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  		A National Conference on Traumatic Stress, PTSD, Loss and Grief London Canada - 2010 Sponsored by: CAST Canada   www.cast-canada.ca
  	"Grounding Trauma ( 2009 ) was truly one of the best conferences I’ve attended.         The two days were not only well spent, but a really amazing experience. " Jeff Thornborrow,  North Bay, Ontario, Canada
  			RFP                        CAST Canada Register		Note: A similar event was considered for Moncton, it is not going ahead. Conference Dates: June 14th - 15th,  2010 Location:  London, Canada Cost: $280 +gst = $294 per person - contact us for group discounts Target Audience:  Health & helping professionals, direct service providers and frontline workers across all sectors.
  	The Grounding Trauma Conference The effects of traumatic stress and loss are a persistent and challenging factor for people working in the helping professions.     What is working well? Many informative workshops about successes in working with trauma survivors as well as support for the worker and organization will be offered.   What more needs to be done?  Are post-secondary programs adequately preparing students to do this work? Are agency work environments as supportive to staff and clients as they could be? How do we help the larger helping community move towards being more trauma informed? You will explore what needs to be done and how can we start doing it !       .
  			Streams: 1.  Understanding Traumatic Stress And Loss              Just what is this thing we refer to as 'trauma' What is ambiguous loss? Is it common? Traumatic Stress and it's relationship with addiction, with mental illness Successes in helping people suffering from trauma - programs, therapeutics approaches New ideas, fresh approaches Special Sub-stream - Applied Neuroscience  New sources of hope and strategies from exciting recent research into neuroscience, attachment theory etc. -  as it applies to frontline service delivery. 2.  Helping Professionals Many front line workers, teachers and other helping professionals indicate they feel unprepared by life experience or post secondary education to deal with traumatic stress. Many also feel under supported in the workplace. Compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, burn out Stigma with helping professionals What is being done now that is successful in Canada and around the world? and Moving organizations, agencies, schools etc toward being "Trauma Informed" When entire communities are traumatized New ideas, what the future could hold             Background: Our collective understanding and acceptance of trauma, loss and unresolved grief is growing. But is that enough?  Are care providers well equipped to support survivors of traumatic events?   What happens when our frontline workers struggle to deal with continual exposure to trauma work? Research has shown that frontline professionals working with trauma often feel afraid and inadequate.  Education and life experience do not necessarily give workers enough strategies, tools and frameworks to support their clients.  Frustration levels rise as workers struggle with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and approach their own lives with trepidation.  This situation can lead to negative behaviours, like anger, substance abuse and eating disorders.  The high levels of stress are evident in worker absence and other job performance difficulties.  Because of both internal and external stigma, the worker is often hesitant to ask for help.  A worker’s own internal conflict, stress and secondary trauma can all result in poor service for the client, sometimes even re-traumatizing the person they are supposed to be helping. The stakes - for both the worker and client - are high. Around the world there is a growing understanding of the numerous and diverse effects of unresolved grief on individuals and communities.  We will explore current practices to prepare all those involved,  and explore new approaches to treat those with PTSD, trauma, depression and other effects. At Grounding Trauma London 2010 we want to propel change. Be a part of i t !! REGISTER NOW About CAST Canada CAST Canada has been holding workshops for helping professionals, presenting at Schools and Universities,and giving speeches to public and corporate audiences around central Ontario since 2004. CAST  stands for Come And Sit Together   Details can be found at www.cast-canada.ca   CAST Canada 905-877-6547              gt@cast-canada.ca              www.cast-canada.ca