Debriefing What, Who and How

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC2 Operational debriefing w Asking for information about the WORK performed, and what was achieved. w Aim: To learn what was done well, what could have been better, and what changes should be made.

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC3 Personal debriefing w Asking how the experience was for the individual (what was best/ worst? How is readjustment going?) w Aims: To help them integrate their experience into life as a whole, perceive the experience more meaningfully, & bring sense of closure

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC4 CID/ CISD w Highly structures form of PD, which takes place after a traumatic incident. w Aims: Educate about normal stress reactions & ways to cope with them, promote the expression of thoughts & feelings about the incident, & provide info about further help or support.

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC5 Advantages of groups w Can ‘normalise’ each other – more powerful. w Can piece together more information about what happened, & dismantle beliefs e.g. ‘it was all my fault’. w Can support each other w Less time consuming for debriefer. (‘Cost effective’)

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC6 Advantages of structured debriefing: w 1. Provides a starting place, so people don’t say ‘I’ve got nothing to talk about’. w 2. Ensures that the most important topics are discussed. w 3. Prevents deeper issues (from the past) becoming the main focus w 4. Stops the session from becoming a counselling session w 5. Gives a sense of security, as structure can be clear from the outset

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC7 Advantages of structured debriefing:  6. Allows for gentle ‘step down’ into more emotional parts, then ‘climbing back up’ w 7. Allows 2 debriefers to work well together w 8. Works for groups as well as individuals w 9. Debriefer need not be mental health professional w 10. Debriefers are perceived as professional, helping debriefee feel confident with process

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC8 Advantages of structured debriefing:  11. Debriefer less likely to feel lost or out of their depth w 12. Structure can be flexible enough to allow for discussion of whatever is important. (‘Is there anything else?’) w 13. Research indicates people like the structure w 14. More evidence on structured than unstructured debriefings.

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC9 10 Steps Routine Debriefing 1) Introductions 2) Identifying troubles 3) Fact, thoughts & feelings 4) Other aspects 5) Symptoms 6) Normalising and teaching

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC10 10 Steps 7) Positives? 8) Return home 9) The future 10) Closing w Summarise (e.g. reactions are normal, they’re coping well, they’ve agreed to take time to rest & start) w Thank them & affirm them for doing a good job.

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC11 FOLLOW-UP AFTER DEBRIEFING w 2-4 weeks later w Check how they are feeling now w Are they trying out the strategies you discussed? w Would they benefit from further help (e.g. counselling?)

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC12 Groups/ individuals w Group debriefing can work well if a close team were all involved in the same incident. w Try to keep to maximum of 12 in group, plus TWO debriefers (if possible) w Offer additional individual debriefing to any of the group who want it afterwards

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC13 Points to note when using groups w Ask people not to interrupt others w Confidentiality: They can tell people what THEY said, but please don’t reveal what others said. w Ask for a volunteer to start off each step, then let others chip in, until everyone who wants to speak has done so.

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC14 Debriefing short-term teams w 1. Intros (confidentiality, time available etc) w 2. How was your time away? How did your expectations compare to reality? w 3. Any recommendations about how the organisation could have prepared you better or supported you more or made it a better experience for you? w 4. What was the worst part for you? w 5. What was best?

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC15 Debriefing short-term teams  6. How were relationships within the tem? w 7. How do you feel about being back ‘home’? What sort of things have people said? Have people seemed interested? (Educate - reverse culture shock, lack of interest etc). w 8. Any tiredness/ sleeping problems/ irritability/ tearfulness/ headaches/ pains/ low mood/ recurrent thoughts about it all etc – either while away or since return? (Educate – normal reactions)

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC16 Debriefing short-term teams w 9. What have you found helpful? What might help you to readjust and relax? (Educate). Who can you talk to? w 10. Where to go if want to talk in future w 11. How can you use your experience in the future and not forget it? How can you stay involved? w 12. Any concerns/ questions/ anything else you would like to speak about?

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC17 Creative methods for teams w If you wrote a book about it, what section of the bookshop would it be in? w Record team jokes w Make a team video or DVD about trip w Make a team picture, collage, photo album or calendar as a reminder w Write a song, poem or prayer w List memorable events or quotes

May 2014Debriefing WEA MC18 On-line training w w Debriefing manual:

Debriefing What, Who and How