When the going gets tough
When the going gets tough
Overview
When the Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going. Right? Eighties hits aside, it remains true that people are expected to keep going when life throws obstacles in their way – from everyday stressors to complex trauma. But as we know, not everyone keeps going – sometimes there aren’t the resources, or the skills. Or sometimes the way a person “gets going” again inevitably causes them further damage.
In this topic, we will look at the kinds of tough experiences that people live with – especially the clinical aspects of psychological trauma. We will examine its prevalence and the factors shaping its development across individual, community, sociopolitical, and planetary contexts. We will also consider the different strategies people use to adapt to these difficult emotions, both helpful and ultimately unhelpful, and why a person may adopt such a strategy.
By completing this subject, students will gain a better understanding of the range of clinical features and presentations trauma can take, and develop key skills around communication and trauma-informed care. Students will also develop an ability to place adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies into context, recognising risk factors and strategies which may support people to find healthier, more successful ways to cope. Finally, it will also allow them to reflect on the ways in which their own experiences and coping strategies may impact on their work as clinicians.
Intended learning outcomes
- Define and describe psychological trauma, contrasting this with popular community perceptions.
- Apply relevant theoretical frameworks to clinical scenarios to explain how traumatic experiences relate to psychological symptoms and maladaptive behaviours.
- Demonstrate an appropriate trauma-informed approach to a patient assessment.
- Classify signal types and group appropriately to relevant medical condition.
- Outline a trauma-informed approach to the assessment of patients’ coping behaviours, both adaptive (such as help-seeking behaviours) and maladaptive (such as substance abuse).
- Explain how environments and systems can worsen or perpetuate trauma and maladaptive coping.
- Identify sources and manifestations of health worker trauma.
- Critically reflect on clinical interactions with patients, identifying situations where personal views or experiences may have impacted on the interaction.
Dates and Times
All MD Discovery 2 topics will be held during a 4-week block to be determined based on topic selection and clinical school availability.
Teaching and Learning
Students will participate in small group supervision, interview-skills development, and lived and living experience workshops, complemented by sessions with guest trauma specialists. These learning experiences are designed to help students build confidence and competence in engaging with individuals experiencing mental distress and to apply trauma-informed principles in real-world contexts.
Students will undertake clinical placements in general wards in their clinical school, mental health and community alcohol and other drug settings, gaining practical experience and exposure to diverse models of care.
Teaching is face to face. Hybrid teaching will be considered for rural students but face to face supervision and attendance weekly is preferred, to support learning from the content to be discussed. Face to face teaching will commence later in the morning to accommodate rural student attendance when recommended, which is for the four Fridays. Delivery of content in a rural setting will depend on cohort numbers.
Assessment
For assessment information, refer to the handbook link for MD Discovery 2: Application.