1. art and entertainment

27/03/2015
The TRUE NORTH Experience
Which way
is North ?
True North : A model of Integration & Connection for
those who are moving out of homelessness into a
supported non exclusionary residential community
Stephanie Winton :Trauma/ Initial Recovery Worker
Amanda Smith: Bush Adventure Therapy Coordinator /Social Worker
Roma House Residential Support Service
Mission Australia
Inner City ,Spring Hill ,Brisbane QLD
Lets set the scene: What is your practice orientation
Which way is North ?
Your working environment- identify yourself on this continuum?
controlled
flexible
open
________________________________________________________
____
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5
(7)
10
Eg 1. Controlled and prescribed therapeutic care : office,1 hour max engagement, staff
lead with limited self disclosure
Eg 10. Open and fluid, outdoors, multiple days, micro community and sharing power,
roles and experiences, appropriate stories shared
True North Environment-this our
office
New perspective
Simplicity
Sounds of nature
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27/03/2015
Natural airflow & no
interruptions
Roma
House
The spiritual journey of the joining of
two spirits, 2007
by Jade Rose, Mirri Mirri Design
Roma House, Spring Hill ,
Brisbane
Who do we support:
•NON EXCLUSIONARY from 18 years old and up, average age 45 yrs
old.
•Aimed at those who are Homeless or at risk of Homelessness with
complex needs
•We support and house those who are the most oppressed and
disadvantaged in our community
•31 residents :15 females/16 males, no children
•Adapted facilities
Roma House
Staff and residents
What do we do ?
•Trauma Informed service- 18 month TIC prep to have a TIC framework
of operation. Everything from language to forms to the community living
guidelines has been assessed under the T.I.C framework
( Penny Gordon & Associates Pty Ltd)
•Duration of need support-average stay 3-6 months
•Individual case management- 1 recovery worker and a senior worker
throughout the stay, 3 residents:1 staff ratio ,and 24 hour support staff from
qualified and experienced Recovery Workers .Auxiliary staff all trained in
T.I.C
•3 Full healthy meals provided daily-professional chefs & nutritionist,
operating in an open kitchen
•Primary goal : To find stable housing whilst addressing the underlying
needs that enable people to maintain their housing
•Intensive support around mental health, legal , health , addictions,
transition from prison, financial, housing, access issues, DV, refugee
&asylum , daily living skills.
•Connect people with community support services
True North Direction
True North and the Welcome &
Orientation
True North Goals
• To increase the levels of connection and
belonging to the community of Roma House
• Increase familiarity with what is possible
within a person’s recovery whilst at Roma
House
• Reconnect with the persons inner compass to
re-establish and set the direction of their
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27/03/2015
True North Bridge
Common experiences of those
who experience homelessness
Possibility & movement with True
North
Foggy mind
Clear thinking ,focused attention
Survival, insular
Looking beyond oneself
Ostracised
Normalisation /inclusion
Indoor dormant
Active and going outdoors
Isolated
Community connection /friendships/peer support
Running away ,dulling
Reflection
Head knowledge only
Experiential
Scared of unknown/ change
Open to change and possibilities and being vulnerable
Barriers to a full life
Barriers reduced
Risky behaviour
Safe risk taking
Mismatched perception of current circumstance & self
Accurate picture of self that incorporates trauma
knowledge
Inconsistent /being let down/ no follow through
Consistency/delivery of what was promised
Individualisation/ Insular focus
Peers/ therapeutic group/bigger than self
Short term engagement
Longitudinal assessment and engagement
Fatalistic labels
Education and awareness creating hope and a positive
future
Introducing the participants of True
North
Winter program
Summer program
Mindful bushwalk
TSY Yoga Practice
Trauma Informed Care Yoga – Emphasis on relaxation, stretching,
mindfulness
Education on Neuroplasticity
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27/03/2015
What practice underpins True North
& Roma House
A little bit about the group we work with
Head
Injury
Institutionalised
Relationship
breakdown
Domestic
Violence
Illiterate
Educate
Substance d
Professionals
Gamblin
Neglec
g
t
Abuse
Addictions
Asylum/
refugee
Cultural
abuse
Poverty
Mental
Gender
Identity
Challenge
s
Health
Complex
trauma
Homelessness
Bush Adventure Therapy
• Intentional use of adventure and outdoor
environments for therapeutic outcomes
• Aust Association for Bush Adventure
Therapy
Social
connection
Nature
contact
bush
adventure
therapy
Therapeutic
frame
Experiential
adventure
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The concept of an Inner Compass
Trauma Informed Care
Grief and Loss
Strengths based
Self determination
Group work
Client driven
Attachment theory
Recovery orientated practice
Bush Adventure Therapy
BAT for the whole person
Humans carry in their body the sum of their ancestral
inheritances and personal experiences
Healing requires:
• Experiences of safety
• Opportunities to demonstrate competence
• Positive examples of dealing with re-enactments
• Physical experiences of mastery, being in charge
• Neutral ‘fun’ tasks and games, sense of relaxation
(Van der Kolk, 2005)
Spare slide
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27/03/2015
activity$
$
11$–$
11.30$$
Nutritious"morning"tea""
Introducing$house$groups$(gym,$
gardening,$bowling,$cooking)$
$
11.30$–$ Driving"to"the"Mountain""
12.30$$ No$phones,$enjoying$music,$observing$
the$world$through$a$TIC$lens,$informal$
and$intentional$space$$
$
$
Rainforest"Phase"1$
12.30$–$ Arriving"at"mountain"and"BBQ"
1.30$$$
Acknowledge$view$and$country$$
BBQ,$fire$pit$and$sharing$in$a$meal,$
solo$reflection$$
$
$
1.30$–$
2.30$$
2.30$–$
3.00$
3.00$–$
participants$comments$&$injuries$
calming$our$body$and$minds,$
ceating$safety$and$connection,$
building$new$relationships$
$
Plentiful,$nutritious$and$colourful$food$
shared$and$discussed$(food$essential$in$
recovery)$
$
$
Respect$and$mindful$of$country$$
Everyone$sharing$in$roles$and$creation$
of$meal$to$share$
Individual$space$created$$
Creating$peer$support$$
$
Rainforest"Phase"2$
$
Campfire"Compass"Talk"
Sharing$stories$and$building$points$of$
Sitting$around$campfire$for$‘Compass$ connection$
talk’$and$invite$everyone$to$consider$&$
imagine$what$is$in$their$True$North$
Mindful"and"silent"rainforest"walk""
Considering$the$resources$and$
memories$we$have$of$what$is$‘south’$
and$‘north’$
Sharing"individual"compass"stories"
Silence$and$space$in$nature$
Reflecting$of$themes$and$ones$own$
compass$
New$experience$
Deep$reflection$on$the$‘North’$in$safe$
4-4.30 Final Debrief
Skills:$TIC$yoga$practice,$knowledge$of$TIC$
yoga,$knowledge$of$neuro$plasticity,$
responding$to$physical$needs,$encouraging$
connection$to$body$
Intention:$Discussing$importance$of$food$
within$recovery$and$health$
$
Skills:$Nutrition$knowledge,$health$
promotion$
Intention:$Creating$an$informal$and$
comfortable$space$
Skill:$Connecting$peoples$experiences$and$
facilitating$peer$support$
What made people feel safe within True
North
$
Intention:$CoFcreating$positive$group$
environment$within$new$environment$and$
roles$$
$
$
Intention:$Sharing$‘True$North’$stories$and$
identifying$themes$and$a$support$structure$
$
Skill:$group$dynamics,$appropriate$self$
disclosure,$facilitations$
Intention:$Nature$supporting$reflective$
space$
Skill:$Bush$walking,$creating$safety$for$all$in$
new$and$bush$environment$
Intention:$Building$peer$support$and$
Intention: Experiences and learning's
packaged away for the group and
individual
Realised Movement Towards
North
I had no thoughts of using
Outcomes for participants after
True North
I realise how much I
need friends
Safe and Joyous
travels North
Calming and positive experience
Great Bonding experience
Makes me value
friendships more
Had a great day
getting to know
more
about the people that
were around me
Thanks True North
I realise I sleep
way too much
12-15 hours a day
The medication I am on makes me feel
isolated,
no emotions
Setting was perfect to convey true feelings without noise or interruption
•
smithama@missionaustralia.com.au
cooperst@missionaustralia.com.au
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27/03/2015
Resources: references, quotes and
forms
• Slide 8,9 Consulting Psychologists (Penny Gordon &
Associates Pty Ltd)
• Slide 11 (Cook et al., 2002; Fallot & Harris, 2002;
Maine BDS, 2000)
• Slide 18 :Fiona Stevens (TSY Yoga Practice/mental
health socialworker.
www.yogatherapybrisbane.com.au)
• Slide 19 (Fitzpatrick, Le Gory and Ritchey 1999) (Van
der Kolk ,2005)
• Slide 21,22,23 ( Aust Assoc for BAT.
www.aabat.org.au))
• Slide 24 ( Hopper, Bassuk & Olivet 2010)
• Slide 26 Fiona TIC Yoga practitioner/Social Worker
• Slide 24,25:program & Safety Net form
• Slide 26,27,28,29: Statistics from Pre and Post
Evaluation forms undertaken over 5 programs at
What we aim to achieve today
• An understanding of Roma House and its
residents and why the True North model fits so
well
• The integration of TIC into a residential
community program to support those with
complex trauma who are experiencing
homelessness
• The value of Bush Adventure Therapy in
bringing about therapeutic outcomes
• Experience a taste of the True North concept
• Evidence that the True North model increases
community connection
Shared dorm style
accommodation
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