Trauma Informed Interviewing

6-hour live online workshop | 6 CPD hours | Interactive learning | Certificate provided

ENGAGE SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY IN DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS

Are you a frontline worker, interviewer, case manager, lawyer, advocate, or service provider who needs to ask sensitive questions of people who may have experienced trauma, persecution or displacement? Do you ever worry that your interviews may unintentionally cause distress or re-traumatise someone?

The Trauma-Informed Interviewing Workshop is a practical, evidence-based training designed to help you conduct interviews that are emotionally safe, culturally responsive, and effective. You’ll learn how to build rapport, recognise trauma responses, support emotional regulation, and gather information, without doing harm.

WHY THIS WORKSHOP MATTERS

People with lived experience of trauma, including refugees, asylum seekers, survivors of abuse, and people affected by systemic racism, often need to share their stories with people in positions of authority or care. Whether for legal, medical, welfare or advocacy purposes, these interviews are often required, but can also be triggering.

A trauma-informed approach ensures that interviews do not retraumatise participants, and that interviewers are equipped to manage distress, support emotional safety, and maintain professional boundaries.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Understand the Impact of Trauma on the Brain and Body
Gain insight into how trauma affects memory, behaviour, emotion, and the nervous system, including dissociation, freeze responses, hypervigilance, and shutdown.

Build Rapport and Emotional Safety
Use empathic, culturally safe communication strategies that build trust and promote client agency, even in institutional or high-stakes settings.

Use Trauma-Informed Interview Techniques
Learn how to structure interviews to maximise clarity and safety, with an emphasis on free recall, open-ended questions, and emotional attunement.

Manage Triggers and Trauma-Related Distress
Identify signs of distress, dissociation, and emotional flooding, and apply grounding and containment strategies to keep clients safe and engaged.

Work with Vulnerable Populations with Cultural Sensitivity
Understand how neurodiversity, systemic injustice, and cultural difference affect communication and engagement, and how to respond respectfully and effectively.

Avoid Re-traumatisation and Promote Agency
Ensure your process respects the survivor’s sense of control, dignity and emotional safety, and complies with trauma-informed best practice standards.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This workshop is ideal for:

• Interviewers and case managers
• Legal, advocacy and migration professionals
• Refugee support workers and peer workers
• Health, mental health and social service staff
• Program assessors and intake staff
• Researchers, evaluators and ethics board members
• Anyone conducting interviews with people who may have experienced trauma

I was impressed at how much the trainer was willing to tailor the training session to our needs – it was unlike any training session I’ve been in!

FORMAT AND INCLUSIONS

• Online and in-person delivery
• Facilitated by an experienced trauma-informed practitioner
• Includes interactive activities, real-life scenarios, and skill practice
• Claim 6 CPD points
• Receive a certificate of completion
• Receive a PDF of the workshop slides

COST

Early Bird – $355 | $300 concession (5 tickets available, ends 2 months before event)
Standard – $395 | $330 concession

DON’T MISS OUT – LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE

Reserve you place today via secure online payment and empower yourself to provide safe, respectful and effective support to people living with complex trauma who need it most.

• 13 November 2026 | 9am-3pm AEDT | Online workshop | → Register Now!
  

BRING THIS WORKSHOP TO YOUR TEAM

Would your team benefit from tailored, trauma-informed training? This workshop is available as an online and in-person in-house session (in-person available in Sydney only), customised to meet the specific needs of your staff, clients, or community. Visit our Request Training page for details on pricing, availability, and how to book.

Plan ahead: Due to high demand, we recommend submitting your request at least 6–8 weeks in advance to secure your preferred date. Empower your team with the confidence, skills, and cultural sensitivity to support people with complex trauma.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Payment of the registration fee is online by credit card and a receipt/confirmation will be automatically emailed to you. An administration fee of $30 applies to all cancellations made more than 14 days the day before the start of the event. Registration once paid cannot be cancelled 14 days or less the day before the start of the event, regardless of personal circumstances. Registration can be transferred to another delegate only if STARTTS is informed of the name change. Registration cannot be transferred to another workshop. The concession price is for full-time students, seniors and the unemployed. A photocopy or pdf of a valid concession card must be forwarded to the STARTTS training team upon registration. Registrations will not be confirmed until full payment is received. The deadlines for the early bird and standard prices cannot be extended. Sometimes STARTTS will need to change the trainer of a particular workshop. The STARTTS Training Team can be contacted at stts-training@health.nsw.gov.au or (02) 9646 6700.

CONTACT US

stts-training@health.nsw.gov.au
(02) 9646 6700  Ask for the Training Administration Officer