DEVELOPING RESILIENCE TO TRAUMA

GETTING AHEAD OF PTSD

This workshop helps participants discover ways - tools - to increase their resiliency to trauma and the traumatic events they encounter. By combining group discussion with safe, controlled sessions with the horses, experienced facilitators guide the discussion and the work wth the horses to ensure the experience is congruent and practical.

Participants learn to understand trauma; what it is, how it affects the mind and the body, brain conditions for trauma to be “encoded” ... and how to recognize the effects of trauma ... and how it can affect one’s behaviour. In fact, it’s more about the brain than the trauma. By having an understanding of how the brain works, participants will learn different ways to trick the biology ... developing certain “brain tools”. By developing methods to override natural trauma-encoding instincts, participants learn to be resilient.

What is the SCIENCE behind this workshop?

When a person has experienced a traumatic event, the trauma empowers the person’s limbic system to take control of the brain, resulting in an animalistic, survival based response. This workshop will help participants learn to understand the brain science and then quiet that part of thebrain so that rational brain systems can come back and take control.

As a traumatized person, you don’t want to experience your internal world because it feels so frightening - flashbacks and memories.

This is where the horses come in. By interacting with these intuitive and emotional animals, participants learn to safely activate that rational part of their brain and experience less reactivity - they become more mindful. They begin to see things happen and not automatically react to them. Horses help the participants learn to “be still”, notice their “self ” and feel ... and tolerate their sensations.

FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

A second, half-day workshop is available for first responders and their spouses / partners. Having the understanding and support of family members is important. This way the supportive family can better understand trauma, and better understand what their partner faces and then learn to be a strong support.

Group discussions

The group discussions are powerful. Participants realize they are not alone with their memories and flashbacks. The groups provide support. There are continual opportunities to talk, share ideas and discuss various taruma coping strategies.

COURSE

DETAILS

• Maximum number of participants per session is 12

• Minimum number of participants per session is 4

• 6 hours (Times: 9:00am to 3:00pm)

• Lunch included

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

•  First Responders
•  Victims of homicide

•  Family members of homicide / suicide

        victims

• People having experienced a divorce

• Those who have experienced job loss

• Those who have experienced loss ... loss of a child or family member

• Those who desire to learn to deal with their own personal trauma issues.

• Every workshop will be specific to a single interest group ie, at a first responders session, there will only be first

       responders.

COURSE

NOTES

• Location: Indoor equine facility 15 minutes east of Ft. Saskatchewan, Alberta (Millar Venture Arabians)

• Workshops can be structured to your individual group.

Developing Resilience to Trauma