Working with Trauma in Mental Health and Substance Abuse

CHC53315 Diploma of Mental Health
CHC53215 Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs
Module 11 Relating to trauma and co-existing needs
Assessment 4 – Working with Trauma
Instructions
To complete this assessment you are required to conduct a simulation that reflects
workplace conditions. There is more information on simulation in the Assessment Guide.
This task will require you to work with 3 clients with mental illness who are also affected
by trauma. Your clients will be referred to as Client 1, Client 2, and Client 3. Refer toClient trauma profiles for details.Fairview Support Services
For the purpose of the simulation you are an employee at Fairview Support Services
(FSS), an agency that treats clients with mental health, alcohol and other drug issues. You
have access to:
 the Fairview Agency Policy (outlining relevant policy and procedures for working with
clients at FSS, including relevant policy and procedures for working with clients
affected by trauma.)
 Client Trauma Profiles
 Client Data form
 Client Evaluation form
Part A - setting the scene
During the simulation you will be caring for 3 clients with mental illness who are also
affected by trauma.Preparation
Examine the 3 client trauma profiles and consider the needs of each client. Recruit three
adults to play the role of your clients in the simulations you will conduct. Before
commencing the simulations make sure your participant is fully briefed and able to
respond to you as you work in your role. You should spend up to an hour with each client.Before commencing your work with the 3 clients, review the key principles and
practices of trauma informed care and apply these principles to the completion
of all tasks.
1. Ensure you apply the principles and practices of trauma informed care as
you work with your 3 clients. Do the following:
√
a encourage safety by preventing traumatisation and re-traumatisation in
the provision of service
b respond to disclosure of all trauma and abuse
c respond to behaviours and distress related to trauma
d assist the client to identify their personal coping strategies and resources
CHCMHS007 Work effectively in trauma informed care
CHCCCS004 Assess co-existing needs
CHCCOM006 Establish and manage client relationships
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CHC53315 Diploma of Mental Health
CHC53215 Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs
Module 11 Relating to trauma and co-existing needs
Assessment 4 – Working with Trauma
Part B – Working with clientsIn Part B you will be working directly with your clients to assist them in their
recovery. Make notes on the Client data form during the meeting. At the end of
the session, ask your clients to report back through the evaluation form on
your performance. It is important you respond to your clients’ comments in
order to assist them. You will be required to submit the 3 client evaluation
forms.
2. Help your 3 clients suffering from trauma by meeting with them and
completing the following tasks:
√
a assist them to identify their personal strengths and resources
b identify their personal strengths and resources
c assist them to recognise their personal coping strategies and adaptions
d identify their personal coping strategies and adaptions
e make sure you apply self-care as you work with the client on preventing
re-traumatisation
f ensure great care not to take on the trauma experienced by the client
(vicarious trauma)
g ask each client to complete a client evaluation form
h respond to your client comments and where possible rectify any difficulties
3. On completion of your work with your clients, write a report for your
supervisor incorporating the following items:
√
a outline all barriers you encountered in working with your 3 clients
b describe how you made sure you applied self-care as you worked with the
clients to prevent re-traumatisation
c describe how you ensured you did not take on the trauma experienced by
the client
d outline the strategies you applied to enhance your trauma informed work
e describe the feedback you received from clients in relation to your service
delivery
f outline how you responded to each client’s feedback
Supervisor Report:
For client 1 whose name is selena, the major barriers encountered was
an emotional guarding, denail and violent outburst of tears which
dirupted the communication, evaluation and the intervention process in
a major way. The other barriers encountered was lack of collaboration
from the client's side and lack of expression due to guarding. The client
CHCMHS007 Work effectively in trauma informed care
CHCCCS004 Assess co-existing needs
CHCCOM006 Establish and manage client relationships
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CHC53315 Diploma of Mental Health
CHC53215 Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs
Module 11 Relating to trauma and co-existing needs
Assessment 4 – Working with Trauma
was extremely emotional and shy to talk about or respond to the
questions asked in the interventional process. While working with client
1, I applied the self monitoring technique to keep my own emotions such
as concern, anger in check. I professionally addressed her feelings of
denial, avoidance,shame and guilt without judging her or pulling myself
into it. I used empathic techniques to understand her emotions and the
resultant behavior arising from the same but I used strong self
management skills to prevent myself from giving away into it. In order
to improve my trauma informed care - i have ensured physical and
emotional safety to the patient, i have made sure that the individual has
choice and control. I have enhanced my truma informed practice by
colloborating with Selena and by improving her self efficacy skills.
Throughout my care, i have focussed on empowering the subject and
make her take conscious and justified decisions for her own life which
helps her to travel abroad and self actualize her full potential. During
the sessions, i re- assessed and recallibrated her feelings about the past
trauma that has led to her emotional, eating and relationship problems
into her present life. these are common psychological reactions
developed due to past childhood or adolescent trauma and i have
address the client's problems with integrity, compassion and motivation.
My client Selena found the service to be satisfactory and helpful to her
current disrupted condition. I responsed to the client's with thankfulness
and gratitude for having received my service.
For client 2 - whose name was Fred, i have encountered different types
of barriers such as social and communication barriers. Fred speaks with
heavy english accent. As he is from phillipines and comes from a very
different cultural background and we had a tough time collaborating
with each other in the begging but i took up a culturally compement
approach to converse with Fred. After a while, i observed and analysed a
deep socio-emotional problem bordering on near apathy due to past
economic problems of the family. Spending more time, i understood that
a severe social and self identity issue for which he keeps, changing his
jobs. i used self monitoring and self management skills to demarcate my
emotional involvement with Fred's story. i asked him to tell me his story
in his own words and the exact problems he has been facing. After
listening to his problems peacefully, I, as a mental health care specialist,
ensured esteem and emotional itegrity to the subject. i empowered him
to reflect on his life as profoundly as possible and recallibrated his hard
feelings about his own life to the less vulnerable ones. I tuned his
neurotic personality to a more open and emotional stable side by
rationalizing the problems, desensitizing th noxious social factors. I have
used empathy and problem solving model to address his condition. Fred
was content with the care received and he thanked me on a personal
note for helping him and was ready to come for the next session. I
thanked him back for his graciousness and understanding and ensured
that he comes back for the nest session which is extremely important.
For client 3 - Jason is a returned veteran who spent 10 years in
Afghanistan and has a lot of stress coping with his current social
CHCMHS007 Work effectively in trauma informed care
CHCCCS004 Assess co-existing needs
CHCCOM006 Establish and manage client relationships
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