The benefits of trauma support for prisoners | Brendan O'Connell | TEDxMountjoyPrison

Brendan O’Connell talks about how to support people who have experienced trauma and it’s negative effect. The benefits that occur if trauma is supported and prisoners are given an opportunity to work it through. Brendan has worked for 20 years in both the Irish Health Service and the Irish Prison Service, where he is currently lead psychologist on a trauma-sensitive clinical training programme.

It is long-evidenced that many of the enduring and harmful groups of symptoms people present with are significantly moderated by trauma associated with social inequality, minority stress and what we neatly refer to today as ‘ACES’ (Adverse Childhood Experiences). Brendan has been a consistent advocate for the need for public policy and practice to be more responsive to this fact by treating repeated harm to self/others as a public health, rather than a solely perpetrator, issue.

He has been an invited speaker on this topic in Dáil Éireann, in his role as 2018 President of the Psychological Society of Ireland; in Europe; and in the US, including at the American Psychological Association Convention. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx