TRAUMA INTERVENTION RESPONSE SERVICE

Summary Of Service

Accidents happen…it’s just the way the world is. How we deal with them differs from person to person and organisation to organisation. However, you don’t need to face these challenging times on your own; help is available for employers and employees alike. Workplace Support Services delivers specialist Post Trauma Support / Critical Incident Management.

Onsite Support

We will be onsite, typically within 24 to 48 hours to deliver a specialist group counselling debriefing. However, as an organisation you will have immediate access to telephone support to assist you with the management of the incident.

Follow Up Support

If an individual requires follow-up counselling, we are able to provide structured counselling by way of face to face counselling. We are available to respond and help in dealing with any critical event or crisis that affects the staff members of your organisation. A critical event is any unusual event which is considered outside the range of ordinary human experience and causes an intense reaction.

It is also any incident which has a stressful impact sufficient to overwhelm the usually effective coping skills of a group or individual. Some events that may provoke an intense stress reaction are; an unusual, unexpected, tragic injury or death, an act or threat of violence or an accident or natural disaster. Critical Incident Trauma Intervention is a facilitator-led group process initiated as soon as possible after a traumatic event with individuals who are considered to be under stress from trauma exposure.

The main aim is to specifically prevent, limit or alleviate the onset of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following exposure to such an incident.

Critical Incident Trauma Intervention enables participants to understand that they are not alone in their reactions to a distressing event, and provides them with an opportunity to discuss their thoughts and feelings in a controlled, safe environment – facilitated by specialised professionals.

What Can Be Done?

Workplace Support Services can respond quickly to crises, traumatic situations and organisational emergencies. Two kinds of intervention are available: Group Intervention and Individual Intervention and Counselling.

Group Intervention

Debriefing entails a group meeting where trained counsellors assist those involved in a critical incident to talk about their thoughts, actions and reactions to an event. Its purpose is to provide a structured group setting in which people can learn about the normally expected behaviours, thoughts and feelings that follow a stressful event. It is also an opportunity for participants to learn ways to manage stress symptoms and to realise that they are not alone in experiencing stress reactions. Participation in a debriefing session is strictly voluntary and confidentiality will be maintained.

Individual Intervention & Counselling

By working with Workplace Support Services, employees can debrief the personal impact of the crisis. Putting the emotional, physical, and intellectual pieces together in a therapeutic setting can help them recover more quickly so that they can focus on the priorities of their role within the organisation.

Although we try to respond to urgent requests, an ‘immediate’ intervention is unlikely. It can sometimes take hours, or even a day to organise a formal debriefing. However, in the interim, we will endeavour to create as much support as possible for you and those directly affected by the trauma