Dr Julie Morsillo, Counselling Co-ordinator, Eastern College Australia
In light of the bushfire disasters in Australia, we are opening up our Introduction to Counselling class to the wider public in a series of four seminars to help equip you with a better understanding of how to be supportive and helpful to individuals during and after frightening times of drought, fire and floods and any other trauma, crisis and loss.
We hope to serve the wider Church and community by making this valuable training of how to provide counselling care and support to disaster and trauma victims accessible. These four seminars are ideal for counselling professionals as they can count towards professional development hours. This training will also be valuable for those in ministry and pastoral roles, community workers and anyone who works with or knows anyone affected by disaster or trauma.
When: The first four Tuesdays in March 1:30pm-3:00pm
The Seminars will cover four different areas:
1. Safety and Support – March 3
Helping the person to feel safe, both physically and emotionally:
- Check that they have the basics of food, shelter and supports
- Assist with appropriate supports, such as making the most out of current support systems and linking to extra support as needed
- Recalling with them what has helped them to cope in the past, including their faith and faith community.
2. Care and Comfort – March 10
Protecting themselves and those close to them, particularly children and fragile adults
- Help them to calm themselves and others with self-soothing, breathing and relaxation
- Provide an anchor of a safe place in their imagination, from their past
- Check that they are not be triggered by past trauma, news or distressing images
- Help them to see that while this is extremely distressing, it is temporary and will pass
- Remember what has helped them in the past to relax eg. music, art, walking, cafes
3. Survive and Thrive – March 17
Help them to find strategies to cope now and into the future
- Help them to contextualise and normalise
- Assist them in thinking through options to cope currently and options for ways forward
- Guide their focus towards where they want to place their energy to survive and thrive
4. Role Plays – March 24
Practice skills learnt in supporting people after disasters, crisis, trauma and loss, from the first three sessions and resources provided.
Melbourne, VIC 3152
Australia
| Event Fee(s) | |
| General Ticket for non-alumni | $120.00 |
| Discounted Ticket for Tabor/Eastern and MST current and past students | $100.00 |
