Befriending the Tiger: Exploring resilience and wellbeing on the frontline

Over time, exposure to the trauma and suffering of others can take a toll. Mental health professionals, lawyers, corrections services staff, prison officers, magistrates, judges, police, first responders and teachers come into daily contact with individuals who may be highly traumatised, victims, perpetrators and potentially both.

Secondary trauma, vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, burnout and moral injury are different but interconnect. Impacts are cumulative and if unaddressed affect the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing of professionals working in frontline services. Some professions have a double risk, exposed to the trauma of others and direct trauma in their line of duty.

Bearing witness to the suffering of others can shift and change our world view, leading to a reassessment of assumptions about personal safety and the safety of loved ones. At times, it may precipitate an existential crisis. Work environments may compound or be the primary stressor and lead to moral injury or burnout. Support to address the impact of your work on your health and wellbeing is a vital aspect of professional rights and personal responsibilities.

It is also true that working to alleviate human suffering and pursuit of justice offers a profound sense of meaning and purpose. Walking alongside clients frequently inspires hope, awe and faith in the courage, strength and depth of the human spirit. Vicarious resilience describes the parallel process of personal growth and self-discovery.

This four-part interactive webinar series combines presentation, discussion and experiential exercises in a safe, confidential forum to explore the interaction between you and your work. You will develop a personalised ‘tool kit’ for self-care and strategies to safeguard and enhance resilience.  Details of cases will not be discussed.

Prior to Part 1 of the workshop series, you will receive a Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Burn-out assessment to complete and use as your personal guide during the training. Each session will have accompanying handouts and exercises.

To ensure confidentiality links to the recordings will be available for participants only. These sessions will not be available for On-Demand purchase.

Session 1:

  • Vicarious trauma – secondary trauma – compassion fatigue – burnout – moral injury
  • Exploring organisational factors and work factors
  • Post-traumatic countertransference
  • Identifying signs and symptoms personally and professionally

Session 2:

  • Risk and Resilience Factors: 7 factors of resilience
  • Aspects of self-care |Mind: Monkey mind, personalised stress profile, self-care plan, mindfulness, supervision
  • Aspects of self-care |Emotion: Empathy vs Compassion, honouring your feelings

Session 3: 

  • Aspects of self-care |Body: Stress response, activating parasympathetic nervous system, gut health, sleep hygiene
  • Aspects of self-care |Meaning: Bigger picture, choosing battles, reaffirming values and meaning
  • Personalised self-care plan

Session 4: 

  • Exploring vicarious resilience
  • ‘Buddy’ networks
  • Group reflection and moving forward

Learning objectives:

Participants will be able to:

  • Distinguish between vicarious trauma, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, burnout and moral injury.
  • Identify organisational and personal responsibility related to emotional and psychological safety and wellbeing.
  • Describe risk and resilience factors.
  • Recognise activation of post traumatic countertransference and strategies to support self.
  • Develop a realistic and adaptable selfcare plan.

 

What past participants have to say about Befriending the Tiger training:

“Thank you so much for the Befriending the tiger course, it was fantastic!”

Nurse Practitioner, Mental Health

“This course has been so important to me and I’ve found that it’s actually changed the way in which I’m approaching a lot of things. I’m not only more conscious of what’s going on that will affect me, but I’m taking more responsibility for making judgements about what I will, or won’t do in situations, or strategizing how situations can be accommodated.”

Counsellor

“Thought it was excellent – the content was great, the right balance of theory and practical with really good strategies, and Naomi was a great presenter.”

Lawyer

“Thanks so much for all your work and wisdom.”

Psychologist

“It was terrific and Naomi is a terrific presenter.  I was already aware of some of the material but I found her presentation style to be one where you could readily understand and retain the information.”

Lawyer

 

 

Befriending the Tiger: Exploring resilience and wellbeing on the frontline

DateStart TimeFinish TimeHoursTime Zone
November 8, 20259:30 am11:30 am2AEDT
November 9, 20259:30 am11:30 am2AEDT
November 22, 20259:30 am11:30 am2AEDT
November 23, 20259:30 am11:30 am2AEDT

Super Saver Price: 

Individual $AUD360 | Group 3+ $AUD330
Until11 October 2025

Early Bird Price: 

Individual $AUD380 | Group 3+ $AUD350
Until31 October 2025

Standard Price: 

Individual $AUD400 | Group 3+ $AUD370

Student Price: 

$AUD250

GROUP DISCOUNT 3+ for organisations only. Discount calculated at Checkout
To purchase your ticket, please so by selecting the number of required tickets, entering your details and adding to cart below.
Student tickets: please click below to register for a student account, once registered your discount will be applied at checkout. You must be logged in to purchase. 

About Naomi Halpern

Naomi trained as a social worker in the UK. Early in her career she worked with children in short stay emergency care, homeless youth, and convicted offenders in government and non-government organisations, providing advocacy, psychosocial education, recreational opportunities, skills training, supervision and counselling. She holds a Grad. Cert. Human Rights and is a certified QPR trainer (suicide prevention).

In 1987, Naomi went into partnership at The Delphi Centre, now known as Delphi Training and Consulting where she developed expertise in therapy for adult sequelae of childhood abuse, neglect and attachment disruptions.

Naomi provides clinical consultation for complex post-traumatic stress, dissociative disorders and related impacts of childhood developmental trauma and abuse including self-harming behaviour, suicidality and substance abuse, for mental health professionals working with adult victim-survivors of intergenerational trauma, gender-based violence, and other trauma. She has a wealth of experience working with people across socioeconomic groups, faiths, and sexual orientation.

She is a consultant and trainer for law firms, providing trauma informed training and supporting lawyers’ mental health and wellbeing. Since 2009, Naomi has been a consultant to the United Nations developing and delivering a broad range of trauma informed programs to personnel in missions and duty stations around the world. Most recently she developed a Gatekeeper suicide prevention training for Safety and Security Services and trauma informed awareness training for the Office of the Special Coordinator on improving the UN’s response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, the Ombudsman and Ethics Units and Human Resources and Services Department.

A skilled speaker and trainer, Naomi has presented training about complex and developmental trauma, vicarious trauma, resilience building and workplace wellbeing through Delphi and United Nations, in-person and online across all Australian States and Territories – Africa – Canada – Denmark – Germany – India – Italy – Lebanon – New Zealand – Romania – Thailand – United States.  See organisations Naomi has partnered

A founding member of The Australian Association of Trauma and Dissociation Inc. in 1992 (amalgamated with the Australasian Association of Traumatic Stress Studies in 1996) Naomi served on the Executive Committee and Conference Committee from 1991 – 1996, and as Treasurer from 1992 – 1995.

She is a founding member and spokesperson for an action group for victims of white collar crime. An advocate for victims of deceptive and misleading financial advice, Naomi has provided submissions and testimony to senate committees and other inquiries and has been an invited speaker at financial industry forums regarding the impact of white collar crime, the changes needed in the industry and legislation. She has worked closely with parliamentarians across political parties and the media. She is frequently contacted for commentary.

She is co-author with Dr Colin A. Ross, (2009) Trauma Model Therapy: A Treatment Approach for Trauma, Dissociation and Complex Comorbidity, Manitou Inc. and two studies about Maladaptive daydreaming.

Naomi is a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (2017) and recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award (2022).

 

Photo Credit: Jeff Gilbert / Alamy

“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.”

– Ben Okri

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