You Are Invited To Attend Survival Skills For The 21St Century

What

A six hour Train-the-Trainer Program that focuses on teaching the skills and the attitudes that build and maintain resilience. The program is designed through a process of interaction and engagement to meet the specific needs of the individuals and organizations being trained.

Sponsored by

Maine Resilience, A Program of Alpha One

Funded by

Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency through a three year grant

Why

Research and experience since 911 and Katrina have helped us to define more clearly those skills and attitudes that are necessary for individuals and organizations to cope well with adversity. Resilience is the process of coping with and managing tragedy and of bouncing back from hard times whether these be national disasters such as a hurricane, a terrorist attack or a recession or a personal disaster such as bankruptcy, divorce or the death of a loved one. Resilience is a key factor in wellness and health maintenance programs. This program can assist organizations and their employees in managing stress, promoting wellness, accepting change in the workplace and building team spirit and job satisfaction.

Who Will Provide the Training

The primary trainer for this workshop is Ron Breazeale, Ph.D. a Clinical Psychologist who has worked in the area of Emergency Service and Law Enforcement for over thirty years. Dr. Breazeale first came to Maine in the mid 1970s to organize and direct a liaison program between Criminal Justice and Mental Health Services in York County. Since that time, Dr. Breazeale has conducted numerous workshops for Emergency Service Providers, Law Enforcement and Corrections nationally as well as locally with a focus on Crisis Intervention and Violence. He has conducted a number of these workshops with Richard Lumb, Ph.D. a Criminologist who began his work in Maine as a State Police Officer, later becoming chief of Old Orchard Beach. Like Dr. Breazeale, Dr. Lumb has developed, administered and conducted numerous training programs for Emergency Personnel. Both Dr. Lumb and Dr. Breazeale have written extensively in these areas. The primary training materials in this workshop Reaching Home and Duct Tape Isn't Enough were developed by Dr. Breazeale. Dr. Breazeale and Dr. Lumb will be assisted in conducting the workshops by cotrainers from Alpha One and other community organizations who have participated in developing and delivering this training program. A number of our co-trainers are persons with a disability since we believe these individuals have additional expertise in resilience having learned to survive in our society with a disability.

Who Will be Trained

The program focuses on the residents of Cumberland County. Initially groups such as first responders, health care providers and educators will be trained. Programs will also be made available to community organizations and business groups with an effort to train as many individuals as possible in these basic skills and attitudes. All programs are open to the public. We would welcome Program Directors and CEOs and their HR or Training Directors to attend the training to better understand how it might be useful to their organization. There is no charge for participation in the workshop. CEUs will be awarded. Space is limited.

What are these Skills and Attitudes

1. Being connected to others. Having a number of relationships in your life that can provide support and caring are one of the primary factors in resilience.
2. Being flexible. Flexibility is one of the primary factors in emotional adjustment and maturity. This requires that an individual be flexible in his thinking and his actions.
3. Being able to make realistic plans and take action to carry them out. This involves being able to see what is rather than what we would like. Being proactive rather than reactive. Assertive rather than aggressive or passive are also components of this skill.
4. Being able to communicate well with others and problem solve both individually and as a team. This involves basic communication, listening and problem solving skills.
5. Being able to manage strong feelings. This requires being able to take action without behaving impulsively and responding out of emotion and being able to put emotions to the side when clear thinking and action are required. Being able to use thinking as a way of managing one's emotions is a key component of this skill as is the ability to eventually deal with emotions and feelings that may have been put aside in the face of adversity.
6. Being realistically self-confident. Having a positive self image is critical if a person is to be able to confront and manage fear and anxiety in his or her life.
7. Being able to find purpose and meaning in life. Being able to make sense of what is happening and find meaning in it is critical if one is to be able to manage the feelings that are aroused in a crisis. Spiritual and religious practices are often a key component of this factor.
8. Being able to see the big picture and maintain a positive outlook. Optimists in general are better able to see the bigger picture than pessimists. They are more likely to see good and bad events occurring in their lives as being temporary rather than permanent. This too will pass. They are also more likely to see events having a specific impact on certain areas of their life rather than having a pervasive impact on their entire life or their future. And last of all they are less likely to blame themselves or someone else for their difficulties. Optimists avoid the blame game.
9. There are other factors involved in resilience such as humor, taking care of one's self both physically and emotionally and caring for others.

When, Where and how to Register

We are requesting that you select at least two individuals from your department or organization to attend one of the two trainings that have been scheduled for Saturday, May 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Raymond Fire Hall and May 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Gorham Municipal Center. Lunch will be provided.

To register for the training, contact Shannon at Alpha One (207) 767-2189. For questions regarding the training, contact Dr. Breazeale at 207-773-7993 ext. 25.