The EU Monitoring Mission hosts a Critical Incident Stress Management Course in Tbilisi

The EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) Georgia hosted for the 3rd time the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Course in the Mission Headquarters, Tbilisi, between 23 and 26 April 2018.

The course was quite diverse, with eighteen (18) students from seven (7) CSDP Missions, including EUAM Iraq, EUPOL COPPS, EUBAM Libya, EUCAP Somalia, EUAM Ukraine, EUCAP Sahel Mali and the EUMM. 

Personnel from Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Missions are always at risk of exposure to a number of high stress situations, including of being involved in or witness to a critical incident, with the attendant risk of long-term effects. This includes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).    

The EUMM places a high priority on supporting the development and maintenance of stress management capability into the future, both for EUMM staff and for other CSDP Missions. In this regard, the EUMM works closely with the Civilian, Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) in Brussels, which has coordinated the delivery of this CISM course with ‘The Institute of Psychotrauma Switzerland’ (IPTS).

CSDP Missions, including EUMM, that already have staff trained in CISM, have established ‘Peer Support Volunteer Teams’. This is an important outcome of this training.

‘The duty of care for deployed CSDP personnel is assisted by having trained CISM Peers who can then offer immediate support to colleagues who may have been exposed to a critical incident’ – says instructor, Ms. Gisela Perren-Klinger.

‘The course has provided me with solid tools and techniques to use, if needed, for peer support. I believe that it is very useful for all CSDP Missions to be able to establish peer support networks’ – says student, Ms. Solomiya Rozhko.

Students engaged in discussions during group work