Recent events like the hurricanes, earthquakes, shootings, and fires go beyond just providing primary crisis intervention response services, but additional services beyond initial response. Such impactful events require a Psychological First Aid approach initially, which promotes safety and access to concrete physical and psychological resources. Our work, however, is not done. While we have helped to restore a sense of safety, what’s next?

Like we have seen with Hurricane Sandy, shootings in San Bernardino, Newtown CT, Tucson AZ, Orlando, FL and events of 9/11 and Oklahoma City, amongst others, organizational and employee needs do not end when we go home from our onsite services. Now that they are safe, how can we assist them in moving forward. While the Multi-Systemic Resiliency Approach addresses this, consider follow-up trainings focused on post incident resilience building. This is a didactic training 1-4 weeks post initial onsite services. This is a time where employees and organizations may be struggling with returning to normalcy or bouncing back to a state of wellness. It is a training to help focus forward while offering a sensitive approach to lingering reactions. Adding strategies on fostering resilience and moving towards a state of post-traumatic growth (Seligman, 2011) are the goals of this training.

Consider a training outline like the one RDA has developed for EAPs looking to provide a post-incident training:

Restoring Normalcy- Fostering Resiliency Post Critical Incidents (60-90 Minutes)

I. Normal Reactions to an Abnormal Event

a. Physical

b. Cognitive

c. Behavioral

d. Emotional

II. Restoring Safety

III. Resilience

a. Definition

b. Multi-Systemic Sources of Resilience

i. Significant relationships

ii. Personal attributes

iii. Community

iv. Workplace

1. Structure

2. Connections

3. Routine

4. Training

5. Engagement

c. Operationalizing Resilience

i. Confronting adversity

ii. Direction

iii. Active Coping Skills

d. Challenges

i. Triggers

ii. Vulnerabilities

iii. Media

iv. Anniversaries

IV. Post-Traumatic Growth

V. Role of EAP

VI. Q & A

This is a forward focused training designed for all populations, any number of attendees. It is not a process group and while there is some mention of initial reactions to the incident, it is brief with the goal to further normalize. It is recommended that the trainer be an experienced responder as well and trained in the Multi-Systemic Resiliency Approach.

Trainings like this one, along with our pre-incident training, Building Organizational Resilience, offers a complete package of EAP CIR services before, during and after.