Module Seven:
The Parallel Process
and
Team Meetings
The organization is a
living, growing,
changing system with
its own unique biology.
It is therefore every bit
as susceptible to
stress, strain & trauma
as the individuals who
live and work in the
organization.
Complex interaction
between traumatized
clients, stressed
staff, pressured
organizations, and
oppressive social
and economic
environment.
Organizations, like
individuals, are living,
complex, adaptive
systems and that
being alive, they are
vulnerable to stress,
particularly chronic
and repetitive stress.
Organizations, like
individuals, can be
traumatized and the
result of traumatic
experience can be
as devastating for
organizations as it is
for individuals.
Feelings
Behaviors
Thoughts
Treatment programs today experience
significant and CHRONIC STRESS
Many exist within a context of constant or
CHRONIC CRISIS
This results in CHRONIC
HYPERAROUSAL
Results in LACK OF SAFETY and BASIC
TRUST
Lack of organizational EMOTIONAL
MANAGEMENT
Communication networks breakdown under
stress COMMUNICATION FAILURE
Important topics become “undiscussables”
ORGANIZATIONAL ALEXITHYMIA
Organization stops learning from itself
DISSOCIATION
Organizational memory is lost
ORGANIZATIONAL AMNESIA
Feedback loops breakdown & failure is repeated
SYSTEMATIC ERROR REENACTMENT
Poor decisions, problem solving
LOSS OF DEMOCRACY & LOSS OF
COMPLEXITY
Helplessness about problems
LEARNED HELPLESSNESS
Staff increasingly powerless
DISEMPOWERMENT
Conflicts increase and are not resolved
IMPOVERISHED RELATIONSHIPS
Leaders use formal authority to respond
INCREASED AUTHORITARIANISM
“Dumbing down” of staff
LOSS OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
Punitive measures to effect change make things
worse SELF DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
Staff respond with increased passive aggressive ,
punitive behavior INCREASED AGGRESSION
Everyone feels loss of purpose, meaning,
opportunity UNRESOLVED GRIEF
Ultimately, ORGANIZATIONAL DECLINE ;
FORE-SHORTENED FUTURE; FAILURE OF
IMAGINATION
Clients
Staff
Feel unsafe
Angry/aggressive
Helpless
Hopeless
Hyperaroused
Fragmented
Overwhelmed
Confused
Depressed
Feel unsafe
Angry/aggressive
Helpless
Hopeless
Hyperaroused
Fragmented
Overwhelmed
Confused
Demoralized
Organization
Is unsafe
Punitive
Stuck
Missionless
Crisis Driven
Fragmented
Overwhelmed
Valueless
Directionless
As a result, our systems frequently replicate the very
experiences of abusive power that have proven to be toxic
and traumatic for the children and families we are supposed
to treat and educate.
Changing Mental Models
Changing Basic Beliefs
Organization
identifies norms to
be established
Create mechanism to
regularly familiarize
all members with the
norms
The community as a
therapeutic agent of
change
Community
Meetings
Sanctuary
Implementation Guide
Sanctuary staff
training
S.E.L.F.
Sanctuary Core
Team
Safety plans
Team meetings
Universal training
Red flag reviews
Sanctuary
commitments
S.E.L.F. Psychoed
Sanctuary technical
assistance
Talking about power
Reenactment in Your Workplace
Victim
Persecutor
Rescuer
What are some examples of reenactments you have seen
between the staff at your setting?
Are certain groups, departments, divisions more likely to fall into
certain roles of the reenactment
triangle? If so, why might that be?
How do issues of power or perceived
power contribute to reenactments
among the staff or with the clients?
Active, focused meeting where every member
Feels comfortable talking and listening
Is engaged and contributes
Shares insights and generates new ideas
• Opportunity to discuss client issues…
• Ideas for working with individual
clients or the whole group…
• New initiatives to improve the
activities or events on the horizon.
• Open forum for addressing staff
concerns, communication, and
teamwork.
Ask for (and accept) feedback
Set a clear agenda, preferably
available in advance
Everyone on staff should have the
opportunity to put items on the
agenda.
Look for ways to delegate
responsibility for aspects of the
meeting to staff.
Note: Announcements are
sometimes necessary, but they
should be kept to a minimum at
Team Meetings.
Yes
Democratic decision making
Team refrains from blaming/shaming Youth
and each other
All levels of staff participating
Community Issues discussed
S.E.L.F. discussed in relation to community
During rounds, team balances time spent on
discussing youth’s problems with creating a
shared treatment plan
No
Somewhat