Debriefing

What, Who and How

May 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 2

Operational debriefing

Asking for information about the WORK performed, and what was achieved.

Aim: To learn what was done well, what could have been better, and what changes should be made.

May 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 3

Personal debriefing

Asking how the experience was for the individual (what was best/ worst? How is readjustment going?)

Aims: To help them integrate their experience into life as a whole, perceive the experience more meaningfully, & bring sense of closure

May 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 4

CID/ CISD

Highly structures form of PD, which takes place after a traumatic incident.

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 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 5

Advantages of groups

Can ‘normalise’ each other – more powerful.

Can piece together more information about what happened, & dismantle beliefs e.g. ‘it was all my fault’.

Can support each other

Less time consuming for debriefer. (‘Cost effective’)

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Advantages of structured debriefing: 1. Provides a starting place, so people don’t

say ‘I’ve got nothing to talk about’. 2. Ensures that the most important topics

are discussed. 3. Prevents deeper issues (from the past)

becoming the main focus 4. Stops the session from becoming a

counselling session 5. Gives a sense of security, as structure

can be clear from the outset

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Advantages of structured debriefing: 6. Allows for gentle ‘step down’ into more

emotional parts, then ‘climbing back up’ 7. Allows 2 debriefers to work well together 8. Works for groups as well as individuals 9. Debriefer need not be mental health

professional 10. Debriefers are perceived as

professional, helping debriefee feel confident with process

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Advantages of structured debriefing: 11. Debriefer less likely to feel lost or out of

their depth 12. Structure can be flexible enough to

allow for discussion of whatever is important. (‘Is there anything else?’)

13. Research indicates people like the structure

14. More evidence on structured than unstructured debriefings.

May 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 9

10 Steps Routine Debriefing

1) Introductions2) Identifying troubles3) Fact, thoughts & feelings4) Other aspects5) Symptoms6) Normalising and teaching

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10 Steps

7) Positives?8) Return home9) The future10) Closing Summarise (e.g. reactions are normal,

they’re coping well, they’ve agreed to take time to rest & start)

Thank them & affirm them for doing a good job.

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FOLLOW-UP AFTER DEBRIEFING 2-4 weeks later Check how they are feeling now Are they trying out the strategies you

discussed? Would they benefit from further help (e.g.

counselling?)

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Groups/ individuals

Group debriefing can work well if a close team were all involved in the same incident.

Try to keep to maximum of 12 in group, plus TWO debriefers (if possible)

Offer additional individual debriefing to any of the group who want it afterwards

May 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 13

Points to note when using groups

Ask people not to interrupt others Confidentiality: They can tell people what

THEY said, but please don’t reveal what others said.

Ask for a volunteer to start off each step, then let others chip in, until everyone who wants to speak has done so.

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Debriefing short-term teams 1. Intros (confidentiality, time available etc) 2. How was your time away? How did your

expectations compare to reality? 3. Any recommendations about how the

organisation could have prepared you better or supported you more or made it a better experience for you?

4. What was the worst part for you? 5. What was best?

May 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 15

Debriefing short-term teams

6. How were relationships within the tem? 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).

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 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 16

Debriefing short-term teams

9. What have you found helpful? What might help you to readjust and relax? (Educate). Who can you talk to?

10. Where to go if want to talk in future 11. How can you use your experience in the

future and not forget it? How can you stay involved?

12. Any concerns/ questions/ anything else you would like to speak about?

May 2014 Debriefing WEA MC 17

Creative methods for teams

If you wrote a book about it, what section of the bookshop would it be in?

Record team jokes Make a team video or DVD about trip Make a team picture, collage, photo album

or calendar as a reminder Write a song, poem or prayer List memorable events or quotes

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On-line training

www.headington-institute.org

Debriefing manual: www.peopleinaid.org

Debriefing

What, Who and How