The Crisis Intervention team at LSAS is sharing about the services they offer to help clients dealing with trauma.
Over 700 people have accessed programs from the Lloydminster Sexual Assault Services this year with 347 being children.
However, as MyLloydminsterNow has reported, LSAS is raising $450,000 to fix the foundation of the building from which they deliver the various services and programs.
The work being done by the staff offers healing from trauma through its North Ryken Enhanced Services.
The programs comprise:
Anger Resolution               Internet Safety
Reconnection Program           Trauma Informed Yoga
2SLGBTQ+ Program             Emotional Freedom Tapping (EFT) and Eye Movement                                    Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Bullying & Harassment Prevention   Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
Self-Esteem & Coping Skills        Art and Play Integration
The healing sessions are available to everyone via the LSAS centre, in schools and anywhere in the 200 km service region. The programs are free. Someone can sign up by calling the office, online and also through referrals from another agency.
Jaime Balash who has been with LSAS for 10-years says the term anger management was changed to anger resolution to get at the root of the reasons for anger.
“We are going to be covering and looking at a lot of different topics within sessions. So looking at healthy expressions, thoughts, feelings and attitudes. Equipping the client with tools to be able to understand where their anger is coming from, and be able to deal with that and cope with that in a different way. So problem solving skills, looking at their choices and the outcome of their choices. How anger affects their relationships – their friendships.”
The sessions are client-centred, age-appropriate and structured to be flexible enough to suit the individual’s needs, adds Balash.
Luccia Mitchell has been with LSAS for almost six-years. She oversees the intake at the centre to determine the next steps for a client. She says one of the issues that they have noticed is the need for clients to reconnect with themselves and their partners.
Mitchell says they developed the reconnection program to help clients heal and reconnect emotionally, physically and sexually.
“The reconnection after trauma program was created to help individuals heal in those ways – so emotionally, physically and sexually, through different healing modalities. Within the program we use journaling as a form of healing, guided relaxation and meditation, body work and emotional exploration, as well as movement and physical exploration.”
The program also can allow for “couples sessions” if that is something that the client wants. However, Mitchell says it is not promoted as a couples program. It is an option for the client to have their partner present to help them in building new skills. Typically sessions remain one-on-one between the client and a crisis interventionist.
As LSAS continues the drive to repair the foundation of its building, they are having a 40th anniversary gala. More information on the fundraising efforts can be found on their website.