Gunawirra Presents:

In  2011 Gunawirra is presenting six seminar sessions at the Burwood RSL – 96 Shaftesbury Road Burwood, 2134, from 10.00 am to 3.30 pm.

The fee for each day is $60.00, or attend all sessions for $300.00. A hot lunch in the Brasserie plus tea and coffee all day are included.

There is free parking available at the RSL, but it is easier to come on the train and just walk down).

Please phone Norma Tracey on 02 9427 2028 to book and pay by phone.

The sessions include:

• Drug and Alcohol abuse;
• Domestic Violence;
• Transgenerational Trauma;
• Home visiting resistant families;
• Marte Meo as a tool for traumatised children and their parents;
• Attachment and what does it mean in an Aboriginal Culture.

An overview of each session follows (or click here to download a PDF brochure):

Session 1: DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE

Wednesday February 16, 2011 Cate Osborn 10.00 am – 3.30 pm.

Many individuals and families are struggling with the impact of drug and alcohol abuse. It has far reaching effects on the user’s physical and emotional wellbeing and the effects flow down through the generations, as well as the pain the present day family and friends endure. Many workers find this a difficult and frightening area. This is not surprising, given that we are being asked to connect with and assist those who are repeatedly engaging in dangerous and self-destructive behaviour.

This module will cover: the concepts related to addiction, identifying the different drugs and their effects, treatment options, the implications for family members, how to conduct a basic assessment, how and where to refer. Drug and alcohol abuse is seen as symptomatic of deeper psychological distress. It is an attempt to both express and medicate unbearable feelings. These concepts will be explored in depth.

Cate Osborn is a mental health social worker and psychotherapist who has 20 years experience in the drug and alcohol field.

Session 2: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Wednesday March 23, 2011. Professor Carolyn Quadrio 10.30 am – 12.00 pm.

Like child abuse, domestic violence or intimate partner violence (IPV) is common and is possibly increasing – certainly rates of reporting are increasing. It is common and is both under reported and poorly diagnosed by mental health clinicians. Associated psychiatric morbidity is high for victims and their children. The intense nature of the bond between these partners is often enduring in spite of serious abuse. Attachment theory provides a coherent and well researched basis for the behaviour of those, mostly women and children, who remain in abusive relationships. The concept of traumatic attachment is central to understanding these apparently paradoxical behaviours.

This presentation will examine the nature of traumatic attachments, including that described as the Domestic Stockholm Syndrome. Clinical material will be used to illustrate.

Chris Burke and the Yarramundi Kids – Strong, smart and deadly!

Wednesday March 23, 2011. 1.00 pm – 3.30 pm

The famous Kids (puppets) will join us for an afternoon that focuses on working with a practical framework for child protection intervention with Aboriginal families and indeed any family experiencing both domestic violence and child abuse.

This workshop is for workers in the community or education family support workers, refuge workers, school counsellors domestic violence liaison workers etc. who work with domestic violence.

Session 3: TRANSGENERATIONAL TRAUMA

Wednesday May 11, 2011. Norma Tracey 10.00 am – 3.30 pm.

HOW DO WE WORK WITH TRAUMA in our casework practice what are the problems involved? Engaging the family, using resources, a day of short presentations and much discussion that should begin some really in depth thinking about “How to” and “why to” and “when to”.

Material for this day is quite distressing and we speak of loss and suicide and ask the really hard questions that we face as workers particularly with our First Nation people.

Session 4: MARTE MEO for TRAUMATISED FAMILIES

Wednesday June 22, 2011. Trish Glossop and Chryne Griffiths.

Marte Meo is a Developmental Support Programme developed by Maria Aarts. It provides a practical approach to supporting development through everyday communication. It uses video review to show participants how to use ordinary interactions to support children’s development and to pass these ideas on to parents and other significant carers. It is applicable for infants, toddlers and school age children. For those who are familiar with the Circle of Security framework, Marte Meo provides a procedural model for relating and providing a secure base as “the Hands” in the Circle of Security.

The program will interest professionals using relationship-based interventions with families, especially those who work with children with special needs. It is relevant to early childhood nurses; childcare workers and for professionals working in child protection and foster care.

Session 5: HOME VISITING HARD TO REACH FAMILIES

Wednesday August 10, 2011. Norma Tracey, Shiri Hergass, Patricia Glossop and Chryne Griffith.

Walking the Electric Tightrope – we give theoretical constructs and practical case material and invite an open forum with attending colleagues. What are the problems faced that turn caring into intrusion, support into judgement or criticism, working with distressed people who see all giving as toxic and damaging.

Session 6: ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ATTACHMENT!

Wednesday October 19, 2011. Chryne Griffiths, Norma Tracey, Patricia Glossop.

An infant comes into the world endowed with the capacity to relate to potential caregivers. In “The Nature of the Child’s Tie to His Mother”, John Bowlby writes, “It is fortunate for their survival that babies are so designed by nature that they beguile and enslave mothers.”

Sometimes this process goes awry and the problems can have intergenerational effects. It is important to understand the process, the ways in which it can go wrong, and how we can use our knowledge to intervene and help the child and family.

This workshop will cover:

• Attachment over the life span, including brain development.
• Attachment: Secure and insecure; organised and disorganised.
• Attachment-based interventions for infants, children and families.