Courses

CIMA provides education, training and support for personnel in emergency services, police, corrections, health, welfare and related services in managing the impact of disabling psychological stress and trauma in their work.

Assisting Individuals in Crisis (AIC) (Psychological First Aid)

This dynamic program will teach participants the fundamentals of and specific protocols for individual crisis intervention. Over the course of two days participants will learn practical techniques in administering emotional first-aid to those in a crisis situation. The course also examines psychological reactions to crisis and trauma and looks at one particular protocol for individual crisis intervention, namely the SAFER-R protocol. The program also includes practical strategies for the containment of individuals psychologically and behaviourally. The Resistance, Resiliency and Recovery continuum is also examined.

Group Crisis Intervention (GCI)

The two-day Group Crisis Intervention course will prepare participants to provide acute emergency mental health intervention to help large and small groups of people cope with their reactions after experiencing a traumatic event. The program presents the core elements of the comprehensive, integrated, systematic and multi-component crisis management system known as Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). The Course prepares participants for intervening and assisting groups of people in the recovery process. Topics covered include CISM, which has several strategies for intervention with large and small groups. The need for appropriate follow-up services and referrals is emphasised.

Pastoral Crisis Intervention (PCI)

Pastoral Crisis Intervention is the combination of faith-based interventions with traditional techniques of crisis intervention. It represents a powerful addition to traditional community and organisational psychological support resources. This two-day workshop will educate participants on how and when to integrate traditional psychological crisis intervention with pastoral crisis intervention. The SAFER-PCI protocol is examined and practised by participants. Chaplains, pastoral counsellors, mental health professionals, ministers and those interested in the use of faith-based resources in crisis intervention may find this course of value.

Strategic Response to Crisis (SRC)

Upon completing this two-day course participants will be educated on which sequence of crisis intervention processes to use, for which individuals or groups, at what times and under what circumstances. Essential information for assessments will be discussed as participants learn to create an effective plan of action to assist people in crisis. Participants will also be trained to use strategic planning and tactical decision making to determine the best crisis intervention process for particular situations. A series of interactive exercises highlights the need for assessment and planning before implementing interventions for people in psychological crisis.

Note: CIMA expects that persons wishing to take the SRC Course will have completed at least two other CISM courses.

Advanced Assisting Individual in Crisis (AAIC)

A training package for those with previous CISM training.

This course has been designed to cater for those who have been providing individual support services after crisis for at least two years and who have previously completed the Assisting Individuals in Crisis course.

Course Content:

• Key Terms and Concepts - A Review;

• Listening;

• Psychological Reactions and Triage;

• Review Psychological First Aid;

• Ethical Issues and Cautions;

• Complex situations such as Suicide, Bereavement, Grief;

• Follow-up, Referral; and

• Self-care.

ICISF Accredited.

Advanced Group Crisis Intervention (AGCI)

Over the course of two days participants will learn the latest information and techniques on critical incident stress management as well as the signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress conditions. The knowledge that was obtained in the CISM Group Crisis Intervention Course and/or publications will be broadened and participants will complete the course having obtained advanced specific and strategic methods for helping those who have been exposed to trauma and may be suffering some ill effects. The content of the Advanced Group Crisis Intervention Course will include various CISM interventions including defusing (also known as Immediate Small Group Intervention) and debriefings (also known as Powerful Event Group Support) in complex situations, response to disasters and support for service providers.

Prerequisite: This course requires previous relevant training and experience and completion of the Group Crisis Intervention course is essential.

Establishing and Maintaining Peer Support Programs in the Workplace

Ideal of managers of teams this one day course meets the needs of the organisation through crisis intervention and support provided by Peers.

Learn the processes, strategies and protocols on how to select, train and support Peers and create an organisational culture which promotes Peer Support as a preferred solution for individuals and groups in crisis.

Suicide: Prevention, Intervention & Postvention

Why do people commit suicide? How do I ask someone if they are feeling suicidal? What do I do if they say they ARE suicidal? How do I deal with the strong emotions suicide generates? This training course will consider these and other questions that people commonly ask about suicide. During the two days participants will develop practical skills for prevention, intervention and support for those impacted by suicide. An interactive teaching approach is used so that participants are able to learn as they apply the strategies and methods. The course provides educational briefing that can be given to local agencies.

Spiritual and Psychological First Aid

Research validates that the help and support people receive in times of crisis matters. Providing effective emotional and spiritual care to individuals, families, and communities in difficult times is critical and can help promote resiliency and recovery. This two-day course endeavors to build helping skills and a better understanding of the unique role of the crisis responder and trains participants in the fundamental principles of spiritual and psychological first aid (SPFA). Care provided in SPFA may be defined as a practical, compassionate and supportive presence designed to mitigate acute distress, assess needs, provide essential supportive care, and link with other support systems as needed for ongoing spiritual, emotional, and mental health care.

Targeted participants will be trained clergy, chaplains, mental health professionals, crisis responders, and individuals who desire to enhance their skills in providing SPFA to survivors of loss, disaster, emergency, trauma, and crisis settings.

Course Highlights:

At the conclusion of this course, successful students will be able to:

• Identify evidence-informed foundations for SPFA

• Articulate an understanding of the "ministry of presence" and "companioning."

• Define the essential elements of connecting and communicating with people in crisis

• Prepare survivors to understand commonly experienced psychological/ behavioral reactions and the process of recovery

• Identify indicators of resiliency, recovery and post traumatic growth to encourage help, hope and healing

• Identify how meeting basic human needs is foundational to providing SPFA

• Demonstrate essential interventions to help stabilize and protect people in crisis

• Create a safe environment that facilitates effective listening and crisis communication

• Link those served with existing community support services and develop an ongoing care plan.

• Demonstrate skills for assessing spiritual and psychological needs of individuals in crisis

• Utilize a spiritual assessment framework to identify ways to help an individual draw on spiritual and religious resources to cope and foster resiliency

FIRST - Psychological First Aid for Groups

Psychological First Aid (PFA) has emerged as the preferred methodology of crisis intervention for those exposed to traumatic events.

This one day course captures the skills and process necessary to reduce skillset individuals the skills to mitigate the impact of traumatic events in others and quickly help them to return to normal functioning.

The methodology is based on emergency services and military personnel generally work in groups which have a pre existing cohesion. Members of the public may share a common experience when exposed to traumatic events. Groups offer the opportunity for members to learn from others, validate the traumatic experience, decrease any sense of isolation and express emotions in a safe and supportive environment.

FIRST Psychological First Aid for Groups has been developed from these theoretical foundations and has been trialled and employed successfully in group settings in Australia.