Making Meaning
The main objective of our program is to provide teachers, school leaders, counsellors and allied health professionals with a non-pathologising approach to disengaged and distressed students.
At the core of our program is a model that seeks to explore the young person’s distress, with the aim of developing a narrative that explains their predicament. Watchful waiting is often required to help reach that explanation, and strategies are deployed to help the young person re-engage.
Underpinning our approach are the following assumptions:
- Many young people who present in distress do not require intensive or specialist interventions to address their needs.
- Suffering and adversity are normal experiences to be validated and understood.
- Teachers, counsellors and allied health professionals are well placed to provide optimal assessment and care to young people in distress, and a secure base for the young person to learn how to self-regulate and manage emotional states.
Training is tailored to the needs of the particular group, from the following elements:
- didatic teaching
- interactive skill development
- reflective writing
- use of iLab to develop interview and assessment skills
- individual and/or group supervision
The best first step is a meeting between PMHTU staff and key members of the team seeking training.