Introduction to trauma-exposed professionals: TExP1

This course will help mental health service providers to better understand the experiences of TExPs including their unique work environments and military culture. Upon completion of this course, service providers will be better equipped to assist TExPs who may not understand the potential impacts of their service on their mental health and well-being. The participant will also learn about culturally specific clinical approaches to support the complex mental health needs of those who serve.

• Lesson 1: Stoicism
• Lesson 2: Culture
• Lesson 3: Organizations and the two professions
• Lesson 4: The role of structure and the BETR model
• Lesson 5: The trauma formula
• Lesson 6: The structured approach
• Lesson 7: The trauma line
• Lesson 8: Three-part narrative — Part one
• Lesson 9: Three-part narrative — Part two
• Lesson 10: Self-care — Part one
• Lesson 11: Self-care — Part two
• Lesson 12: Closing thoughts

English trainer:

Tim Black, PhD, R. Psych. is the National Clinical Director of WWC and has been working as a trauma and group counselling specialist, educator, clinician, researcher and program developer for more than 20 years. As a tenured Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Victoria in one of the top counselling psychology graduate programs in Canada, Tim has taught, published and conducted research focused on TExPs throughout his career. During his time in academia, Tim also worked as a community-engaged researcher/practitioner beyond the halls of the university with Veteran and first responder communities, local and national organizations, and voluntarily served with WWC in the last few years as National Clinical Co-Advisor. Tim has co-developed nationally and internationally recognized programs including WWC’s Couples Overcoming PTSD Every Day (COPE) program, trauma resiliency program (TRP1 and TRP2) and trauma resiliency training (TRT). He is a Canadian Institute for Miliary and Veterans Health Research (CIMVHR) research fellow.

French trainer:

Claudine Barrette is a clinical psychologist who has more than two decades of experience working extensively with patients who have experienced trauma. She has vast experience with CAF members and their Families. She demonstrates cultural competence in military and Veteran issues and is keenly familiar with the particularities of operational stress injuries (OSIs) and the profound impacts on both the affected member and their loved one.

Claudine is the Co-Clinical Advisor for WWC. She has co-developed innovative programs including WWC’s group programs on spousal resiliency and for surviving Families. She is also a senior training clinician for their COPE program and TRP1 and TRP2. She has trained many of the next generation of COPE and TRP clinicians throughout eastern Canada.

Her experience also includes 12 years with a crisis unit working with various emergency service stakeholders such as police, paramedics and firefighters. A two-year stay in India combined with other work experiences in sub-Saharan Africa have given her the ability to work in difficult and complex situations while developing a strong understanding of the difficulties faced by those returning home from intense and sometimes traumatic environments.

This training is intended for service providers working in mental health who care for Veterans or Veteran Families in Canada. Trainees and peer support workers are also eligible to apply. Because of the advanced nature of this workshop, it is not intended for those with a general interest.

To be eligible, you must:

1. Be a mental health care provider, mental health care provider trainee or peer supporter.
2. Be currently living and providing care in Canada.
3. Provide care to Veterans (CAF Veterans and former Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP] members) or Veteran Families.
   • You must have a Veteran in your current caseload.
   • The insurance provider your client uses is not a determining factor for eligibility (e.g. Veterans can use their own private insurance or insurance through Veterans Affairs Canada [VAC]).
   • Service providers who only care for active military or RCMP members are not eligible. Clients that are transitioning out of the military but are currently an active member do not count towards the Veteran eligibility requirement.

4. Be comfortable accessing the training in English or French.

We encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity. The Atlas Institute is attentive to the diversity of our network and invites you to self-identify during registration if you wish. Responses from applicants who self-identify during the registration process will only be shared with training organizers at the Atlas Institute. These groups include:

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples
• Persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities
• Members of a group(s) that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin
• Persons who identify as women
• Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions

The Atlas Institute is committed to providing an accessible environment for participants attending trainings. Part of this commitment includes offering closed captioning on the video components of the training.