Debriefing & Mutual Support

Capacity Building Program

Does your organization have a plan to support the needs of your staff?

In the event of a critical incident, every organization requires a plan for providing immediate support. However, for trauma-exposed workplaces, it is equally important to address the ongoing “wear and tear” of daily trauma exposure, which is often overlooked.

The TEND Debriefing & Mutual Support (D/MS) program gives you the tools and resources to build a program uniquely adapted to your workplace.

Interview with the Instructors

Broaden Your Understanding of Support Practices

Providing opportunities to receive integrated support at work is a key component of a healthy workplace.

However, research shows that some commonly used methods of debriefing may be more harmful than helpful. This program will provide you with an overview of current literature to identify best-practices.

Craft a Values-Driven Strategy

Using the Continuum of Mutual Support Practices, you will learn which elements and practices are essential for an effective D/MS program.

You will also explore the unique qualities and values that, once embedded in your program, will elevate it from ‘just another policy’ to an integrated practice.

Complete Your Program Checklist

Getting from ‘good idea’ to practical change is the greatest challenge to sustainable implementation.

Finish this program with a plan on where and how to start, including tips on overcoming challenges and pushback.

Join an Upcoming Session

DATE
FORMAT
Fall 2025
Online, Intensive
Anytime
In-House, Custom

Want to be notified of upcoming sessions?

Program Instructor

Françoise Mathieu

MEd, RP

Françoise is an educator, speaker, and trauma-trained therapist. She is the author of The Compassion Fatigue Workbook, founding member of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Consortium, and the Executive Director of TEND.

Since 2001, she has given thousands of workshops and keynote addresses on secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and other related topics to those in the fields of health care, child welfare, the criminal justice sector, social and human services, emergency response, armed forces, and more.

Learning Objectives

Understand the full spectrum of support required for optimal staff well-being

When building a support plan, workplaces often focus on crises situations. However in trauma-exposed work, staff are often encountering difficult situations every day.

This program helps you broaden your perspective and identify the supports truly needed to protect against the “costs of caring” such as secondary traumatic stress and moral distress.

Explore a continuum of support models

We will explore several industry-standard frameworks used to provide support in the workplace, such as Psychological First Aid.

The goal is that by the end of the program, you will identify which practices you will use to:

  • Respond during or in the aftermath of a critical incident.
  • Follow-up after an event is over.
  • Buffer against the day-to-day stressors of trauma-exposed work.

Decide where to begin and plan your next steps

This program places a strong emphasis on implementation. Our goal is for you to leave not just with new knowledge, but with a clear sense of what you want to achieve and practical strategies to get there.

We will workshop common challenges and barriers, explore real-world examples, and develop concrete solutions you can apply in your own workplace.

Access assessments, tools, resources, and more

Each participant will receive a copy of The Debriefing & Mutual Support Program workbook as well as a copy of a ‘must read’ book recommended by the instructor. 

A one-year subscription to the TEND Toolkit.

And access to scripts, agendas, audio recordings, webinars and more. Essential resources to both plan and facilitate your D/MS program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone who is interested in learning more about debriefing and mutual support practices. This program is designed for facilitators as well as those responsible for creating and implementing support practices in their workplace.

Past participants of our programs include professionals from healthcare, education, legal fields, policing, military, government agencies, public health, advocacy, animal welfare, and many others.

Yes. All participants of the Debriefing & Mutual Support program will be given access to three of our on-demand webinars that cover the basics of secondary traumatic stress, grounding practices, and psychological first aid. These sessions provide the fundamental knowledge necessary to fully engage in this training. These materials will be made available to you upon receipt of your course fee or non-refundable deposit.

We encourage all participants to set aside 3-hours of protected time prior to the beginning of the program to review the introductory material.

We reserve the right to cancel this program should the number of registrations be insufficient. We are not responsible for any costs that may be incurred by the cancellation of this program.

In the event that TEND cancels this program, all program fees including deposits will be returned to participants.

For Online Offerings

  • If you choose to cancel your registration on or before 8 days prior to the beginning of the program, you will receive a refund of your course fee minus the registration deposit of $500.00 CAD + Tax. This deposit can be put towards a future program.
  • If you have already received the materials for this course prior to cancelling, you will be responsible for this cost ($250.00 CAD + Tax).
  • No refunds will be issued on or after 7 days prior to the beginning of the program. A colleague may attend in your place.

For In-Person Offerings

  • If you choose to cancel your registration on or before 15 days prior to the beginning of the program, you will receive a refund of your course fee minus the registration deposit of $500.00 CAD + Tax. This deposit can be put towards a future program.
  • If you have already received the materials for this course prior to cancelling, you will be responsible for this cost ($250.00 CAD + Tax).
  • No refunds will be issued on or after 14 days prior to the beginning of the program. A colleague may attend in your place.

Terms & Conditions apply

You will require a reliable internet connection, a microphone, and webcam. Participants will also need to be comfortable using the online program Dropbox to access materials for this program.

For Online Offerings

Yes, all of the Zoom sessions will be recorded and can be viewed on your own schedule. Participants will be responsible for reviewing any missed materials throughout the course.

For In-Person Offerings

Participants must attend the full two days of in-person training. The follow-up Q&A sessions will be recorded and can be viewed on your own schedule.

In order to ensure a personalized experience for all participants, registration for this program is limited. If the current session is full, please email Alison, our Operations Manager, to be placed on our waiting list.

Yes. We offer our Debriefing & Mutual Support Training Program as an in-house training to organizations. Contact Alison, Operations Manager, to learn more.

Graduates include leaders, managers, and facilitators.

The style in which TEND presenters show up and share is engaging and digestible and well researched. I feel confident in bringing back this information to my organization as we continue to create a culture of support.”

Public Health
SPRING 2024

TAKE THIS COURSE! If you are invested in supporting your workplace through debriefing and mutual support, this course will give you the tools to build that foundation.”

SPRING 2024

The cost is completely worth it because of the instructors, content, and the professionalism of the group. The data driven work of TEND is made consumable for any employee group wanting to do better. You walk away with materials, assessments, and plans to put in to action for your organization.”

Community Services
SPRING 2024

Class size is limited.

Please note that our sessions sell out quickly.
If you intend to participate, notify us as soon as possible to reserve your space.

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