IT&ACE Conference guide 2019

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22 & 23 OCTOBER TITANIC BELFAST CONFERENCE GUIDE

STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING Intergenerational Trauma & Adverse Childhood Experiences will focus on two principal strands of learning: 1. How trauma can pass from generation to generation and considers the contribution across the spectrum, from learned behaviours through vicarious and secondary trauma to transmission at the genetic level 2. The research, experiences and outputs of leading experts on ACEs, with suggestions on how to ‘break the cycle’ of learned adverse behaviours.

Paving the way for a brighter future.

Both learning strands will be explored via keynote presentations from leading international and local experts. At any time, delegates can decide not to participate in any presentations or discussions.

The content of the presentations will inform delegates on a variety of trauma theory topics and skills. These skills can help some people feel better in mind and body. A full list of topics to be

addressed can be seen in this conference guide via the programme of events and the speaker bios.

All presentations have been hosted by Action Trauma Ltd, a not for profit company, with a view to promoting the advancement of trauma theory and to promote the efficiency and usefulness of implementing a trauma informed practice by setting up a high standard of professional education and knowledge.

Due to the nature of the subject matter and taking into account how trauma and stress have affected so many of us, presenting education and skillsbased learning on trauma can sometimes give rise to distress.

All members of staff have been briefed to be aware of the potential for distressed attendees in need of assistance and can signpost you to systems of support. There may be trauma trained professionals who may be available to talk to, additionally there are a number of charities and supporting organisations willing to help if needed.

We have listed some helplines below which might be helpful: Lifeline - 24hr Freephone Helpline, call: 0800 999 0400 Samaritans - 24hr Freephone Helpline, call: 116 123 24 Hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline: 0808 802 1414 Addiction NI - 9am-5pm, call: 028 90664434 Parenting NI - 9am-8pm Mon-Thurs, 9am-5pm Fri, call: 0808 8010 722

#BreakTheCycle

www.actiontrauma.com

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Welcome Clive Corry Director - Action Trauma Ltd A not-for-profit company

Welcome to this conference on two topics which are inextricably linked - Intergenerational Trauma on the one hand and Adverse Childhood Experiences on the other. The latter often being caused by the former. It is said that history repeats itself and if that is true, then it is likely that learned behaviours lead to the same mistakes being made. This is what we are all working to prevent.

The city which you see around you is youthful, vibrant and forwardlooking. This has been built on the peace process of the 1990’s and Belfast now boasts some wonderful visitor experiences, but it is a fragile peace, requiring constant support and nourishing.

Trauma affects the way people think and act and overwhelms the ability to cope and engage. Common symptoms include fear and anxiety, poor relationships, substance abuse and violence.

If people have not been healed from trauma, it’s likely that their experiences and negative behaviours will start to impact on others, particularly children.

This conference will not provide a ‘cure’ but it will allow us to examine and discuss what’s going on and how it may be reduced and healed in the future.

You are going to hear some fairly complex technical theories and then you are going to hear some gutwrenching personal stories. However, there will also be stories of hope and recovery and what we can do better. It is these positive thoughts that we want you to take away from the two days.

Action Trauma recognises the amazing and dedicated work by so many people and organisations on the ground in Northern Ireland.

With warmth, love and compassion

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22ND OCTOBER 2019 08:00 - 09:00 Registration & Refreshments

INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA & ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

TITANIC BELFAST

09:00 - 09:15 Welcome and Introduction 09:15 - 10:15 Karen Treisman: Intergenerational Trauma, Wisdom & Resilience - Exploring Trauma Affected Communities 10:15 - 10:55 Siobhan O’Neill: Intergenerational Trauma within a NI context - Trauma Informed Practice for Suicide Prevention 10:55 - 11:15 Connected for Life: Video - From Adversity & Offending to Resilience & Hope 11:15 - 11:45 Tea, Coffee & Networking 11:45 - 13:00 Patricia Gerbarg, Richard Brown: Breath, Body & Mind An Overview Of Breathing Exercises And The Autonomic Nervous System 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch 14:00 - 14:30 Sharon Malcolm: The Puddleducks Approach - Building Resilience Through Trauma Informed Practice 14:30 - 15:15 Stephen Hughes: Trauma Resilience on the Front Line of Youth Work 15:15 - 16:15 Rachel Yehuda: If Genetics Is The Computer, Epigenetics Is The Software 16:15 - 17:00 Panel Discussion with Q&A 17:00 Close with Tea, Coffee & Music.

23RD OCTOBER 2019

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08:30 - 09:00 Refreshments & Networking 09:00 - 09:15 Welcome 09:15 - 10:15 Rachel Yehuda: What Epigentics Has Taught Us About The Enduring Effects Of Trauma And The Hope It Brings 10:15 - 11:15 Arlene Healey: A Systemic Perspective on Working with Families Affected by Civil Conflict in Northern Ireland 11:15 - 11:45 Tea, Coffee & Networking

Action Trauma is keen to spread the word that trauma is not an illness.

It is an injury which can be healed.

11:45 - 12:05 Margaret Bateson: Post-conflict trauma - Community responses to the ongoing impact on victims and survivors in Northern Ireland today 12:05 - 13:00 Sarah Mason | Sandra McNamee: See, Hear, Act - The impact of Domestic Violence on Children 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch 14:00 - 14:30 Richard Moore: My Story - A Unique Perspective On Trauma, Resilience, Peace, Reconciliation & Forgiveness 14:30 - 15:00 Helen McKenzie: Embedding Trauma Informed Practice in Northern Ireland through a Whole Systems Approach 15:00 - 15:15 Tea & Coffee 15:15 - 17:00 Karen Treisman: Developmental & Relational Trauma - An Intergenerational Perspective 17:00 Close

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| 22 & 23 June 2020 | ICC Waterfront | Belfast

For anyone with a background or interest in the mental health and well-being of children and young people

youngheartsminds.com

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| All Of Me Sensory

| No Alibis Bookstore

Carly Craig of All of Me Sensory, Early Years Specialist - consultant, trainer and sensory play facilitator. Specialist training focuses on supporting sensory strategies to building resilience in the early years.

www.noalibis.com/

www.allofmesensory.co.uk/ 07736 799408

David@noalibis.com +44 028 90319601 83 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, BT7 1JL.

21F Dundrum Rd, Newcastle BT33 0BG

We will be using the ‘Slido’ system for audience engagement and interactivity to facilitate audience Q&A sessions.

To use Slido: Connect to Wifi Go to Slido.com Enter the code #itaces19 Submit your question

EVENT CODE #itaces19

Belfast and Lisburn

About Us Belfast & Lisburn Women’s Aid provides confidential support, information and emergency accommodation for women and children affected by domestic violence.

Our vision is to end domestic violence in society and establish a future where domestic violence is unacceptable and women and children are safe in their homes. www.belfastwomensaid.org.uk 028 9066 6049 (9-5pm) 0808 802 1414 (freephone 24 hour) Belfast & Lisburn Women’s Aid 30 Adelaide Park, Belfast BT9 6FY, Northern Ireland

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Karen Treisman Specialist Clinical Psychologist, Trainer And Author

Dr Karen Treisman is a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist who has worked in the National Health System and children’s services for several years. Karen has also worked cross-culturally in both Africa and Asia with groups ranging from former child soldiers to survivors of the Rwandan Genocide. Karen has extensive experience in the areas of trauma, parenting, adversity (ACE’s) and attachment, and works clinically using a range of therapeutic approaches with families, systems, and children in or on the edge of care, unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, and adopted children.

Karen also specialises in supporting organisations and systems to move towards being, and to sustain trauma-informed and trauma-responsive practice.

At a glance

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This work focuses on creating a paradigm shift and cultural changes across whole systems.

In addition to holding a doctorate in clinical psychology, Karen has undergone a range of specialist training courses including EMDR, Narrative Therapy, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Video Interaction Guidance, Sensory Approaches, and Theraplay.

Karen is the author of “Working with children and adolescents who have experienced relational and developmental trauma” (Routledge, 2016) and the best-selling book- “A Therapeutic Treasure Box for Working with Children and Adolescents with Developmental Trauma: Creative techniques and activities” Karen has also designed a number of therapeutic books for children including: “A Therapeutic Treasure Deck: Sentence-completion and Feelings Cards” and “A Therapeutic Treasure Deck: Grounding, Regulating, Coping, and Soothing Cards”.

For more information on these and other titles and resources please visit: www.safehandsthinkingminds.co.uk

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OCTOBER 2019 09:15 - 10:15

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OCTOBER 2019 15:15 - 17:00

Intergenerational Trauma, Wisdom & Resilience: Exploring Trauma Affected Communities

Developmental & Relational Trauma: An Intergenerational Perspective

This brand new keynote will draw on Dr Treisman’s personal and professional experience of working and living in countries such as Rwanda, the Congo, the Ivory Coast, South Africa, China, India, and the Ukraine from an intergenerational and international perspective.

This not to be missed closing Keynote Presentation will take the concepts of relational and developmental trauma (e.g Neglect, emotional abuse, domestic violence, physical abuse, and sexual abuse) and apply it to several different case studies of families which Dr Treisman has worked with clinically.

Dr Treisman will present some of the key concepts and themes from her books, her wealth of professional experience, and the learnings from other practitioners around intergenerational trauma. When reviewing these reflections from a UK and international perspective and how other societies from around the world have approached their societal struggles.

Karen will discuss how wisdom, strength, and resilience can also pass from one generation to the next. An individual’s resources for dealing with adversity are often overlooked; helping to reframe a traumatised person’s outlook and acknowledging what resources they can draw on for support can have long lasting impact.

This keynote will also address some of the wider areas to consider with regards to trauma which can impact whole communities and societies and sometimes across generations. Lessons learned and hopes for the future will be at the core of the opening Keynote Presentation of this fantastic opportunity to find out what has worked in other cultures and what can help Northern Ireland to heal from it’s troubled past.

The case studies Dr Treisman will be reviewing have a particular focus on how some of the themes, issues, and patterns of relational and developmental trauma can travel through and within the generations. Art work, poems, and metaphors will be used to highlight the work in a creative and powerful way.

This keynote will keep an intergenerational focus and will formulate around how ‘parenting the parent’ and support for the carer is essential. Karen will also offer some intervention ideas and discuss her hopes for a paradigm shift to deliver a more holistic, whole system-wide change to increase the efficacy of service provision.

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Siobhan O’Neill Professor of Mental Health Sciences

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Siobhan O’Neill is a Professor of Mental Health Sciences at Ulster University. Her current research programmes focus on trauma and suicidal behaviour in Northern Ireland (NI) and novel interventions for mental health and suicidal behaviour. With a degree in psychology from Queen’s University of Belfast and a masters in health psychology from NUI Galway, Prof O’Neill has also worked as a Public Health Researcher, conducting evaluations of health services and users’ experience of care.

Her current research programmes focus on ZeroSuicide in health services in NI, mental health and suicide prevention in schools and colleges, childhood adversities and trauma informed practice, and the intergenerational transmission of trauma. She is responsible for the dissemination of the research findings on trauma and suicide to policy makers and stakeholders in NI. Among her accolades Siobhan has around 200 academic papers including a number of ground breaking papers on mental health and suicide in NI. She regularly writes opinion pieces and contribute to media items on mental health and suicide prevention. She remains a member of the World Mental Health Survey Consortium, and sits on the Boards of Directors, and advisory Boards of several counselling and suicide prevention services.

She is also the head of the organising committee for the IASP World Congress 2019.

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OCTOBER 2019 10:15 - 10:55

Intergenerational Trauma within a NI context: Trauma Informed Practice for Suicide Prevention Professor O’Neill’s recent study in Northern Ireland shows that a quarter of male students and 27% of female students had depression in the past year, 31% had suicidal thoughts, and almost 1 in 5 had self-harmed.

Prof. O’Neill will talk you through the rates and predictors of mental illness and suicidal behaviour in Northern Ireland.

She will examine the impact of ACEs and LGBT+ status, particularly in regard to suicidal ideation.

Siobhan will also explore the cycle of transgenerational trauma, how it leads to poor self-regulation in children and overprotective parenting, both of which can be predictors of poor coping mechanisms and mental illness in students. Delegates will hear evidence of biological changes associated with depression & suicidal behaviour in students who participated in the study.

Join us and Prof. O’Neill to find out her recommendations to forge forward and the small steps we can all take to be “trauma informed” to help create a healthier, safer, and more cohesive society.

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Connected for Life Training, Consultation & Support Services

22ND OCTOBER 2019 10:55 - 11:15

Video: From Adversity & Offending to Resilience & Hope Hear a first-hand account from someone who grew up with many adversities. How offending behaviour, violence, death threats, and drugs were common place in this young man’s life.

This true story demonstrates the power of healthy relationships and provides a platform to showcase the science of human connection.

With the help of Marie Blaney & other significant people, this young man was encouraged to take back control which enabled him to turn his life around.

An honest, life affirming reminder that the predictors for mental ill health and offending need not be a life sentence.

Connected for Life was set up in January 2016 by Marie Blaney and Deirdre McLaughlin who are social workers with over 50 years combined experience working with young people who have been involved in offending, their families, victims and communities, as well as supporting staff in this work.

Throughout their careers Marie and Deirdre have seen the pervasive wounds created by childhood adversity, attachment issues and trauma. These issues transmit from generation to generation and permeate communities, contributing to substance misuse, mental health problems, suicide, violence, family breakdown, unemployment and educational underachievement, homelessness, hopelessness and shame.

Through working with those who were often deemed inherently flawed and irredeemable, Marie and Deirdre learned that there is always hope. While many of those they worked with tragically lost their lives, others thrived despite significant adversity and were able to desist from offending and become the best versions of themselves.

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Dr. Richard Brown Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry

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Dr. Richard P. Brown is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons where he obtained his medical degree in 1977. He completed Psychiatry Residency and a fellowship in Psychobiology and Psychopharmacology at New York Hospital, Cornell University Medical College.

The recipient of numerous awards, he has authored over 100 scientific articles, books, and book chapters on pharmacological treatments, clinical studies, and complementary and integrative treatments in psychiatry. Dr. Brown developed a comprehensive neurophysiological theory of the effects of yoga breathing on the mind and body, particularly its benefits in anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Drawing upon his research and experiences as a certified teacher of Aikido (4th Dan), yoga, Qigong, and Open Focus Meditation, he developed the Breath-Body-Mind workshops for health care professionals, yoga teachers, survivors of mass disasters, research studies, people with medical illnesses such as cancer, and the general public. For more than 35 years Dr. Brown has taught and worked as a psychiatrist, particularly as a consultant and resource for other physicians and health care providers who need help to treat very complex, treatment-resistant patients.

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OCTOBER 2019

11:45 - 13:00

Breath-Body-Mind: An Overview Of Breathing Exercises And The Autonomic Nervous System Dr. Gerbarg will walk us through a fascinating overview of the work and clinical research she has completed with Dr. Brown over the course of their illustrious careers. This presentation will focus on the benefits of evidencebased breathing techniques (informed by Polyvagal Theory) to regulate and balance the autonomic nervous system, reduce the effects of stress, and support emotional and physical healing from trauma.

Delegates will hear of the positive impact of breathing exercises on survivors of the 9/11 World Trade Center Attacks, Haiti earthquake, Civil War in Sudan, rape and trafficking in Africa, genocide in Rwanda, Middle East refugees in Berlin shelters, and Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh. Breath-Body-Mind training relieved stress among 153 health care providers serving patients affected by the 2010 Gulf Oil spill.

In Nigeria, the Chibok Girls, survivors of kidnapping by the Boco Haram are

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Dr. Patricia Gerbarg Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry

receiving Breath-Body-Mind as part of their ongoing therapy for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

Following the lecture, attendees will experience basic Breath-Body-Mind practices lead by Dr. Brown. This will provide an opportunity to discover through your own experiences, some of the effects of this approach. The practices are designed to relieve stress and tension while increasing mental and physical energy.

Breath-Body-Mind: 2 Day Workshop.

See www.actiontrauma.com for more info

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09:00-17:00

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Patricia L. Gerbarg, M.D. Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry, New York Medical College, graduated from Brown University (1971), Harvard Medical School (1975), Beth Israel Psychiatry Residency Boston (1979), and the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute (1992).

Dr. Gerbarg has lectured and taught on a wide range of topics in psychiatry, psychoanalysis, women’s issues, trauma, neurobiology, natural treatments (herbs, nutrients), and the integration of mind-body practices in psychotherapy for the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Meetings and many other conferences, academic centers, and community organizations. She serves on the APA Caucus on Complementary and Integrative Psychiatry and is a board member of the American Botanical Council. She coauthored more than 60 scientific articles, chapters, and books.

Dr. Gerbarg practices Integrative Psychiatry, combining standard and complementary treatments. Her research focuses on mindbody practices for reducing the effects of stress, depression, and trauma, particularly in survivors of mass disasters, including the Southeast Asia Tsunami, 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, war in Sudan, Gulf Horizon Oil Spill, veterans, and stress-related medical illnesses. She also develops Breath-BodyMind programs for at-risk and refugee children. Dr. Brown, Dr. Gerbarg and their trainees also work with active duty military, wounded warriors and veterans.

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Sharon Malcolm Manager of Puddleducks Day Nursery

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Sharon Malcolm is the Manager of Puddleducks Day Nursery in Belfast, which was recently crowned the ‘Best Individual Nursery’ in the whole of the UK at the prestigious Nursery Management Today Awards in London in Dec 2018.

Puddleducks was applauded for its focus on “the self-esteem, wellbeing and confidence of each individual child”. Puddleducks is a social enterprise and caters for 70 children up to five years old with the majority of parents working in and around Belfast city centre.

Opened in June 2012, the nursery is owned and managed by Belfast Central Mission (BCM), one of Northern Ireland’s oldest charities. Since then, it has been the recipient of several awards and continues to expand and evolve to meet growing demand. Sharon and her team’s implementation of researchbased respectful care practice is cemented in years of practitioner experience, insight and learning from leading international experts.

The practical and organisational initiatives that Puddleducks is introducing to early years childcare in Belfast are to be held as shining examples of trauma informed practice.

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OCTOBER 2019

14:00 - 14:30

The Puddleducks Approach: Building Resilience Through Trauma Informed Practice Trauma Informed Practice in the early years is fundamental to breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma and building an “ACE active” society in Northern Ireland.

The Puddleducks Approach applies this practice to ‘Care for the heart while caring for the mind’.

Puddleducks Manager Sharon Malcolm will highlight the methods she has pioneered in Belfast so that each child develops a sense of confidence, independence and self-belief. “We are our children’s champions.”

Sharon has developed ‘The Puddleducks Approach’ by blending examples of best practice from around the world, and has been particularly informed by the work of Toni Christie and the Te Whāriki childhood curriculum, Alice Sharp and her experiential play model, and Dr. Suzanne Zeedyk’s focus on the science of connection.

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Stephen Hughes Senior Youth Development Officer

22ND OCTOBER 2019 14:30 - 15:15

Trauma Resilience on the Front Line of Youth Work Stephen Hughes will outline a practical model of the trauma responsive youthwork practice that has been developed by the team at St. Peters Immaculata Youth Centre in Belfast.

He will outline the various interventions he and his colleagues have undertaken to support young people and their parents who have been impacted by various traumas. Discussing at risk youths with high ACE scores, who are often marginalised or excluded from services due to offending or antisocial behaviour, Stephen will explore some of the issues he has been presented with and how he has overcome the challenges of the job.

He will outline their practice based model and will be open to questions and recommendations for improving their interventions.

Stephen Hughes is a Senior Youth Development Officer with the Youth Work Alliance, the headquarters for the voluntary sector youth services.

Stephen studied at Manchester University and secured his Masters at Ulster University in 2004. Stephen has vast experience of working with young people suffering from the exposure to various trauma.

He has worked with a variety of partners in health, education and employment and has developed a model of intervention with youth at risk that has proved to be successful in supporting their social, emotional and physical needs. He is a licensed trainer in Circle of Courage, a trauma based approach to developmental youth work and a Social Gaming and anti-gambling trainer.

Stephen is a director of Youthworks, a site Director for Amizade International, sits on the Board of Governors at St. Joseph’s Primary School and has over 30 years practice as a youth work professional. He is a father of two and a grandfather to one who consume all his free time and are his greatest joy in life.

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Dr. Rachel Yehuda Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Dr Rachel Yehuda, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, is the Director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine which includes the PTSD clinical research program and the Neurochemistry and Neuroendocrinology laboratory at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Dr. Yehuda is a recognized leader in the field of traumatic stress studies. She has authored more than 250 published papers, chapters, and books in the field of traumatic stress and the neurobiology of PTSD. Her current interests include the study of risk and resilience factors, psychological and biological predictors of treatment response in PTSD, genetic and epigenetic studies of PTSD and the intergenerational transmission of trauma and PTSD.

At a glance

| 22nd October -15:15 - 16:15 | 23rd October - 09:15 - 10:15

She has an active federally-funded clinical and research program that welcomes local and international students and clinicians.

Dr. Yehuda’s research on cortisol and brain function has revolutionized the understanding and treatment of PTSD worldwide and has been awarded the renowned Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry (Munich, Germany) 2004 Guest Professorship.

The appointment signifies a special recognition of the outstanding research she has been performing in the field of neuroscience in the context of studies on causality of psychiatric disorders over the years.

Dr. Yehuda received her PhD in Psychology and Neurochemistry and her MS in Biological Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and completed her postdoctoral training in Biological Psychiatry in the Psychiatry Department at Yale Medical School.

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OCTOBER 2019 15:15 - 16:15

If Genetics Is The Computer, Epigenetics Is The Software

Keynote Presentation from Dr Rachel Yehuda examining the difference between transient stress responses and enduring responses to trauma. Dr Yehuda’s work has been prolific in studying trauma survivors from Vietnam to 9/11 and the Holocaust.

Over the course of her stellar career, spanning over 25 years, she has talked to hundreds if not thousands of survivors.

Drawing from the studies she has carried out Dr Yehuda will explore what she has learnt; how genetics and epigenetics work together and how environment can override our genes.

“I’m very challenged by thinking how this information can be empowering and not disempowering. And one of the studies that we published showed that some epigenetic changes occur in response to psychotherapy. If we’re saying that environmental circumstances can create one kind of change, a different environmental circumstance creates another kind of change, that’s very empowering.”

Dr Rachel Yehuda This talk will be followed by a panel discussion and then a Q&A session with the audience.

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OCTOBER 2019 09:15 - 10:15

What Epigentics Has Taught Us About The Enduring Effects Of Trauma And The Hope It Brings The second keynote presentation from Dr Rachel Yehuda follows on from the premise identified in her first presentation; if the effects of trauma can be enduring, can they also be transmitted from one generation to the next? If so, what does that mean and what are the implications of transmitted effects for healing collective wounds?

In this talk Rachel will further explore the phenomenon of intergenerational transmission of trauma, the potential mechanisms for this transmission, and what we can do about it.

“It turns out that Holocaust offspring were three times more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, if they were exposed to a traumatic event, than demographically similar Jewish persons whose parents did not survive the Holocaust. That was real. You cannot run from your past, but maybe you would run farther if you carried your past with you, as long as you can control it, and I think that that is really what we want to understand — we want to understand what it means to have a greater repertoire of behaviour.

I think that the podium of suffering provides an unparalleled opportunity to realise that while you can’t change what happened, you can use it to positively impact your future and the future of others.

This requires knowledge of trauma and how to deal with it” Dr Rachel Yehuda

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Arlene Healey Clinical Supervisor Association for Family Therapy.

Arlene Healey is a registered systemic psychotherapist with more than 40 years’ experience working with children and their families in the NHS in both Child and Family Services and CAMHS where she worked for more than 30 years.

Arlene retired from the NHS in December 2015 and is now in private practice. During the past few years she has undertaken work for the Official Solicitor Royal Court of Justice Belfast and Lighthouse, a charity based in Belfast providing help for families affected by suicide.

She is a registered clinical supervisor with the Association for Family Therapy. In 1999 following the implementation of the Belfast/Good Friday Peace Agreement in Northern Ireland, she established and managed the Family Trauma Centre. The Centre provide servicexs for children and families affected by the conflict in Northern Ireland. The Family Trauma Centre was the first systemically led trauma service.

She continues to provide clinical supervision for several family therapists both in the NHS and private practice in the UK and Ireland. She continues to teach and present at conferences both nationally and internationally.

Arlene developed a culturally sensitive family therapy approach to help families in trauma and has published her work in several journals and books. She continued to manage the Centre for 18 years until she retired in 2016.

Arlene was active in crisis response work and was a member of the Belfast Health Trust’s Community Crisis Response Team for more than 15 years. In January 2005 she was seconded to the British Red Cross as part of the first response to UK nationals in Thailand following the tsunami.

More recently Arlene has been providing consultation and training to Hostage International, an organisation who provides support and guidance to families during and after the kidnap of a loved one and also supports hostages following their return home.

22nd OCTOBER 2019 16:15 - 17:00

Panel Discussion Due to her wealth of experience Arlene is ideally suited to chair our panel discussion on ‘How to break the cycle of learned adverse behaviours?’

Panellists: Dr Rachel Yehuda, Dr Karen Treisman and Stephen Hughes

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23 OCTOBER 2019 10:15 - 11:15

A Systemic Perspective on Working with Families Affected

by Civil Conflict in Northern Ireland. Arlene Healey’s paper considers the experiences of families affected by the many decades of Civil Conflict in Northern Ireland. It will highlight the impact of trauma and violence on family life. Given the duration of the Conflict many families have been affected by trauma that is more intergenerational in nature, and this will be explored. The development of a systemic therapeutic model which focusses on the psychological and relational aspects of trauma on the family is outlined. The importance of the wider effects of social deprivation, and poor access to mental health facilities are also addressed.

The development of this work in the early 1990s led to the opening of the regional Family Trauma Centre in Belfast in 1999, with funding made available to help implement the Belfast/Good Friday Peace Agreement. Therapeutic interventions that aim to strengthen family relationships and sustain hope, in contexts of extreme suffering and despair are outlined. The use of more traditional treatments for the impact of trauma are also incorporated into this work. The presentation includes a discussion of the position of therapists who live in the same political and social context, who may also have been exposed to similar traumatic experiences, as those they are helping. The presentation draws out some principles that can be useful to therapists working in other contexts.

Margaret Bateson

CEO, Victims & Survivors Service

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23 OCTOBER 2019 11:45 - 12:05

Post-conflict trauma: Community responses to the ongoing impact on victims and survivors in Northern Ireland today.

Margaret Bateson has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) since August 2014, having previously worked in overseas development and for the EU programme for peace and reconciliation. She has over 15 years experience in the collaborative design and development of programmes, organisational change and outcomes focused monitoring and evaluation.

Each year the VSS provides support and services to over 15,000 victims and survivors of the Northern Ireland troubles/ conflict and works in close collaboration with more than 50 community and voluntary partners to deliver localised health and wellbeing services including psychological therapies, advocacy and welfare support, personal development and social support.

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Sarah Mason & Sandra McNamee Sarah Mason - CEO, Women’s Aid NI Sandra McNamee - Strategic Development, Women’s Aid NI

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23 OCTOBER 2019 12:05 - 13:00

See, Hear, Act The impact of Domestic Violence on Children This powerful input from Women’s Aid NI will explore the impact of domestic violence and abuse on children and young people and highlight their experiences as equal victims.

It will shine a light on their experiences and profile their voices through the creative media of art, poetry and letter writing. It will also highlight the importance of support services and those attending will hear from the experts by experience (children and young people themselves) about what helped them and their family move on from their experiences of violence in the home, build resilience and develop hope.

The presentation will highlight what we can all do, as individuals and professionals to See, Hear and Act on behalf of children and young people who have experienced domestic violence and abuse.

Sarah Mason has been working for Women’s Aid Federation NI for over 26 years, in various Senior Management roles and she took over the role of CEO this year. Women’s Aid is the lead, expert agency providing support to women, children and young people affected by domestic and sexual violence across NI. Sarah has led on the highly successful preventative education programme for children in primary schools over the last ten years, and she will share this work as part of the presentation.

Sandra McNamee has been involved with Women’s Aid NI for 22 years both in a paid employment and a consultancy basis. She has developed an in-depth knowledge and expertise in relation to the impact of domestic violence on children and young people. She is the author of the successful Helping Hands programme delivered in primary schools across NI. Sandra recently led on the development of the Women’s Aid NI, 10 year children and young people’s strategy See, Hear, Act. She is passionate about giving children and young people a voice and this will be evident in this presentation.

www.belfastwomensaid.org.uk 028 9066 6049 (9-5pm) 0808 802 1414 (freephone 24 hour)

Belfast and Lisburn

Belfast & Lisburn Women’s Aid 30 Adelaide Park, Belfast BT9 6FY, Northern Ireland

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Richard Moore Founder of Children In Crossfire

In 1972, aged 10, Richard Moore, the Founder and Director of Children in Crossfire, was blinded by a rubber bullet fired at point blank range into his face. Amazingly, from childhood to the present day, he has never allowed bitterness to stunt his development.

“I learned to see life in a different way,” is how he describes his remarkable acceptance of what, for most, would be a debilitating trauma.

In the 47 years of blindness, he has become a husband, father, accomplished musician, folk group leader and successful businessman. In 1996, he felt the need to harness all that he had learned and put it to the service of humanity, particularly children around the world who, like himself, have been caught in the crossfire of poverty.

Twenty-three years after its foundation, Children in Crossfire works in partnership with organisations in Tanzania and Ethiopia to address the developmental needs of young children whose lives are caught up in the injustice of poverty.

This inspiring charity also has a passion to see the development of education in Ireland to introduce young people to the structural causes of poverty and help them find a role in making the world a better place. It is a remarkable testimony to the indomitable spirit of a man whose resilience turned personal tragedy into strength and now wishes to bring healing and reconciliation to the world.

“I encourage people across the World to hear what Richard has to say” Dalai Lama

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23 OCTOBER 2019 14:00 - 14:30

My Story: A Unique Perspective On Trauma, Resilience, Peace, Reconciliation & Forgiveness Richard Moore was born on 12th July 1961, in Derry, Northern Ireland, where he grew up in the Creggan Estate.

The 2nd youngest in a family of 12, as a boy Richard attended Rosemount Primary School.

Richard’s Uncle, Gerard McKinney, was shot and killed in January 1972 on Bloody Sunday.

A few months later on his way home from school on 4th May 1972 when he was just 10 years old, Richard was shot and blinded by a rubber bullet fired by a British Soldier. Richard went on to attend St Joseph’s Secondary School after which he went on to achieve a Bachelor of Science in Social Administration (Hons) from Ulster University.

He worked in his family’s property development business and played guitar semi-professionally. In 1996 Richard founded the charity “Children In Crossfire”. Based in Derry, with projects as far reaching as Africa, Asia and South America the charity focuses on issues affecting children e.g. providing access to clean water, food, health and education.

In 2006 he met and befriended Charles, the British soldier that shot him.

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Helen McKenzie Professional Officer within the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland

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23 OCTOBER 2019 14:30 - 15:00

Embedding Trauma Informed Practice in Northern Ireland through a Whole Systems Approach Helen McKenzie is the Project Lead for the Early Intervention Transformation Programme Workstream 4, she is also the Professional Officer within the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI). Appointed for her expertise in child safeguarding, The Early Intervention Transformation Programme (EITP) is a Professional Development Project which aims to strengthen the culture of inter-professional working practice, with a particular focus on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) by supporting professionals to train together as well as embedding commonality in prevention and early intervention approaches.

Helen also works closely and liaises with the Children & Young Peoples Strategic Partnership, the Regional ACEs Reference Group, and the Multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences (MACEs) Project. The MACEs Project is overseen by Cooperation And Working Together (CAWT) a partnership between the Health and Social Care Services in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, which facilitates cross border collaborative working in health and social care.

As the Project Lead for the Early Intervention Transformation Programme (EITP), and her work with the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI), Helen is uniquely placed to give delegates an insight into what is currently happening in NI statutory organisations and associated partners of the SBNI in regard to Trauma Informed Practice & ACEs. The SBNI is made up of key partner organisations from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors. They work with collaborating organisations, professions and the wider community, who are concerned about the protection and wellbeing of children.

The SBNI strategic plan sets out their desired outcomes for the next three years, taking into account the views of; children and young people, their parents and carers, SBNI member bodies and the partner organisations they work with, Department of Health priorities, and the wider public. All of this is within the context of current health and social care reform and restructuring.

In particular, the SBNI have decided to concentrate on Adverse Childhood Experiences to underpin their remit and focus their efforts on the delivery of this strategic plan. This will provide an insight into the regional frameworks in place to protect children, as well as give an overview of what steps are being taken to improve the wellbeing of children & young people in Northern Ireland.

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| New Life Counselling

www.newlifecounselling.net Tel: 028 9039 1630 New Life Counselling is a voluntary counselling organisation committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing needs of its clients through the provision of counselling.

| Rock Pool

www.rockpool.life Tel: 028 9039 1630 Our vision is a society that is traumainformed. We support organisations that want to improve practice, share knowledge and expertise, and enable their workforce to inspire hope, promote resilience and aid recovery for people affected by trauma.

| Hydro-ease

www.hydro-ease.co.uk Tel: 028 9521 5155 Hydro-Ease is Ireland’s only floatation centre and specialises in revolutionary treatments such as Havening, NLP and Timeline Therapy and Hypnosis.

| Trauma Informed Schools

www.traumainformedschools.co.uk Tel: 028 9039 1630 Our vision is to provide appropriate training for schools, communities & organisations so they become trauma informed and mentally healthy places. We aim to help children and teenagers BEFORE they get mental health problems, to catch them as they are falling not after they have fallen.

International Trauma Summit Returns to Belfast in 2020 | 22 - 23 June 2020 | ICC Waterfront, Belfast The hugely successful Trauma Summit brings together leading experts under one roof in Belfast.

It provides the latest information and research on psychological trauma, its many causes, effects & successful healing.

Confirmed speakers include Dan Siegel, Robin Shapiro, Bessel van der Kolk, Janina Fisher, Stephen Porges & many, many more.

Book your tickets now at www.trauma-summit.com