Staff Communication using the Trauma Informed Model: Session Three: Self Reflection and Our Purpose

CEU: No Admin Ceu’s for this class

Hours 2.5 in-service hours
PRICE: $60

Staffs Role & Core Practices is the third course in a 3 part series on Trauma Informed Communication.

In Session One We discussed the staff expectations and defined what Trauma Informed Care is. We touched on what a client maybe feeling and what our goals with them should consist of.

In Session Two We discussed the caregivers role in more detail. What should be some of the core practices we need and  use in helping our clients?
We now finish off the series by discussing how we can better understand ourselves; and do some self-evaluating. This would also include doing some self- reflection on our motives and feelings.

Our Purpose:

Establishing what you as a staff is using as your motivation; what compels you to work with such difficult clients?

The Why…. This is a simple word that has a lot of power and opens the door to our purpose for how we work with our clients.

Self-reflection can be a powerful tool and something that all staff should do with themselves or with the help of a co-worker or direct supervisor. The idea is to better understand why we do or don’t do certain things and exploring what ones true motives are working with clients who are in constant crisis with themselves each day.Self-reflection is about understanding our motives and character in given situations. It should explore what and why one’s motives and actions were viewed or chosen.

In Session two we discussed the power of feedback and its general purpose for team building and getting team members to find their voice with each other. This alone is not the only way to find ideas of what an individual’s feelings are and how he/she

perceives their work. One exercise which is commonly used when a staff is overly punitive with clients; is  to process what they are trying to teach the client versus what the staff is receiving for themselves when consequences towards one client or the group is given.

Staff that are generally viewed as punitive need self-reflection and weekly supervision directly with their supervisor to discuss their role in conflicts and what are the motives they are working from. Supervision is a professional relationship that provides support, education, monitoring of performance quality, and creates a safe forum to reflect on professional practices. It should encourage constructive confrontation and critical thinking that informs and improves the practice of all parties.

Types of Supervision

1. Clinical
2. Administrative
3. Crisis

The administrative form of supervision is the direct helping of your staff, the processing and teaching them how they make others feel.  The client, their team members and the atmosphere they help create.

Another exercise that is done in a group setting is having conflict resolution between the staff and client when there is a perceived personal issue between the individuals where an administrator will arbitrate and role play out what are each person’s motives in the given situation.

Also in this 3 part  training series

Session One: Building Relationships with Clients

Session Two: Staffs Role and Core Practices