Traumatic Event Systems (TES) Model of Crisis & Trauma Response

Introduction

Families, schools, workplaces and communities have always had to maneuver through the complexities of dealing with grief, loss and trauma. But from time to time there are situations where symptom development lingers and unresolved traumatic aftermath contributes to a sustained level of risk to individual functioning and overall human systems functioning. Foundational to the TES Model is the reality that “ten people can be subjected to the same traumatic experience and yet can have ten completely different outcomes”. This is true of members of the same system such as a school or workplace which can leave whole systems (or subsystems) overall functioning impaired.

About the tes model

This is a two-day training for all professionals, organizational leaders and others interested in understanding the impact of trauma in human systems and how to be supportive in the aftermath. It is especially for members of already established crisis response teams who want to enhance already existing practices. There will be a special emphasis on the “social, emotional and traumatic impact of COVID-19” and ongoing strategies for managing post-pandemic mental health and the “delayed response” to a worldwide pandemic that we are now seeing. This training is about child, adolescent and adult crisis intervention and support including formal responses in the aftermath of:

• Natural Disasters
• School/Workplace Violence
• Suicides
• Sudden Death
• Car (Vehicle) Crashes
• Protests/Civil Unrest
• High-Profile Sexual Assaults
• High-Profile Anticipatory Death
• Pandemics
• Other

This Four-Phased human systems model is for organizing helping professionals and other leaders to support schools, workplaces and/or whole communities in the aftermath of local and high-profile tragedies. It addresses the impact of trauma on individuals but focuses on the impact of trauma on entire human systems. One drawback of most crisis and trauma response models is the assumption that all human systems function the same and so helping professionals just need to do the same thing in the aftermath to be supportive. In reality, all human systems are not the same: some are emotionally open before their tragedies occur while others are emotionally closed. The TES Model is therefore focused on guided strategic interventions that are unique to each system we are supporting.

Four Phase TES Model: Practical APplication

Phase One: Initial Response (Those most acutely impacted)

• Trauma Response Team Meeting
• Identifying High-Risk Individuals
• High-Risk Assessment Team
• Crisis Intervention Counselling Team
• Small Group Interventions
• BASIC-IR Assessment Process

Phase Two: Comprehensive Strategic Assessment of the Supportive Adult System

• Trauma Response Team Meeting
• Identifying High-Risk Individuals
• High-Risk Assessment Team
• Crisis Intervention Counselling Team
• Small Group Interventions
• BASIC-IR Assessment Process

Phase Three: Community Intervention (Parent/Caregiver/Family/Intimate Partners)

• Organizing Parent/Staff/Community Meetings
• Trauma Response Continuum
• Delayed and Denied Responses to Trauma
• Pre-trauma Functioning as a Predictor for Response and Recovery
• Open vs. Closed Family and School Systems
• Polarization
• Entitlement
• The Power of a Meaningful Conversation
  
  

Phase Four: Preparing for Traumatic Aftermath (Months to Years)

• Identifying Critical Periods
• Memorials and Shrines
• TES Team Care