Compass

NORTHERN RESPONSE TEAM
Joining a community in re-stabilizing after trauma

Sadly, it’s a familiar headline to see chief declares his/her community in state of crisis. Frontline workers are too few to address the many concerns when a community experiences a crisis. How does a community begin to re-stabilize after a suicide epidemic? Community leadership desire to lead their communities to better health, but family members’ coping strategies are depleted. When invited into a community this team provides professional counselling, mental health training, LifeBuild workshops for the communities, youth and children’s programs with the focus of caring for the mental health concerns of different age groups. This team commits to going to a community three to five separate times for five to seven days at a time to encourage learning, support for local mental health workers, provide recovery workshops for family members, etc. The support of NorthWind Compass team is six weeks to six months after a crisis. The children and youth workers seek to re-establish normalcy through play-therapy, art, games and activities. LifeBuild coaches offer workshops with interactive activities that promote holistic health. A Counsellor/Psychotherapist trained in Post-Traumatic Stress disorder and crisis recovery supports family members and local mental health workers.