Understanding the Psycho-Social Impact of the Corona Pandemic
Start Date: June 8
Zoom Dates: June 10, June 17, June 24 and July 1 - all at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time (2 hours each)
Facilitator: Omar Reda
Duration: 4 weeks
Cost: Free to First Responders and Essential Workers; Special Price to others of $15
Registration: Now open!
Course Description:
This 4- week (2- hour per week) interactive, online course is designed to cover multiple unique aspects of how the trauma of the Corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic impacts all of us on an individual, familial and communal level. How do we heal? How we can holistically tend to our health and well-being while caring for our loved ones and our communities?
The focus will be on the invisible wounds of the pandemic, its long-term emotional impact on individuals, families and communities. A return to well-being is achieved through a trauma-informed approach founded on compassion, harnessing resilience and fostering self-care.
Omar Reda, your course instructor, has made available three articles published recently with Psychiatric Times. These will provide some insight into the research and experience he brings to this subject:
Exploring the Role of Psychiatrists in Disasters
COVID-20: A Psychological Crisis
Heroes are not supposed to die
Course Outline
Week 1
Trauma-Informed Care
What is trauma? What makes an event traumatic?
Stress, distress, traumatic stress, toxic stress, acute and post-traumatic stress
The Impact of trauma on the psyche of its survivors
Core beliefs shattered
Boundaries crossed
Trauma turns people voiceless
Week 2
Working with Traumatized Populations
Culture Matters
Language matters
We are all refugees
Trauma makes some people regress
Responding to hate
What can we do when working with trauma survivors?
You don’t have to be a therapist to be therapeutic
Recognize common signs and symptoms and know when to refer
FACT of community trauma
The language of the human heart needs no translation
Listening to the Trauma Story
Not everybody is ready to tell it
Not everyone is able to hear it
Don’t get lost in the jungle of symptoms and graphic details (celebrate culture, inner strength and safe healthy coping styles)
Week 3
Trauma and Family Dynamics
Families and Trauma
Working with traumatized children and their caregivers
Helping children express and manage emotions, challenging negative thoughts, and problem-solving
Feeling safe boosts self-confidence
Building a support system
Empowering, never underestimating the power of words
Every child should be given the chance to meet their full potential
Week 4
The Wounded Healer (Caring for the Caregiver)
Harnessing Resilience
Self-care
What is compassion fatigue (burnout, vicarious trauma), SOOTHE, LEAP, LATTE, AAA
The importance of self-care (why and how, without guilt)
Grounding, relaxation, stress management techniques and the power of gratitude and compassion
Meet the Instructor
Omar Reda
Receiving his master’s degree from Harvard University in Refugee and Global Mental Health after completing medical school in Libya and while undergoing extensive training with the University of Tennessee,
Dr. Omar Reda is now a board-certified psychiatrist practicing at the Providence Healthcare System.
Dr. Reda is a leading expert in Psychotraumatology and Trauma-Informed Care as well as the mental health of Muslims, immigrants and refugees, the Libyan revolution, and the Arab Spring, and is the author of several books and a highly sought-after dynamic public speaker.
Living in Portland, Oregon with his wife and three daughters, Dr. Reda’s passion for healing focuses on tackling the family dysfunction and youth vulnerability resulting from trauma.
Omar is the author of Untangled. About the book:
Trauma creates substantial pain and suffering and can inevitably create cycles of dysfunction that may span generations. We can and should break these cycles and build bridges of trust and empowerment that renew hope and help families heal, not just for this generation but for the sake of all those to follow.
The good news is that children are resilient and have innate abilities to recover from their painful past, heal the invisible wounds of trauma, and rebuild their lives. But this will not occur without the perseverance and hard work of good people who care deeply about children.
