Creating evidence-based, trauma informed mental health services

This symposium will first present an update on the research demonstrating the role of trauma and adversity in the development of psychosis and then give examples of how this evidence is being acted upon by creating real change... [ view full abstract ]

This symposium will first present an update on the research demonstrating the role of trauma and adversity in the development of psychosis and then give examples of how this evidence is being acted upon by creating real change in the form of trauma-informed services

1. Professor John Read (UNIVERITY OF EAST LONDON)

'Bad things happen and can drive you crazy'

A summary of the research on the role of adversities such as poverty, violence, abuse, neglect, bullying, war, early parental death etc., will be presented. The low levels of enquiry about abuse and neglect by mental health services will also be documented. 

2. Dr Sasha Walters (UNIVERSITY OF BATH)

The aim of the this study was to improve adherence to evidence-based practice by identifying, and reducing, barriers to the assessment and treatment of complex trauma in early intervention (EI) services.

'Evaluation of a tailored training programme to improve the assessment and treatment of trauma in an Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) service'.

Psychosis, 2016, 8, 226-237

3. Dr Angela Kennedy (TEES, ESK AND WEAR VALLEYS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; and EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR TRAUMA AND DISSOCIATION)

‘Working towards trauma informed care: integrating dissociative perspectives’

This paper outlines how issues such as traumatic attachment and dissociation can be incorporated into generaltrauma informed care pathways; to share lessons regarding successful culture change.

 Complex traumaoften involves significant impact on the structure of the self and how theperson relates to others. Such issues need to be incorporated into routinetrauma informed care practices. This presentation will outline one potentialway of making issues of trauma complexity part of all clinical staff’s workingskill set. The development of such practices require a significant cultureshift in services. The methodology that has proved useful along this continuingjourney will be explored. Systems thinking, disruptive co-design and prosocialleadership are key to this transformation.