Dear members,

Hello everyone, and welcome to new DRN members who have signed up recently. As the weather warms up around the country, people everywhere are planning and preparing for extreme weather events.  At the APS we are getting the APS Disaster Response Network processes fine-tuned in the event of an extreme weather disaster.

In the event of extreme weather disasters in the coming months, we will stay in touch with DRN members via this newsletter and also through APS branches. Many of you have volunteered your time to assist in recovery through our partnership with Red Cross activities, and we will keep you posted if these opportunities arise.  The APS and Red Cross are incredibly grateful for this support!  

If you have colleagues who you think would also like to join the DRN, you can send them this link.

And of course, if you would like to unsubscribe from the DRN and newsletter, click here.

Regards,

Dr Susie Burke
Public Interest, Environment and Disaster Response

As usual, APS National Office will be supporting local APS Branches in their response and recovery if an event should occur in their region.  A useful document for Branches to help with their planning can be found here. 

When an APS  Branch is impacted by an extreme weather event, we sometimes get asked by the Commitee for a list of local DRN members.  If you would not like your details provided to your local branch, please contact us at drn@psychology.org.au.

 

There has been considerable media interest throughout October on the topic of preparing children for bushfires.  The APS sent out this media release. 

Carers of children who live in a bushfire vulnerable region can support children by:

• Involving them in physical preparations which helps them have a greater sense of control and assists them to manage their fears, E.g. develop a household plan with kids and practice it.
• Preparing yourself psychologically so that you feel more in control, and then teaching children the same skills (anticipate, identify, manage feelings and thoughts)
• Listening to children’s concerns and correcting any thoughts or ideas that are exaggerated or inaccurate.
• Remaining positive and reassuring, saying things like “Remember the plan we have and the things we can do to help us all keep safe if a bushfire comes”.

Australian Red Cross in Western Australia are still very keen to offer support groups for people affected by last year's fires in the South and Perth regions.  We are trying to get enough psychologists to take part in a half day disaster support group training workshop before the end of the year. 

If you are interested, please email us at drn@psychology.org.au.

 

 

 

http://www.phoenixaustralia.org/.

Phoenix Australia Final Workshops for 2015

• Psychological First Aid - Melbourne - 27 November
• Trauma-Informed Care - Melbourne - 30 November
• Neuropsychological Impact of Trauma - Melbourne - 27 November
• Trauma-Focussed Therapy:  Working with Children & Adolescents - Melbourne - 23-24 November; Working with Adults - Melbourne - 25-26 November

Click here for more information.

ACATLGN has a useful webinar series including sessions on the following topics:

• Trauma and responding
• Collabortive Care, Young People, Grief, Loss and Trauma
• Childhood trauma reactions: the role of teachers and school after a natural disaster
• Children's response to trauma and disasters.

http://earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au/webinars

 

A new mobile game app helps children who have experienced trauma by letting them use their tablets or smartphones to practice life skills they have learned in the therapist’s office. During the game, TF-CBT Triangle of Life, created by mental health professionals at Allegheny Health Network and students at the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University, the player takes the role of a lion in the jungle guiding other animals toward positive experiences and relationships. Judith Cohen, MD, and Anthony Mannarino, PhD of the Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents at Allegheny General Hospital and Esther Deblinger, PhD of the New Jersey CARES Institute developed Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). You can download the free TF-CBT Triangle of Life app from iTunes and Google Play stores.

Climate change is already having an impact on greater weather variability around the planet, and consequently more frequent and intense extreme weather disasters.  Worse is forcast as global average temperatures increase. 

Urgent global action on climate change is thus critically important for health professionals aware of the impact of natural disasters on communities. 

To highilght their concerns, psychologists and other health professionals are joining in the People's Climate Marches being planned for major cities around the world for 27-29 November, ahead of the global climate change negotiations in Paris in December 2015.

https://www.facebook.com/peoplesclimateAU

Scroll down and RSVP to the march nearest you.
• Melbourne: Friday 27 November
• Brisbane: Saturday 28 November
• Sydney: Sunday 29 November
• Perth: Sunday 29 November
• Adelaide: Sunday 29 November
• Canberra: Sunday 29 November
• Hobart: Sunday 29 November

Kate Brady,  National Recovery Coordinator for Australian Red Cross, is currently doing her PhD with the University of Melbourne. The study is called – ‘This is what happens after’ and is looking at what people have found helpful and unhelpful when recovering from the impacts of a disaster. If you would like to participate, or would like more information, please go to www.thisiswhathappensafter.com or email Kate at kbrady@student.unimelb.edu.au.

The APS Learning Institute has an online practice certificate in disaster support. This certificate comprises four online courses that focus on preparing for disasters and responding to the social and psychological needs of persons and communities affected by disasters.

Course A: Disasters in context
Course B: Level 1 early intervention
Course C: Level 2 psychological strategies
Course D: Ethical and professional issues in disaster response
Courses can be selected and taken individually but Course A: Disasters in context is basic preparation for the three remaining courses.
http://www.psychology.org.au/APSinstitute/practice-certificate/.

Thursday 12th November 9.00am start

66 Goulburn Street, Sydney 2000

To register, click http://www.psychology.org.au/Events/EventView.aspx?EventID=16204

Monday 16th November 6.00pm - 8.30pm

506 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne 3000

To register, click http://www.psychology.org.au/Events/EventView.aspx?EventID=16213

Free e-learning course.

To register:

http://learn.earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au/register/