Trauma triumph

Course: Understanding and responding to trauma

There's no doubt that the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has put child abuse and trauma in the spotlight. However, what many people don't realise is that exposure to these types of violence and abuse often increases the risk of a victim developing the mental health, substance use or physical health problems which can bring them into contact with support services. There's a need for those services to be on the front foot.

"Services that do not understand and respond effectively to the impacts of trauma risk compounding the effects and creating further harm," says short course co-ordinator with the Mental Health Coordinating Council, Lorna Downes.

This two-day course will help. While content is based on research, the focus is on application, so that practical changes can immediately be applied to each work environment.

Duration: Two days.

Time: 9am to 4.30pm daily.

Where: Various locations.

When: Course runs once a month across NSW, or in house on request. Next dates - Newcastle, October 23/24; Sydney, November 26/27.

Link: mhcc.org.au/learning-and-development/SUE WHITE