Critical Incident Stress Management provides a trained peer supporter a toolbox with a number of excellent tools to professionally support colleagues who are struggling with emotional stress. Most techniques can be taught in 3 different training events.
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Please take notice of our Terms & Conditions for training events
In this two-day course participants will learn how to provide tailor made stress management advice to their colleagues. They learn:
the different types of Stress
recognizing stress symptoms
tailoring stress management advice
Stress Management for individuals
Stress Management for teams
Stress Management for the organization as a whole
Strategic Stress Management
One additional day of training will allow participants to become a trainer in stress management so they can train their own colleagues.
In this two-day course participants will learn how to provide support to individuals. They learn:
Surveillance and assessment
Is about planning and assessing needs. Students will learn how to determine who (may) need assistance before and during an incident. Psychological triage is part of the methodology. Language, culture and context are critical parts of this technique.
Individual Crisis Intervention
Advanced psychological first aid. Techniques for during and after a critical incident whereby stabilisation, individual assessment, stress management education and possible ways of referral are taught. Goal is to reduce acute stress symptoms and to facilitate return to adaptive, normal funtioning.
Suïcide prevention and intervention
Peer supporters learn to assess suicidal comments, behaviours and thoughts which can possibly lead to the prevention of a planned suicide. In the event of a completed suicide, students learn how to support colleagues.
Follow up and referral
Assessing the well-being of an individual or group and to determine whether higher level mental health assistance is needed.
In this two-day course participants will learn how to support groups who have been affected by a critical incident. They learn:
Pre-Event Planning and Preparation
Students learn to develop strategies and procedures for the event that a crticial incident happens. With plans in place peer supporters can quickly, efficiently and effectively come into action when needed. Training and setting up peer support units is part of this phase.
Strategic planning
Before and during an incident peer supporters need to determine which CISM techniques / components are needed for different types of possible crisis events.
Rest, Information & Transition Services (RITS) or demobilisation
This techique is used in shift disengagement or end of deployment mostly during ” search and rescue” operations. The goal here is to share up to date information about the operation, provide stress management information and allow for a short decompression period before going home. Peer supporters are taught how to run a RITS or demobilisation process.
Respite centers
During a large disaster or operation, like a flood, a temporary center will be set up for personnel involved in the opepration. They can take short breaks while being offered refreshments and snacks. Practical stress management techniques can be used during this time.
Crisis Management Briefing (CMB)
After an incident all staff are called together to be briefed about the situation. Updates will be provided, questions can be asked and there is time for psychological decompression and stress management. Peer supporters learn how to plan, set up and run a CMB.
Defusing
Participants learn to work with a small (similar) group of people right after an incident happened. Looking out for stress symptoms, assessment and triage are part of this activity.
Group debriefing
In this last group technique peer supporters are taught to work with small groups in processing the the critical event. A strict 5 or 7 step process is taught and practiced, whereby stress symptoms will be discussed and parts of the event will be processed. The group will work together (if possible) to a closure. Assessment, triage and referral could be part of the process.
