Welcome to Mind your Mind, the must listen podcast for frontline workers; this episode is specially dedicated to Humanitarian Workers. My guest Fiona Dunkley and I discuss the benefits of working from a trauma informed approach for frontline workers wellbeing. Fiona is a successful author with special depth in her knowledge in the field.
Fiona is a senior accredited BACP psychotherapist, trainer, mediator, and supervisor. She specialises in trauma care and has supported individuals all over the world. Working with the NHS in a forensic sexual assault unit, alongside the Metropolitan Police, she experienced first-hand the impact of this work on staff wellbeing. She managed a team of trauma counsellors at Transport for London, soon after the 7/7 terrorist attack, and realised the need for organisations to become trauma informed. She set up the trauma and crisis unit at Interhealth, a charity supporting over 500 humanitarian and government organisations globally. The recognition of psychosocial support for the carers and protectors of our world, led Fiona to set up FD Consultants, a global psychological health consultancy, with over 50 therapists speaking over 30 languages. FD Consultants’ client organisations include, the humanitarian sector, healthcare workers, emergency first responders, mental health charities, journalists, and content moderators. Burnout, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and mental health struggles were abundantly prevalent – and Fiona sought to offer a solution to support the workers and offer guidance to organisations. Fiona has trained staff in critical incident response in Kenya, supported Syrian refugees based in Gaziantep, and offered trauma support in Myanmar. Through her work with FD Consultants, established in the UK and Europe, Fiona has also helped to set up Psychological First Aid (PFA) peer support programs in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Myanmar. Fiona is a published author, has presented on TV and radio, and speaks at international conferences, as a mental health specialist.