes.
PROF PAT DUDGEON Professor Pat Dudgeon is from the Bardi people of the Kimberly area in Western Australia. She is a psychologist and research fellow at the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Western Australia. Her area of research includes social and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention. Amongst her many commitments, she is a Commissioner of the Australian National Mental Health Commission, on the executive board of the Australian Indigenous Psychologist’s Association, and co-chair of the commonwealth Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Advisory Group. She is currently the project leader of the National Empowerment Project: an Indigenous suicide prevention project working with Aboriginal communities across the country. She has many publications in Indigenous mental health in particular, the Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice. She is actively involved with the Aboriginal community and has a commitment to social justice for Indigenous people.
4
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
DR JUDITH LEWIS HERMAN M.D (via video link) Dr Judith Lewis Herman M.D. is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of Training at the Victims of Violence Program at The Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA. Dr. Herman received her medical degree at Harvard Medical School and her training in general and community psychiatry at Boston University Medical Center. She is the author of two awardwinning books: Father-Daughter Incest (Harvard University Press, 1981), and Trauma and Recovery (Basic Books, 1992), and co-author of The Trauma Recovery Group: A Guide for Practitioners (Guilford 2011). She has lectured and written widely on the subject of sexual and domestic violence. She is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Awards from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (1996) and the Trauma Psychology division of the American Psychological Association (2011). In 2007 she was named a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
DR CATHY KEZELMAN Dr. Cathy Kezelman is a medical practitioner, mental health consumer advocate, President of Adults Surviving Child Abuse (ASCA) , director of Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC), foundation member of the national Trauma Informed Care and Practice Advisory working Group, member of the Mental Health Community Advisory Council (NSW), and on the Advisory Panel of Tzedek. Under her stewardship ASCA has grown from a peer support organisation to a leading national organisation combining a prominent consumer voice with that of researchers, academics and clinicians advocating for socio-political change and informed responsiveness to complex trauma. She is a prominent voice in the media and at conferences, as well as author of a memoir chronicling her journey of recovery from child sexual abuse: Innocence Revisited- a tale in parts. She is co-author of the ASCA document Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery.
DR PAUL VALENT Dr Paul Valent is a psychiatrist who graduated in medicine at the University of Melbourne, and in Psychiatry in London. He has many years’ experience in his specialties of psychotherapy, liaison psychiatry and traumatology. He is a founder and past president of The Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and of The Child Survivor of the Holocaust group in Melbourne. Dr Valent has written many articles, chapters, encyclopaedia entries, and has contributed to the recently launched Trauma Online course. He has written a number of books – Child Survivors of the Holocaust; From Survival to Fulfilment; Trauma and Fulfilment Therapy; and In Two Minds; Tales of a Psychotherapist. Dr Valent is a world leader in trauma theory. Attachment is a vital ingredient in his survival strategies framework.
MS SARAH YANOSY
Director of the Sanctuary Institute Ms Sarah M. Yanosy, LCSW is the Director of the Sanctuary Institute at ANDRUS in Yonkers, NY. As a clinical practitioner of the Sanctuary Model in her work with children and families, Ms. Yanosy collaborated with Dr. Sandra Bloom and colleagues to create the Sanctuary Institute. In her role as Director, Ms. Yanosy has overseen the implementation of this system-wide holistic organizational intervention for over 300 organizations, including residential treatment, D&A treatment, domestic violence, and juvenile justice programs in addition to hospital, community based and school settings across the United States and in seven other countries. She has been a keynote and featured speaker on trauma and organizational culture at both national and international conferences. Her most recent publication is an article co-authored with Landa Harrison entitled “Traumatic Reenactment: How This Triangle Can Sabotage Intervention and Treatment” The International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) (2011). Sponsored by MacKillop Family Services
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
5
Program THURSDAY 05 MARCH 2015 08:00
Registration - Dean Jones Bar
09:00
Opening Address: Kane Bowden, CEO Lighthouse Foundation & Rudy Gonzalez, Executive Director Lighthouse Institute Welcome to Country: Wurundjeri Tribe Council Room: Members Dining Room
09:30
Keynote Address 1 Ms Sarah Yanosy - Sanctuary: Healing for Clients, Organizations and Systems Room: Members Dining Room Chair: Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute
10:30
Morning Tea - Dean Jones Bar
11:00
11:30
12:00
SE-01 Connection & Belonging Chair: Anne-Maree Rogers, EACH Social and Community Health Room: Harrison Room A
SE-02 Culture Chair: Merilyn Duff, EACH Aboriginal Community Health Room: Members Dining Room
SE-03 Education Chair: Bronwyn Harrison, OzChild Room: Harrison Room B
Presentation 1 Finding the hero within: A journey from shame to vulnerability with youth affected by trauma
Presentation 4 ‘What accent? I don’t have an accent – everyone else does.’ Why aren’t we talking about culture, trauma and attachment?
Presentation 7 Smarter schools can reduce the impact of broken attachments
Tania Blomfield, choosetochange
Helen Lenga, Private Practitioner
Gregory Nicolau, Australian Childhood Trauma Group
Presentation 2 “True North” A model of integration and connection for those who are moving out of homelessness into a supported non exclusionary adult residential community
Presentation 5 Exploring ‘attachment’ and parenting perspectives with Aboriginal and other socio-cultural experiences
Presentation 8 The wellbeing classroom
Amanda Smith & Stephanie Winton, Mission Australia
Dr Jenine Godwin-Thompson, Lighthouse Institute
Michael Edgecomb, SMG Community Services
Presentation 3 Being a/part : A study of young people’s experience of belonging
Presentation 6 Nga Pou Wahine: Empowering Maori women to address gambling misuse
Presentation 9 Anglicare Victoria’s ‘TEACHaR’ program – closing the ‘education gap’ for children in care and the value of research-informed innovation
Dr Tatiana Corrales, Anglicare Victoria
Dr Laurie Morrison, Morrison Consultants Ltd
Laura David, Anglicare Victoria
12:30
Keynote Address 2 Professor Pat Dudgeon - The National Empowerment Project, Promoting Cultural, Social and Emotional Wellbeing to Strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities Chair: Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute Room: Members Dining Room
13:30
Performance - Members Dining Room The Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place Choir
13:40
Lunch - Dean Jones Bar
14:30
Keynote Address 3 Dr Paul Valent - Back to Basics : Attachment Trauma and Fulfilment Chair: Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute Room: Members Dining Room
15:30
Survivor Story Carol Jarvis, Support Carer, Lighthouse Foundation Chair: Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute Room: Members Dining Room
15:45
Afternoon Tea - Dean Jones Bar
16:15
Keynote Address 4 Dr Louise Byrne - Recovery Expertise: Gained by Experience Chair: Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute Room: Members Dining Room
17:15
Closing Address - Members Dining Room
17:30
Social Networking Drinks - Dean Jones Bar
6
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
FRIDAY 06 MARCH 2015 08:30
Registration - Dean Jones Bar
09:15
Opening Address: Rudy Gonzalez, Executive Director Lighthouse Institute Room: Members Dining Room
09:30
Keynote Address 5 Dr Judith Lewis Herman (via video link) - Empowerment and Recovery for Trauma Survivors Chair: Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute Room: Members Dining Room
10:30
Morning Tea - Dean Jones Bar
11:00
11:30
SE-04 Impacts of Childhood Trauma in Adulthood Chair: Ariane Florent, Lighthouse Foundation Room: Harrison Room A
SE-05 Trauma Informed Practice Models Chair: Moira Kairys, Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, Inc. Room: Members Dining Room
SE-06 Mental Health Chair: Cathy Kezelman, Adults Surviving Child Abuse Room: Harrison Room B
Presentation 10 Adult attachment in looked after children and their mental health: Exploring the link between childhood adversity and the development of psychiatric disorders
Presentation 14 Therapeutic Family Model of Care™: An attachment and trauma informed approach to practice
Presentation 18 Hidden in plain sight: Creating a trauma informed child and adolescent mental health service
Carly Cameron, PhD., Deakin University
Tymur Hussein, Lighthouse Foundation
Nicola Palfrey & Velissa Aplin, ACT Health
Presentation 11 Udayan Care’s (Sunshine Homes) After Care Program: A unique model of transition from children’s homes to independence
Presentation 15 “Special consideration”: Supporting trauma informed practice with people with disabilities
Presentation 19 The Ripple Intervention – a local tertiary mental health service collaboration to enhance the mental health of young people in OoHC
Dr Kiran Modi, Udayan Care
Sarah Waters, Berry Street A/Prof Annette Jackson, Berry St Take Two
Stephen Halperin, Orygen Youth Health Clinical Program Tony Glynn, Royal Childrens Hospital
12:00
12:30
Presentation 16 Presentation 12 Therapeutic approaches to the treatment of Building trauma-informed practice: Implementation of the Sanctuary Model at trauma and addiction MacKillop Family Services
Presentation 20 Who wants to go on an adventure? The journey of an inner cities adult persons residential service combining Bush Adventure Therapy and Trauma Informed Care (BAT-TIC) for people seeking meaningful recovery
Nigel Joseph, Substance Use Recovery (SURe) consortium, EACH Social and Community Health
Julie Avery, MacKillop Family Services
Amanda Smith & Sue Cramb, Mission Australia – Roma House
Presentation 13 “Where’s the therapy?” Why sessional counselling has limited impact in developmental trauma
Presentation 17 Not in isolation: The importance of relationships in healing childhood trauma
Presentation 21 Trauma for practitioners: Looking after us
Adela Holmes & Stephan Friedrich, Knightlamp
Michelle Taylor, Blossomtree Psychology
Jessica Perring, Bravehearts, Inc.
13:00
Lunch - Dean Jones Bar
14:00
Keynote Address 6 Dr Michael Merzenich - Brain Plasticity-Based Training in Child Populations Chair: Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute Room: Members Dining Room
15:00
Afternoon Tea - Dean Jones Bar
15:30
Keynote Address 7 Dr Cathy Kezelman - Supporting Trauma Survivors Makes Good Economic Sense Chair: Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute Room: Members Dining Room
16:30
Panel Discussion - Dr Michael Merzenich, Dr Cathy Kezelman, Ms Sarah Yanosy, Dr Paul Valent, Tymur Hussein Chair: Peter Streker, Community Stars Room: Members Dining Room
17:00
Conference Close - Rudy Gonzalez, Lighthouse Institute Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
7
Program Information Oral Presentations It is important that all speakers check-in their presentation materials and audio visual material at the Speakers’ Preparation desk at least two hours prior to the commencement of their allocated sessions. Speakers who are presenting on Thursday morning should go directly to the Speakers’ Preparation desk immediately after collecting their registration. Speakers who are presenting on Friday morning should check-in their presentation and audio visual material the day before their presentation.
Speakers’ Preparation Desk The preparation desk for speakers is located in the Dean Jones Bar, next to the registration desk, and will be open during the following hours: Thursday, 5 March 2015 Friday, 6 March 2015
08:30-14:30 08:30-11:00
Networking Drinks Date: Venue: Time: Cost:
Thursday, 5 March 2015 Dean Jones Bar 17:30 – 18:30 Included in full registration
Guest Ticket:
AUD 45.00 per ticket
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to build new relationships, visit with old friends and enjoy the company of your colleagues and peers in a relaxed and informal setting. The Networking Drinks will be a perfect opportunity to catch up with other attendees, while enjoying drinks and nibbles in a relaxed environment.
EACH Social and Community Health provides an integrated range of health, disability, counselling and community mental health services across Australia. OUR VISION IS FOR A HEALTHY AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
8
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Conference Venue and Map Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Address: Yarra Park, Jolimont Terrace Jolimont, Victoria Phone: +61 3 9657 8888 Website: www.mcg.org.au
Members Dining Room - Plenary & Breakout Hans Ebeling - Wellness Program & Debriefing Dean Jones Bar - Registration & Exhibition Area Harrison Rooms - Breakout Rooms
ENTER HERE
Gate 1 - Entry into MCG
A&B
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
9
General Information The following information is provided to make your attendance at the Conference as enjoyable as possible. If you require any assistance throughout the Conference, please visit the staff at the registration desk and we will do everything we can to help you.
Attendance Certificate An electronic certificate of attendance will be provided to all delegates at the conclusion of the Conference. Should you not receive your attendance certificate after the Conference please contact lighthouseconf@icms.com.au
Conference Organiser
ICMS Pty Ltd PO Box 170 Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia P: +61 3 9810 0200 F: +61 3 9818 7111 E: lighthouseconf@icms.com.au W: www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Conference Photography Disclaimer There will be a photographer present over the course of the Conference capturing images. Any images will be retained by the Lighthouse Institute and ICMS Pty Ltd for their purposes. If you have any issues with your photograph being taken, please advise the staff at the registration desk.
Car Parking Public parking is available at Melbourne & Olympic Park, northern car park. Enter car park from Swan Street. Walk across footbridge to the MCG. At the end of the foot bridge you will see light towers 5 and 6. Head towards GATE 1 and enter here.
Disability Access If you require disabled access to any of the session rooms or the Dean Jones Bar please see the MCG security staff or the staff at the registration desk for assistance.
Catering
Exhibition
All morning and afternoon teas and lunches included in your registration fee will be served within the Exhibition area during the Conference. A separate buffet will be set-up within the Exhibition area to cater for delegates who have requested a special dietary meal.
The exhibition will be held in the Dean Jones bar on Level 2 and will be open during the following hours Thursday, 5 March 2015 Friday, 6 March 2015
08:30 – 17:30 09:00 – 15:30
Please take this opportunity to visit our exhibitors who have supported the Conference.
10
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Liability Disclaimer
Registration Desk Hours
In the event of industrial disruption or other unforeseen circumstances, the Conference Organisers accept no responsibility for loss of monies incurred by delegates. The Conference Organisers accept no liability for injuries/losses of whatever nature incurred by participants and/or accompanying persons, nor for loss or damage to their luggage and/or personal belongings. Delegates should make their own arrangements with respect to personal insurance.
The Registration Desk is located in the Dean Jones Bar and will open during the following hours: Thursday, 5 March 2015 Friday, 6 March 2015
08:00 -17:30 08:30 -15:30
Taxis Mobile Phones and Pagers As a courtesy to speakers and other delegates, we request that all mobile phones and pagers are switched to silent mode or off before entering sessions.
Melbourne’s major taxi companies include: 13 Cabs Silver Top Taxi Service Wheelchair Accessible Taxis or Maxi Taxis
132 227 131 008 8413 7202
Ask the taxi driver to drop off or collect you at the corner of Jolimont Terrace and Jolimont Street
Name Badges Your name badge is your entrance ticket to all Conference sessions and the Exhibition. Please wear your name badge at all times.
No Smoking Policy Delegates should be aware that smoking is banned in public buildings and many hotels and restaurants throughout Australia, including the Conference venue.
Travel and Program Disclaimers In the event of any travel disruptions, the Conference Organiser will not be held responsible for any losses incurred by delegates at or enroute to or from the Conference.
Wifi Access Free wifi access will be available in the Members Dining Room for the duration of the Conference. To log onto the MCG wireless, enable wireless on your device and then within the wireless network list, select the Members Dining Room.
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
11
Staying Well at the Conference Working with trauma can be highly demanding. We acknowledge that the Conference material may be overwhelming at times and can contribute to strong emotional reactions in participants. This could be further exacerbated by the individual’s emotional or psychological state, as well as their own trauma histories. The importance of good self-care practices throughout the Conference and in general cannot be overstated.
Psychological/Self-Care Services Available at the Conference • •
A psychologist will be available onsite each day for support and debriefing. If you wish to speak with a psychologist, please see the staff at the registration desk Take advantage of the other activities made available during the breaks as part of the wellness program
Important Self-Care Tips for During the Conference
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Utilise meal breaks to relax and unwind: Sing or listen to some soothing, low tempo music Get in some light exercise, do some stretches Take a walk, get a dose of natural sunlight Eat healthy food and drink plenty of water throughout the day Do something creative, or something you normally enjoy Meditate or do some deep breathing exercises Remember to have fun Process your thoughts and emotions: Observe them rather than become involved in them Write them down, keep a journal Talk to someone Be aware of your potential triggers and the warning signs of emotional distress Take a time-out when needed Take time to enjoy activities with others and maintain social contract Get a good nights’ sleep – allow yourself some time to wind down and do something relaxing before bed
Simple Deep Breathing Exercise Deep breathing is an easy stress reliever that has numerous benefits such as oxygenating the blood, which ‘wakes up’ the brain, relaxing muscles and quieting the mind.
• • • •
Sit or stand in a relaxed position Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to 5 in you head Let the air out from your mouth, counting to 8 in your head as the air leaves your lungs Repeat several times or repeat for several minutes to achieve a deeper meditative state
Counselling Australia Online www.counsellingaustralia.com.au Lifeline Australia - suicide prevention, crisis support and mental health services 13 11 14 (24hr telephone counselling service) www.lifeline.org.au (online crisis chat service, 7pm - 4am) beyondblue - depression, anxiety 1300 224 636 (24hr counselling service) www.beyongblue.org.au (web chat, 3pm - 12am) 12
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Conference Wellness Program – Hans Ebeling Room We would like to wholeheartedly thank those people who have so generously donated their expertise, time and/or goods to ensure that there are various opportunities for delegates to maintain or restore good health and general wellbeing throughout the conference. Debriefing & Support A psychologist will be available for the duration of each day of the conference for general support and debriefing. If you wish to speak to one of our psychologists, please present to the registration and information desk to arrange a session time.
Chill Out Area Need some time out or a quiet space to reflect and process? Why not pull up a beanbag or a comfy chair and just chill. The Wellness Room is a designated chill out area available to delegates at all times throughout the conference.
Qigong & Sound Meditation Abby-Lee, Qigong Melbourne The benefits of Qigong are far reaching. Including stillness meditation and active meditation which synchronises movement with breath, when practiced regularly and appropriately, it can improve your physical, mental, emotional energetic and spiritual health. Sounds have been used for thousands of years in ancient cultures as a healing technique. Modern science is now acknowledging the therapeutic effect of sound on our health and wellbeing. More information about Abby Lee and Qigong and Sound Meditation classes can be found at: abby@qigongmelbourne.com.au http://www.qigongmelbourne.com.au
Photographer: Simon Heydon Hands on Healing, Reiki
Tai Chi & Mindfulness Anja Tanhane Satchel Goodies A big thankyou to our friends at Natio, Martin and Pleasance and Jurlique for donating the lovely self-care goodies in your satchels.
Reiki Nicola Archer, Hands on Healing Reiki involves the transfer of universal energy through the palms, which allows for self-healing and a state of equilibrium. Nicola will be providing 10 minute Reiki energy refreshers to delegates over the 2 days of the conference. To book any post-conference appointments, please contact Nicola on: 0419 002 769
Clinical research has shown the regular practice of mindfulness can help to: relax the body and calm the mind, improve health and wellbeing, manage stress more effectively, increase energy and appreciation for life, manage chronic pain and develop confidence and resilience. Anja is a qualified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher, Tai Chi instructor, and registered music therapist and will be providing guided Tai Chi and/or mindfulness sessions suitable for beginners and those with limited movement. The Tai Chi can be done standing up or sitting in a chair, and involves calming, gentle movements that are easy to follow and enjoy. The mindfulness meditation will guide participants through a simple but effective practice which can help to ground, relax, and re-balance ourselves. More information about upcoming courses and retreats, as well as Anja’s weekly blog on mindfulness topics can be found on her website, at www.mindfulnessmeditation.net.au.
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
13
Keynote Speaker Abstracts - Day One Sanctuary: healing for clients, organizations and systems Sarah Yanosy Successful trauma-informed interventions look at both clients and the organization itself as vulnerable to the effects of trauma. This presentation will look more closely at what it means to be a trauma- informed organization and to create a culture that disrupts the insidious and repetitious nature of traumatic reenactment for both the people who are served as well as the people who provide those services. Because trauma forces us to rely on basic survival skills, clients often depend on those survival skills, even when they come to the relative safety of the human service provider’s setting. What we may label as maladaptive behaviors in those we serve are actually survival skills. This presentation will teach participants to recognize the survival skills that drive behaviors and relationships and to take a trauma informed rather than punitive or reactive approach. Traumatic stress and adversity not only interfere with individual relationships, but also can wreak havoc on groups of people and even systems. When staff is able to recognize manifestations of trauma exposure in themselves, between colleagues, their agencies and the system as a whole, they can actively intervene to create a culture of healing rather than one that simply replicates the trauma exposure we are intending to treat.
The national empowerment project, promoting cultural, social and emotional wellbeing to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities Prof Pat Dudgeon The overall Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide rate was twice that of non-Indigenous people. Suicide is a complex behaviour with many causes. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples there are specific cultural, historical, and political considerations that contribute to the high prevalence, and that require the rethinking of conventional models and assumptions. How to prevent suicide is poorly understood for both the general population and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Emerging best practice (or promising practice) in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention shows that for whole communities, there is a high level of need for a range of culturally appropriate and locally responsive healing, empowerment and leadership programs and strategies that build social and emotional wellbeing and resilience and could prove to be effective long term strategies for addressing suicide risk factors. Building on cultural strengths and supporting self-determination is likely to be a core component of any program. In response to the high suicide rates, the National Empowerment Project (NEP) is an Aboriginal-led initiative that undertook research with eleven Aboriginal communities since 2013. Undertaking a participatory action research process, NEP worked with those communities in a partnership and found that issues identified as impacting negatively on wellbeing included:
14
• Problems with youth; • Family disharmony/feuding/violence; • Substance abuse; • Mental health issues; • The intergenerational and trans-generational impacts of forced child removals; • Racism; • Lack of education; • Lack of employment; • Lack of housing • Lack of transport; and • Lack of services. Solutions to strengthen people’s well being included: • For communities: the need for strong leadership, for unity, for strong cultural practice, for control over the design and delivery of programs and services, and for an end to community conflict/ feuding. • For families: the need for relationships programs and culturally appropriate parenting training, particularly for Stolen Generations Survivors. For individuals: the need for culturally appropriate programs to ‘build self’ and resilience against the effects of racism and to address internalised shame; and for the opportunity to the esteem building opportunities of employment and education. This presentation discussed the process of the NEP and the outcomes of consultations with 450 Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people from across the country.
Back to basics: Attachment trauma and fulfilment Dr Paul Valent Attachment is one of the basic life-promoting instincts. It can provide the greatest human contentments, but is also the source of intense human suffering. This paper explores attachment from its biopsychosocial roots to its widest spiritual and cultural radiations.
Recovery expertise: Gained by experience Dr Louise Byrne, CQUniversity Recovery concepts and practice are the accepted new direction in mental health service provision in this country. However, education on how to meaningfully implement Recovery within the existing system has been sporadic and ad-hoc. Many mental health practitioners experience difficulty understanding and applying the concepts, particularly within risk-averse organisational structures. Lived experience practitioners provide in-depth understanding and philosophical leadership to the implementation of Recovery orientated service delivery.
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Keynote Speaker Abstracts - Day Two
Empowerment and recovery for trauma survivors Judith Lewis Herman, M.D.
Trauma destroys the social systems of care, protection, and meaning that support human life. The essential features of psychological trauma are disempowerment and disconnection from others. The recovery process, therefore, is based on empowerment of the survivor and restoration of relationships. This lecture will describe the principles upon which a collaborative therapeutic alliance may be established and outline a three-staged approach to the treatment of trauma survivors. The complementary roles of bio-behavioral treatments, individual psychotherapy, self-help, and social action will be discussed and illustrated with case examples
Brain plasticity-based training in child populations Michael Merzenich We have developed and applied brain plasticity-based training and applied it broadly with the goal of strengthening neurobehavioral abilities in struggling school-aged child populations. Main targets have been children with language and reading impairments, children in the autism spectrum with language and social cognition/ control deficits, and children with ADHD and associated conduct disorders. These forms of adaptive training are delivered via the Internet on computers, pads, or smartphones, in training regimes designed to drive the brain to a high-normal operational state through 20-60 hours of intensive training. Training is supported by professionals who are continuously linked via social networks to every child in training. This new class of tools should contribute to the more effective amelioration of the neurological distortions and limitations that can plague struggling-child populations.
Supporting trauma survivors makes good economic sense Cathy Kezelman, Adults Surviving Child Abuse Many of us working in the trauma field observe the devastating impacts of childhood trauma on the people we seek to support every day. With ongoing advances in the neurobiology of attachment we now have the evidence base that informs the work we do and supports possibilities for recovery. Yet, as practitioners and workers in the field, we are often frustrated by the paucity of investment in specialist services which can support recovery. As the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has proceeded, we have borne witness to the testimony of thousands of adult victims of child sexual abuse. We have heard of the many ways in which people have struggled in their lives, the ways child abuse has prevented them from completing an education, finding a job or negatively impacted their health, mental health and relationships. This presentation, in considering a number of the substantial impacts of childhood trauma, presents a conservative estimate of the national economic cost of unresolved childhood trauma in adults. And the substantive savings to government budgets we would expect to see, with early active and comprehensive intervention.
Poster Presentation Visualising Ritual Trauma: The Paintings of Francis Bacon (1909-1992) Lynn Brunet, Independent Scholar When they first appeared in public the paintings of the British artist Francis Bacon were regarded as some of the most disturbing images to have come out of the twentieth century. The artist grew up in a military household in Ireland during the Irish Civil War and later admitted that throughout his childhood he was sexually abused and regularly beaten. Many of his paintings convey a sense of foreboding and confinement in bleak, ritualistic spaces, though when pressed for explanations for these works the artist always claimed that he did not know what they meant. He often said that they represented the patterns of his nervous system projected onto the canvas and stated, ‘images just drop in as if they were handed down to me’. My research examines the spaces and activities the artist evokes in his images and applies insights from the field of trauma studies to ask whether the sense of disturbance created in Bacon’s work could be associated with traumatic exposure to initiatory rites that were commonly practised by many fraternities and secret societies in the Ireland of his childhood. The paper is drawn from my book entitled ‘A Course of Severe and Arduous Trials: Bacon, Beckett and Spurious Freemasonry in Early Twentieth Century Ireland’ (Oxford: Peter Lang, 2009) which also asks similar questions about the plays and novels of Samuel Beckett.
Take the Leap!
Become a foster carer
MacKillop Family Services /MacKillopFamilyS
@MacKillopFS
MacKillop recognises the children and young people in our care have experienced adversity and will benefit from trauma-informed care. All MacKillop carers receive Sanctuary training and ongoing support from staff trained in trauma-informed practice. Our current carers believe the high level of training enables them to make informed decisions and empowers them to understand the impacts of trauma. mackillop.org.au/fostercare
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
15
Oral Abstracts THURSDAY 05 MARCH SE-01 Connection & Belonging 11:00am-12:30pm Finding the hero within: A journey from shame to vulnerability with youth affected by trauma Tania Blomfield, choose2change Shame thrives in isolation. Using arts therapy within a group environment to address this significantly reduces isolation and increases the ability to connect for people affected by trauma. Tania offers a presentation of a six week research project with youth affected by trauma using arts therapy as a platform for addressing shame and forming connections within a group environment. Shame and isolation are often inherent in people affected by trauma, particularly sexual abuse. Shame is a complex dynamic to work with and cannot be resolved in isolation. Connection is an essential component in healing, and reduction in isolation and forming connections with others is an important part of the healing process which is often overlooked by therapists. The presentation will include a case study of six participants in a research project carried out for partial completion of a Master of Arts in Arts Therapy. The aim of the research project was to address shame in youth affected by trauma within a group environment. The ‘Draw a Rosebush” assessment was completed by participants pre and post group as a measure of progress throughout the six week project. The presentation will include an analysis of the interventions used, along with a discussion of both the successful and unsuccessful interventions.
“True North” A model of integration and Connection for those who are moving out of homelessness into a supported non exclusionary adult residential community. Stephanie Winton, Mission Australia Amanda Smith, Mission Australia Roma House is a trauma informed service service that supports people in their recovery towards housing. An integral part of the move for a resident into Roma House is an extensive Welcome and Orientation, True North has become a part of this process . True North is seeking to respond to the fact many people who enter our service are experiential learners, we can offer information but it is not until they experience it for themselves that they believe they can change and make choices for their own recovery. True North seeks to connect people to each other to motivate, encourage and break the isolation experienced in being Homeless whilst at the same time being sensitive to their triggers and needs. True North is a pilot project developed out of a need to increase the levels of connection and belonging to the residential community and increased familiarity and interest in what is possible within the Roma House community for the persons recovery .True North is an initiative run each month for those that have recently entered the house to experience mindfulness, relaxation techniques, information about Neuroplasticity to offer hope and understanding, therapy in nature and an opportunity to share our journeys . True North is about introducing the concept of finding your true self / direction and working out what supports and what distracts. True North incorporates the principles and practices of Bush Adventure Therapy.
16
Being a/part: A study of young people’s experience of belonging Tatiana Corrales, Anglicare Victoria The impact of traumatic experiences during formative developmental periods is widely recognised, and consensus now exists that such experiences can have largely negative cumulative effects through the life-course. Despite increasingly complex lenses through which to understand trauma and its impacts, little is known of the psychological mechanisms that mediate the relationship between early experiences of adversity and outcomes during young adulthood. One construct that can usefully inform a deeper understanding of the long- term impacts of trauma is sense of belonging, or the psychological experience of ‘valued fit’. This presentation will discuss the results of a national project that investigated the interrelationship between childhood adversity, sense of belonging and psychosocial adjustment in early adulthood among a group of young adults engaged with various services throughout the Anglicare Australia network. Regression and mediation analyses showed that sense of belonging is both an important predictor of poorer outcomes following childhood adversity and a mediator between these experiences and difficulties across a range of psychosocial domains in early adulthood. Of particular interest were the highly significant interrelationships between childhood adversity, sense of belonging and clinically significant levels of psychological distress in early adulthood. Moreover, analyses of qualitative data provide some insights into how these young clients understood the idea of belonging and its importance within their emotional and physical worlds. The results of this study have implications for the way service providers conceptualise their role in the psychosocial development of children and young people in the child protection and social services sector.
SE-02 Culture 11:00am-12:30pm ‘What accent? I don’t have an accent-everyone else does.’ Why aren’t we talking about culture, trauma and attachment? Helen Lenga, Lighthouse Institute/Gong Shi Project Since 2005, Helen Lenga, Founder and Director of the Gong Shi Project, an international training program for the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, has been exploring and developing her ideas around culture, trauma and attachment. Her thinking has been influenced by her work in Australia and the Asian region, particularly China and more recently Nepal and India. In the field of trauma and attachment there has been limited examination of the impact of culture. Even when it is considered it is often confined to a narrow definition of culture and only applied to particular groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. In this presentation Helen wishes to challenge the ‘cultural blindness’ and unexamined assumptions around ‘cultural neutrality’ and the influences this has on clinical practice, theoretical orientations and research. Participants will have an opportunity to explore cultural influences on their own thinking and practice.
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Exploring attachment and Aboriginal ways of parenting Dr Jenine Godwin-Thompson, Lighthouse Institute In the literature there is an increasing wealth of research and writing supporting ‘attachment’ across psychology, psychiatric and other human behavioural disciplines such like Bowlby’s attachment theory. These have typically been related to western clinical approaches where they employ empirical methods to infer causal and correlational relations between psychosocial variables. However, there is a paucity of information on culturally appropriate assessments of Aboriginal children and young people in relation to bonding and ways of parenting. The 2003 Child Abuse review stated “Aboriginal children and young people are over nine times more likely than other children and young people to be in out-of-home care”. This is due to many reasons. However, to start the dialogue in an attempt to disseminate some of these reasons and for the purpose of this presentation, I need to explore the concept of ‘attachment’ from a cultural context. This will contribute towards developing a working definition as a way to better understand and to inform the application of therapy approaches within out-of-home care for Aboriginal children and young people. This includes exploring the multiple layers of extended family connections, clans and kinship systems and their influence and role in parenting. As well as, Koolmatrie’s stolen generation syndrome which deals with the spiritually homeless within the context of someone who has failed to establish their relational personhood especially in relation to ‘attachment’ to country and culture is only one aspect of the research. Most assessments with Aboriginal families are based on the dominant Australian community’s perception of what constitutes ‘competent’ parenting. Organisations such as the Lighthouse Institute with a focus on trauma informed practices, research, and evaluation aims to contribute to Aboriginal child and youth wellness; ending child and youth homelessness.
Nga Pou Wahine: empowering Maori women to address gambling misuse. Laurie Morrison, Morrison Consultants Ltd Background: There has been a plethora of research demonstrating women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse are at increased risk of gambling misuse. These issues are directly linked to over-representation in the lower socio-economic population and easy access to pokie machines. An innovative and culturally specific intervention Nga Pou Wahine was developed to assist Maori women to address gambling misuse. Maori gambling clinicians were trained to deliver the intervention to increase health awareness and reduce gambling harm in their communities. Intervention workbooks were also used to assist the women by helping them work though their unresolved childhood pain so they could reframe their current experiences to life’s problems to modify or stop gambling. Objectives: To describe original research on adverse childhood experiences and their relationship to trust among a sample of Maori and Pacific women problem gamblers. Method: In-depth interviews were used with Maori and Pacific women. The qualitative data used an inductive and Kaupapa Maori approach. Results: Gambling was fun, feeling connected and cultural responsibility. Family members influenced the gambling behaviour. Women experienced childhood trauma, alcohol was associated with parental abuse and unavailability, exposure to violence by fathers, sexual abuse and abandonment. Women formed a relationship with a pokie machines. The women escaped from their pain to avoid familial distress and abusive partners. Strategies about how the women moved forward, changed their behaviour and took back control will be shared. Conclusion: The intervention programme demonstrated that support groups and culturally appropriate interventions are crucial in mediating changes in Maori women’s gambling behaviour and wellness.
SE-03 Education 11:30am-12:30pm Smarter Schools can reduce the impact of trauma and broken attachments Gregory Nicolau, Australian Childhood Trauma Group Effectively improving the life outcomes of our most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people is an enormous challenge (1). Despite an acknowledgement that looking after Victoria’s marginalized children is a shared responsibility, we are not where we need to be. People working with vulnerable children need support to understand the impact of repeated trauma and broken attachments, so that we can break the cycle of homelessness. Gregory will discuss the current approaches of trauma-informed care and answer the question: “Does where I have come from have to be who I am?” In this presentation Gregory will talk about the neurological shifts in the brain that occurs when young people have experienced cumulative harm. He discusses how we can become behavior interpreters to ‘still young people’s minds’. Conference participants will also learn about: • How toxic stress impacts on behaviour. • How to connect to your internal state so that you help young people to heal. • How to look at situations from the position of the young person. • How important it is to set the rhythm of spaces. Gregory will introduce the Smarter Schools Program that employs psychologists and social workers to work with children in school who aren’t doing so well. The Smarter Schools Program takes a holistic approach and used the combined strength of teachers, parents and children within the school community to achieve positive outcomes. Gregory will give specific examples from Melbourne schools that are currently achieving results with vulnerable young people in the Smarter Schools Program. References (1) Victoria’s Vulnerable Children: A Shared Responsibility (2014) Department of Human Services.
The Wellbeing Classroom Michael Edgecomb, SMG Community Services Children who experience chronic stress or traumatization are vulnerable to becoming chronically hyper-vigilant and constantly alert to potential dangers, or dissociative and withdrawn. In schools, such children are physically present in class but have difficulty achieving a learning state receptive to new information. A partnership between SMG Community Services, Salisbury Communities for Children, the University of South Australia, and a Local Primary School, led to the planning and implementation of multiple strategies to support a Year 2-3 teacher to constructively respond to the needs of a class that included several chronically stressed and traumatized 6 to 8 year-old children. We employed an external worker to support the class teacher in the development of trauma informed practice, encouraging them to act to embed the explicit teaching of wellbeing as central to all curriculum areas, creating a daily communal conversation and development of wellbeing. Family Learning Evenings invited whole families to come and learn together, followed by a community meal. The response was significant, with over 75 people attending from within the one class. We saw a common language develop between home and school, which resulted in a strong sense of community to work together for the best outcomes for all children. This led to the removal of stigma surrounding children recovering from or experiencing trauma, and a cohesive willingness to support rather than exclude. In 2014 a report entitled The Wellbeing Classroom was launched, detailing the findings of an evaluation of the project conducted by the University of South Australia.
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
17
Anglicare Victoria’s ‘TEACHaR’ program – closing the ‘education gap’ for children in care and the value of research-informed innovation Laura David, Anglicare Victoria It is widely established that children and young people in out of home care often experience poorer educational outcomes than those in the general population. This may be associated with experiences of disadvantage, family, school and placement instability, and trauma related to neglect and abuse. Such factors can diminish and impede learning confidence, school engagement and academic performance in a number of complex ways. Anglicare Victoria’s TEACHaR program (Transforming Educational Attainment for Children in Home- based and Residential Care) aims to close this ‘education gap’. The program was first implemented in 2012 with the support of the Helen Mcpherson Smith Trust. Key Aspects of the TEACHaR Model: • Strong research base • Employment of experienced registered teachers • Prioritises direct educational support, even when a child or young person is not enrolled in school • Is flexible, creative and aspirational, working both within classroom and care settings, and both individually and within groups • Works closely with schools, carers, case managers, residential care staff, DEECD and DHS • Provides brokerage and advocacy for students to access Allied Health assessments and learning resources This presentation will provide a snapshot of the ‘TEACHaR story’ so far. It will describe the program’s background, model and implementation, and will present its current 12 month outcomes – which show improvement across a number of educational domains. The presentation will also provide a brief overview of the program’s process of innovation.
FRIDAY 06 MARCH SE-04 Impacts of Childhood Trauma in Adulthood 11:00am-1:00pm Adult attachment in looked after children and their mental health: Exploring the link between childhood adversity and the development of psychiatric disorders Carly Cameron, PhD, Deakin University This study considers how unresolved attachment translates into psychopathology, with an adult population who have had an experience of out-of-home care (e.g. Residential Care, Foster Care, Kinship Care). This research focuses on the relationship between specific attachment representations as measured by the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and particular types of psychopathology as measured by a variety of clinical instruments. Specifically, we will be looking at those within the sample who have the relationship between psychiatric diagnoses (Axis 1 &2) and attachment classification. Of particular interest, is whether those with Disorganised Attachments have a higher proportion of psychiatric diagnoses (Axis 1 & 2) and the degree to which secure attachment, in the face of childhood adversity, is protective against psychopathology. This study also investigates the classification of “earned-security” and seeks to contribute to the debate that surrounds this attachment classification, by identifying reparative attachment experiences as a mediating factor against the development of psychopathology. The presentation will present some of the preliminary findings of this research.
18
Udayan Care’s (Sunshine Homes) After Care Program: A unique model of transition from children’s home to independence Kiran Modi, Udayan Care Tyler Gray, Carmichael Outreach Inc Karabi M.G. Majumdar, Udayan Care Udayan Care’s After Care Program for young adults, for those transitioning out of Children’s Homes, the Udayan Ghars (Sunshine Homes) umbrella, is a semi-regulated support system, to prepare them for ultimate, independent living. The presentation will bring out the developmental needs, which Udayan Ghars for the children, and later Udayan Care After Care programme for young adults, strive to deliver and fulfill, in order to achieve the developmental goals, congruent with international best practices, focused on positive outcomes. Udayan Care has developed a model based upon permanency in its Udayan Ghars, which is carried on in the Aftercare Services. The provision of family-type relationships for institutionalized children, consistent living circumstances, and social and educational supports necessary to achieve permanency are key determinant areas and these are necessary tools and investments to move towards independence. Practicing attachment and trauma based understanding, the model squarely addresses multiple losses, grief, separation, etc and such like issues, of the children, by developing this sense of permanency in their lives. Once they leave the children’s Homes to the transition homes, this feeling of vulnerability can be triggered as the young adults have to separate from the space which had become familiar and secured in some sense. This is addressed by the presence of a permanent support network that enables the young person to have continued mentoring and guidance support, to help one navigate the various obstacles and challenges that are a natural part of development as an independent, young person to move towards final independence.
Therapeutic approaches to the treatment of trauma and addiction Nigel Joseph, EACH Social and Community Health The SURe Therapeutic model introduced new methods in the service of developing a trauma informed and trauma capable service system. This presentation will highlight trauma informed practice and the implementation of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Radical Tapping Exposure and Feelingstate Addiction Protocol (FSAP) in the treatment of trauma and addiction. EMDR is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from many different treatment approaches. Radical Exposure tapping is an approach integrating protocol of EMDR and tapping in the processing of trauma memory. FSAP is an approach that targets the addiction fixation that is triggered by internal and external events that lead to substance use and addition, using protocols of EMDR. Substance dependence is often a way for those paralyzed by their past to repress and manage traumatic memories, successful relapse prevention has been supported by addressing the underlying trauma and associated adaptation. A combination of these therapeutic techniques has been shown to be effective in treatment of trauma and addiction.
“Where’s the therapy?” Why sessional counseling has limited Impact in developmental trauma Stephan Friedrich, Knightlamp Adela Holmes, Knightlamp In the advent of theoretical frameworks that incorporate an understanding of neurobiological development and its disruption by adverse, early childhood experiences, we have held on to old paradigms and practices that need to evolve with this developing knowledge. This presentation will challenge the role of sessional counseling, and the meaning of ‘therapeutic’ in ‘therapeutic care’.
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
SE-05 Models of Practice 11:00am-1:00pm Therapeutic Family Model of CareTM: An attachment and trauma informed approach to practice Tymur Hussein, Lighthouse Foundation In recent years we have gained a greater understanding of the importance of attachment and trauma informed practice in supporting the recovery of children and young people with complex trauma histories. Children and young people in care need a therapeutic environment where they can heal and which meets their emotional and developmental needs. In this presentation, Tymur will address the impact of complex trauma on child development, drawing on psychodynamic, attachment, psychological wellness and trauma neurobiology theories. The practical aspects of undertaking therapeutic care are then outlined, covering topics such as forming of therapeutic relationships, the importance of the physical environment and daily routines. Using the Lighthouse TFMCTM as a case study, this presentation considers the totality of the young person’s experience at the individual, group, organisational and community levels and argues that attention to all of these is essential if the child or young person is to recover from their relational wounds and achieve wellness.
“Special Consideration”: Supporting trauma informed practice with people with Disability Sarah Waters, Berry Street Victoria Annette Jackson, Berry Street Take Two People with disability may be at particular risk of exposure to certain traumatic experiences trauma and are more likely to suffer serious and long terms consequences (Jackson, Waters & Abell, 2014). There are a range of benefits to trauma-informed practice however many existing practice models do not specifically consider the needs of clients with disability. The NSW Department of Family and Community Services: Ageing Disability and Home Care (ADHC) engaged the Berry Street Take Two program to develop a framework to promote trauma-informed practice within and across the NSW disability service system. This resulted in the development of the framework; “Taking Time: A Trauma Informed Framework for Supporting People with an Intellectual Disability”. The framework is intended to have relevance for programs and services working with people with a range of disabilities of all ages across a range of service sectors. This presentation will discuss the learnings emerging from the construction of the Framework and will address the following questions: • What are the key elements of trauma informed practice? • What additional considerations are required when supporting people with disability? • What practical tools and resources are helpful in the journey towards trauma informed practice with people with disability?
Building trauma-informed practice: implementation of the Sanctuary Model at MacKillop Family Services Julie Avery, MacKillop Family Services A trauma-informed organisation encourages staff to see certain behaviours (amongst children, young people and adults) as survival techniques and to recognise the importance of safety, stability and healthy attachments to heal, grow and develop. Practice approaches must acknowledge the negative impact of early trauma and neglect. In MacKillop’s view, there is a prevalence of traumatic stress among people who are experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage. MacKillop care is adapting to the prevalence of traumatic stress among children and young people in our care by adopting the Sanctuary Model of care. The proposed presentation will discuss MacKillop’s approach to program innovation through the implementation of trauma-informed care, using the Sanctuary Model.
Drawing on a number of sources that discuss the impact of trauma on development, this presentation will illustrate how Sanctuary and MacKillop’s unique Therapeutic Practitioner model have led to better program delivery and the development of MacKillop carers and staff. MacKillop agrees that a trauma-informed organisation is better equipped to “respond empathically to the needs of trauma survivors, ensure their physical and emotional safety, develop realistic treatment goals, and at the very least avoid re-traumatization ...” (Guarino, 2009). MacKillop has adopted an evidence base for this practice, extending to developing the skills and capacity of all staff, through the leadership of our Therapeutic Practitioners. This presentation will explore Sanctuary, the role of Therapeutic Practitioners within this model and discuss key factors for implementing such a model in an organisation.
Not in isolation: The importance of relationships in healing childhood trauma Michelle Taylor, Blossomtree Psychology Neurodevelopment research suggests that trauma experienced during pregnancy, infancy and early childhood impacts the development and organisation of key neural networks in the brain. Accordingly we have seen a corresponding shift in the way we think about and approach therapy with traumatised infants, children and adolescents. Children who experience trauma and/ or neglect display the behavioural and emotional challenges we regularly see, however many of them will also have difficulties in functions mediated by neural networks in lower parts of the brain. This will manifest as a wide range of problems including cardiovascular, motor and sensory regulation, attention problems, and sleep difficulties. The foundations for and capacity to effectively use cortical processes is compromised if the key neural networks originating in lower parts of the brain are disorganised and dysregulated. As a result we often see that these clients are unable to benefit initially, from traditional talking therapies because they are fundamentally too dysregulated to be able to attend, reflect and think clearly. Principles from neuroscience and neurodevelopment suggest that activities to promote and develop sensory integration and self-regulation capacities now form the foundations of trauma treatment, in particular complex developmental trauma. In 2014 as recipient of the Creswick Foundation Fellowship, Michelle Taylor spent nine weeks visiting five ChildTrauma Academy (CTA) Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics Flagship sites and met with two CTA Fellows in the United States and Canada. This Creswick Fellowship aim was to explore the application of neurodevelopmentally informed interventions in the treatment of childhood trauma. This presentation will overview the creative, sensory and experiential based interventions witnessed in child trauma treatment and summarise the Fellowship’s reflections and conclusions.
SE-06 Mental Health 11:00am-1:00pm Hidden in plain sight: Creating a trauma informed child and adolescent mental health service Nicola Palfrey, ACT Health Velissa Aplin, ACT Health Childhood trauma and family adversity increases vulnerability to significant mental health problems. However, there is little data regarding the nature and prevalence of trauma experiences of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) clients. ACT CAMHS and the ANU Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine developed a research and training program to improve the recognition and treatment of trauma amongst young people and their families seeking help from CAMHS, given the increasing complexity of families presenting to the service. This program includes an embedded research study; 151 children & adolescents
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
19
and their parents were surveyed about their recent and lifetime experiences of trauma and adversity. Results demonstrated CAMHS clients were more likely to have experienced multiple adversities than single adversities. Also, the majority of parents surveyed have their own trauma experiences. Children of these parents were more likely also have experienced trauma. Parallel to this research, CAMHS has been running comprehensive training in Trauma Informed Care (TIC) and trauma specific therapy. Results indicate the TIC training leads to a significant increase in clinician knowledge, awareness of and confidence in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents’ exposed to trauma and adversity. This paper will highlight the importance of both research & training occurring together in a clinical setting and the challenges and benefits of conducting & implementing this program in a busy tertiary Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service. Further, how the results from the research study & the training program can enhance the assessment & treatment processes for the families receiving mental health services.
The Ripple Intervention - a local tertiary mental health service collaboration to enhance the mental health of young people in OoHC Stephen Halperin, Orygen Youth Health Clinical Program Tony Glynn, Royal Childrens Hospital The Ripple project is a 5 year study which aims to assess whether a mental health intervention that enhances the therapeutic care roles and capacities of carers and case managers in OoHC will improve the consistency and quality of OoHC for all young people (12- 17 years) in the sector, and access to early intervention when indicated for prevention and treatment of mental illness. A guiding principle for The Ripple project is one of collaboration and shared ownership between clinicians from Orygen Youth Health Clinical Program, Royal Children’s Hospital and Youth Support and Advocacy Service with participating Community Service Organisations. The intervention incorporates an evidencebased elements approach that is tailored to the needs of CSOs. Implementation research shows that while effective interventions exist for improving mental health for young people in OoHC, less is known about the contextual factors that impact on effective service delivery. The Ripple intervention incorporates the collection of implementation data to determine the impact of organizational and other contextual factors. This presentation will describe the intervention developed by the mental health practitioners and participating CSOs. The results of the first phase of implementation indicate a high level of acceptability of the Ripple intervention among CSO staff. These results and practical reflections on the progress of the intervention will be discussed.
a micro community and agreements to strengthen authentic therapeutic relationships. BAT-TIC programs involve the whole person which is essential in healing from trauma by: • Experience safety • Opportunities to demonstrate competence (through mastering adventure mediums and skills shared within the micro community) • Positive examples of dealing with re-enactments offered within a therapeutic group over1–5days • Physical experiences of mastery and being in charge • Experience neutral ‘fun’ tasks and games and a sense of relaxation. ‘Wild Earth Adventure’ programs are available to all current and previous residents of Roma House. This is another key element in responding to the ongoing impacts of trauma with people who have experienced long term homelessness. The BATTIC Model has evolved over 5 years and a program that many people return to during their recovery journey.
Trauma for Practitioners: looking after us Jessica Perring, Bravehearts Inc Successful treatment for individuals and families who have experienced trauma requires the use of evidence-based psychological treatments targeted to the individual presenting needs, delivered from a practitioner with skills in working with trauma. Treatment however is unlikely to be effective if the practitioner is experiencing high symptoms of vicarious trauma; therefore in order to be an effective practitioner it is important to ensure adequate strategies to prevent these symptoms are implemented. Numerous studies have investigated the impact of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout and highlight the risk of experiencing these for practitioners who work in the trauma field. Despite the importance of addressing this issue, many organisations report difficulties in effectively implementing programs. This presentation will provide a holistic approach to self- care and the prevention of vicarious trauma used within our organisation and aims to provide participants with an approach that can be implemented as part of organisational policies and approaches that will address strategies at individual, team and organisational levels. Bravehearts Inc is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to stop child sexual assault in our society and vision is to make Australia the safest place in the world to raise a child. Bravehearts Inc understands the impact of working in a setting that provides counselling for clients of all ages with complex trauma presentations. The presentation will cover assessment of vicarious trauma and coping, strategies and barriers to implementing these strategies and will be useful for frontline workers, team leaders, managers and policy makers.
Who wants to go on an adventure? The journey of an inner cities adult persons residential service combining Bush Adventure Therapy and Trauma Informed Care (BAT-TIC) for people seeking meaningful recovery. Amanda Smith, Mission Australia - Roma House Sue Cramb, Mission Australia - Roma House Roma House is a leading trauma informed service offering diverse program options to residents as they navigate movement towards meeting recovery goals. In 2009 the ‘Wild Earth Adventures’ program was created, offering Bush Adventure Therapy (BAT) experiences into Roma Houses ‘duration of needs’ community. With over 120 programs facilitated ranging from 1 – 5 days a creative and responsive program model has been developed combining key principles of TIC and BAT). Various adventure mediums are offered including sea kayaking, TIC yoga and mindfulness, sailing and canoe journeys and more. BAT is a diverse field of practice combining a tailored and purposeful use of adventure and outdoor environments with the intention to achieve therapeutic outcomes. All facilitators and participants co-create 20
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Keeping Connected at the Conference
Find us:
@LH_Institute
Hashtag the conference:
#JTR15
Keep up to date on program information and join in discussion with other delegates on the Journey to Recovery LinkedIn page.
www.tinyurl.com/jtrlinked
Make a difference Become a foster parent today 03 9212 3900 www.ozchild.org.au Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
21
Notes
22
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
Notes
Journey to Recovery: The International Conference of Attachment and Trauma Informed PracticeTM www.lighthouseconference.com.au
23
P. 03 9093 7500 F. 03 9093 7555 info@lighthouseinstitute.org.au www.lighthouseinstitute.org.au