Story submitted by Ekta Singh, Professor, Health Care Administration
Neigellene Sanchez and Fabian Celaya, Health Care Administration (HCA) post-graduate certificate students, obtained $3500 in funding from the SLC Student Association (SA) which enabled 70 of their fellow students in Canada and around the world to participate in trauma responsive care training in partnership with the Kingston Community Health Centre (KCHC).
The two-day training was facilitated by the Trauma Responsive Team Leads at KCHC Pathways to Education and took place over Zoom on January 10-11. Participants received a formal certificate upon completion.
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an approach in the health care and human service field that assumes that an individual is more likely than not to have a history of trauma. TIC recognizes the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledges the role trauma may play in an individual’s life, according to Ekta Singh, Professor, Health Care Administration.
“TIC requires a system to make a paradigm shift from asking, “What is wrong with this person?” to “What has happened to this person?” Ekta explained. “SLC’s Health Care Administration Program Advisory Committee (PAC) asserted that training in this area would be very beneficial and valuable for HCA students, as they would be armed with the knowledge and skills of trauma informed care as they pursue various career pathways in the health care sector.”
“The program helps us interact with the people around us and to help others with the trauma they have experienced,” said Neigellene, who previously worked as a radiology technician in the Philippines. “The program also taught us how to identify emotional triggers. We already carry so much stress and pressure, especially during this pandemic, that it could affect our reaction to situations and disrupts our relationships with others, so we must know our trigger warnings and how we are going to manage every circumstance. But most importantly, the program has helped us to become more empathetic.”
“After two wonderful days of training, we learned the science behind trauma, the connection with one's present, and how to use this information to provide better health services for our community,” said Fabian, who worked as a physician in Mexico. “The most amazing part is that we can also experience the benefit of this healing process. We started to discover how many things from our past still might be hurting today.”
Fabian and Neigellene pitched their training idea at the SA’s “Funding Pitch Days” in November 2021. The SA’s Academic Support Fund helps students expand their skills, organize a shared experience with their fellow students, or to give them an advantage in the job market. Funds are available for students to attend virtual workshops, run events, gain certifications, and more. To learn more contact Shannon Godin (she/her), Manager of Student Engagement at saengage@sl.on.ca.