Safe Hands Thinking minds- Dr Karen Treisman

This introductory module shines a spotlight on restructures, changes, and redundancies. We know that this can be a tricky, complex, fear-inducing, emotive, and multi-layered area which can impact the individual delivering the news, the individual receiving the news, and the wider team and system. The ripples can be felt throughout the team and organisation. Therefore, this module gives a space to reflect on some of these complexities, and some of the emotions and responses which might be felt and seen during and throughout the restructure and redundancy journey. These are explained and explored through a trauma and adversity lens; and then some tangible and practical ideas and tools are shared to support this process to be carried out and facilitated in a more relational, humanising, and trauma informed way for everyone involved.

This is approximately a 3.5-hour online course (it can be longer when pausing for reflection/ to do the activities/ breaks etc) which is made up of 19 videos varying from 2 minutes to 20 minutes long. We know and appreciate that each person has a unique way of learning; and that it is important to fit this course in with all of the other tasks which you have to attend to. Therefore, this course can be watched one video after the after in its entirety which will allow for more flow and immersing oneself in the topic; or it can be watched in whichever time you feel is optimal for you. The bitesize format also supports people to be able to re-watch or re-play certain elements of interest as repetition can be key for going into our muscle memory, and we hear and absorb different things each time. We also know that there is a lot of information to hold in mind, so hopefully having it in smaller sections can support this learning and retaining information, but also mean that you can grab a cuppa, have a stretch, and/or take a brain break or mindful moment in between. You can also go at your own pace to suit you. Virtual learning, like most learning styles has its advantages and disadvantages. The idea of this module is that it can simply be watched as it is; but this said, it is likely to be much more interesting and meaningful if you really take your time to embed it, discuss with colleagues, explore in meetings, take notes/doodles, pause for reflection, practice the exercises, relate it to your own context, and so forth. Afterall as John Dewey said, “We don’t learn from experiences, we learn from reflecting on experiences”. Everyone has different preferences and there is no one size fits all- but you might want to think about where you are doing this learning, how to make the space as calming and non-distracting as possible; and how to protect the space so that you can absorb the information and not be pulled in lots of other directions. To support your learning, we have provided you with the pdf of the slides so that if you wish you can print and follow alongside; as well as take notes. We also have created a handout document which has some additional information and worksheets to support your learning. What topics will be covered? 19 videos in total ranging from 2-20 minutes 1. An introduction to the module, to Dr Karen Treisman, and to ways to optimise the learning. Including the take what you need tokens- 10 mins. 2. Feedback and quotes from people who have been through redundancy and change- 15 mins 3. Some things to be mindful of- part 1- (including being trauma reducing instead of trauma inducing/ individuals’ journeys/ same storm different boat and much more)- 7 mins. 4. Some things to be mindful of- part 2 (including the impact on the wider team/ the elephant in the room/ some feelings and responses which can be evoked)- 20 mins. 5. Some things to be mindful of- part 3 (including being proactive and preventative)- 9.5 mins. 6. Some things to be mindful of- part 4 (including triggers and hotspots and falling down a timehole)- 12 mins. 7. Some things to be mindful of- part 5-(including window of tolerance/ attentional bias/ shark-infested metaphor)- 11 mins. 8. Some things to be mindful of- part 6- (including seeing behaviour as communication/ being in survival brains)- 15 mins. 9. Some things to be mindful of- part 7- survival brain explained using an animal metaphor- 9 mins. 10. A step-by-step reflective exercise for attendees to work through to reflect on the current process of redundancies and restructures- 19 mins. 11. Guiding mantras and tools to support the process including connection before correction (Dan Hughes), name it to tame it (Dan Siegel), be curious not furious, safe uncertainty (Barry Mason) and much more- 19 mins. 12. Reflecting on the power of language and how important it is to think about our words and how we have difficult conversations and think about wording in letters and emails etc- 11 mins. 13. How to prepare and get ready for a meeting about restructures- 7 mins. 14. How to think about our own and other people’s emotional regulation and wellbeing- 14mins. 15. Scaling and measuring where people are at in a more regulated way- 5 mins. 16. Reflecting on people’s survivorship, resilience, adversarial growth and hope- 6 mins. 17. Saying goodbye to the person leaving- 4 mins. 18. Revisiting the step by step reflective exercise and infusing knowledge from this module and coming up with an action plan for moving forward- 2 mins. 19. Final reflections and ending the module-4 mins.

Dr Karen Treisman, MBE, is a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist, Author, Trainer, and Organizational Consultant who has worked in the National Health System and children’s services for several years. Karen has also worked cross-culturally in both Africa and Asia with groups ranging from former child soldiers to survivors of the Rwandan Genocide. She also is the author of 11 books/ workbooks, including the bestselling book, “The therapeutic treasure box”, and of 4 sets of therapeutic card decks. Karen has extensive experience in the areas of trauma, parenting, adversity (ACE’s) and attachment, and works clinically using a range of therapeutic approaches with families, systems, and children in or on the edge of care, unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, and adopted children. Karen also specialises in supporting organisations and systems to move towards becoming, and to sustain adversity, culturally and, trauma-informed, infused, and responsive practice. This work focuses on creating meaningful and multi-layered cultural and paradigm shift across whole systems. This was the focus of Dr Treisman’s Winston Churchill Fellowship Karen was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship Travel Award which involved visited several places in the USA to further study whole system and organisational approaches to trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care and this topic is the focus of Dr Treisman’s next book entitled “A Treasure Box for Creating Trauma-Informed Organizations: A Ready-to-Use Resource For Trauma, Adversity, and Culturally Informed, Infused and Responsive Systems” due to be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers In addition to holding a doctorate in Clinical psychology, Karen has undergone a range of specialist training courses including in EMDR, Narrative Therapy, Narrative Exposure Therapy, Trauma-focused CBT, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Systemic Psychotherapy, Video Interaction Guidance, Sensory Approaches, and Theraplay. Karen has previously worked in both Milton Keynes’s and Kensington and Chelsea’s Looked after Children (LAC) and fostering services, and within the National Implementation Service for evidence-based interventions for Looked after children, children on the edge of care, and children in custody at the Michael Rutter Centre in the Maudsley Hospital; and as Clinical Lead for a court assessment and intensive intervention team for children on the edge of care and in proceedings in Islington. Karen is an external consultant, trainer, speaker, and assessor to a variety of UK and International local authorities/child welfare, health care teams, schools, charities, and organisations including Barnardos, PAC-UK, AdoptionPlus, BAAT, Pause, Action Trauma, Candle Trust, Grandparents Plus, Three Steps Ireland, MedicaCPD, and the Fostering Network. Karen is also an expert witness and regularly undergoes a variety of assessments for court. Additionally, Karen is also a reviewer for the Journal of Adoption and Fostering; and for several publishers. Karen was also awarded the 2018 Psychology Professional of the Year Award for Excellence in Attachment and Trauma; and Youth Psychology Professional of the Year 2020. Karen was awarded an MBE for outstanding services for children and is on the Queens 2020 Honours list. Karen regularly attends and presents at local, national, and international trauma, parenting, and attachment conferences. Karen is also a TEDx speaker on the power of relationships and viewing behaviour as communication Karen is the author of “Working with children and adolescents who have experienced relational and developmental trauma” (Routledge, 2016); and the best-selling book- “A Therapeutic Treasure Box for Working with Children and Adolescents with Developmental Trauma: Creative techniques and activities”. Karen is also the designer of “A Therapeutic Treasure Deck: Sentence-completion and Feelings Cards”; and “A Therapeutic Treasure Deck: Grounding, Regulating, Coping, and Soothing Cards”; and the Parenting Patchwork cards. Karen is also the designer of Neon the Ninja toy and workbook- Gilly the Giraffe (Self-esteem & confidence), Cleo the Croc (Children who have been hurt and learned to be afraid to let people close, Presley the Pug (Emotional regulation, relaxation, calm, mindfulness, and finding an emotional safe place), and Binnie the Baboon (Anxiety, fear, stress, and worry). Karen is also the author of the forthcoming books– “A Treasure Box for Creating Trauma-Informed Organizations: A Ready-to-Use Resource For Trauma, Adversity, and Culturally Informed, Infused and Responsive Systems” and Ollie the Octopus (grief, bereavement, death, and loss for children).

You can access for 1 year- you can watch and re-watch the clips.

You can email [email protected] to discuss the possibility of consultancy, further training or a team QA session. Those who have completed the module will get a discounted rate.