Lakeside’s training programs are committed to honor what is known as group process. In fact, we have a complete training curriculum on the subject of group process that lasts for 12 weeks (2 ½ hour sessions each week).
Why honor group process especially for trauma training?
Our group process covers a significant amount of research regarding the nature of groups, how to run them, how to set important ground rules, how groups develop, and so much more.
We have learned how important group process really is for our trauma training participants.
As we take our participants through a discovery of what trauma is, its pervasive impact—and even its vicarious nature for those who deal with trauma-impacted people—one of the harsh realities is that the subject itself is complex and often has some very difficult emotions which require being processed as a group.
By its very nature, trauma is a topic that needs sensitive leadership and compassionate facilitation. One reason is because almost everyone has experienced some kind of trauma or knows someone who has been trauma-impacted. And once the group member learns about the many ways trauma has impacted their or a known individual’s life, it becomes an intimate or personalized very emotional issue.
Traumatic, emotional issues deserve special attention.
For this reason we are very carefully planning how we can replicate our training in a way that maintains our emphasized, personalized care and support for group participants.
Since we have been asked to expand our training beyond our region, we now are preparing our curriculum for a live online experience in which two of our trainers will be training groups. Groups will comprise up to 15 individuals, usually who will be together in a room, but who will have the capability to dialogue live with our trainers from the Lakeside Studios.
We are building two new studios and plan to build more in the next phase of growth. We are also preparing our trauma curriculum to accommodate online groups, but we will continue to maintain our group process. That is, we will handle the difficult topic of trauma in a way that is sensitive and processed effectively, honoring our online participants.
We will soon be making our trauma courses available online. Eventually, we will offer a full certification in becoming trauma competent to professionals who deal with those individuals who have had significant trauma in their lives.
We are excited about this upcoming development in the months to come.
Thanks for continuing to read Lakeside Connect. I hope you have enjoyed our articles and continue to stay with us as we talk more about our approach to help trauma-impacted individuals.
Gerry Vassar, President/CEO, Lakeside Educational Network
