Trauma leaves an indelible impression in the lives of survivors. Trauma is associated with the development in a person’s life of mental health problems and substance use, as well as major impacts on social, emotional and physical health.
When trauma is unacknowledged and unrecognised, the effects can be magnified.
People using mental health services have very high incidence of trauma including interpersonal abuse and further betrayal by systems and services. Services are increasingly aware of the incidence and effects of trauma.
Even if trauma occurred many years ago – it matters. It matters for the person, their family and the services and institutions they contact.
One of the many lessons from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is the powerful role that institutions and systems can have in recognising, responding and resisting the re-traumatisation of survivors.
Recognising and responding to trauma
TheMHS Summer Forum 2018 explores how mental health services can recognise and respond to trauma and shows the way forward with trauma-informed care and effective, evidence-based responses that promote healing and recovery.
TheMHS Summer Forum will feature examples of good practice and explore the questions:
- How is the experience of trauma related to the development and exacerbation of mental health problems?
- How can services recognise the effects of trauma and provide environments that facilitate safe disclosure and establish trauma-informed responses that are accountable to trauma survivors?
- Can mental health services go beyond being trauma-informed to provide effective, evidence-based treatments?
- What is the best available evidence to avoid traumatising and re-traumatising all people who have contact with mental health services?
Go to TheMHS 2018 Summer Forum for the brochure, program, speakers and registration.
