Ravina Parmar/V00848057

CYC 310- Interview with Practicum Supervisor

June 11, 2018

From my interview with my supervisor and practicum coordinator, I uncovered a number

of exciting pieces of learning that have not only shaped my practice frameworks but have also

expanded my knowledge working in the field of Child and Youth Care.

Before I began my practicum, my practicum coordinator addressed the importance of

recognizing that in this field of work, I will be put in situations where the youth that I am

working with may exhibit conflict seeking behaviors and show aggression towards myself and

other staff. She discussed the importance of staying calm, assessing the situation, and supporting

the youth in the best possible way we can. I remember her saying that at times, even though we

want to support a youth and be there for them in any possible way, that disengaging can be what

is in the best interest in that moment for not only the youth, even though they may not notice in

the moment, but also in the best interest of myself and other staff, so we are ensuring our safety.

If we are choosing to disengage from conflict, she stressed the importance of always keeping the

youth informed and let them know that it is to help minimize conflict and give them the space

they need.

The work at IDM is focused around the seven domains of complex trauma. Each month,

we learn about a different domain and are provided with many articles and resources that give us

a better understanding of the various topics and ways in which we can support the youth that has

experienced complex trauma. The seven domains include attachment, biology, the effect of

regulation, dissociation, behavior control, cognition, and self-concept. My supervisor and I went

through the seven domains and discussed the importance of staying up to date on each of the
topics and how beneficial it can be primarily working with the youth in the home I am in

currently in, who have experienced an unhealthy amount of trauma at such a young age and

seeing how we can help them overcome and cope. My supervisor discussed how she implements

the seven domains in each other persons served day to day routines and how she has seen it help

youth in other homes overcome the extensive trauma they faced.

My supervisor expressed that much of the work at IDM is also based around a strengths-

based practice approach, as employees emphasize the person served strengths and helping build

on the characteristics that each of them already has and empowering them, rather than focusing

on their weaknesses. The seven domains of complex trauma are something that I was never

aware of before coming into my practicum and is something that I have found beneficial while

working with the youth.

At IDM Youth Services, burnout is exceptionally high, which causes high rates of staff

turnover. My supervisor discussed the importance of practicing regular self-care routines as a

means of ensuring that our mental and physical health is kept in check. A great thing about IDM

is that there are many resources listed in the house offices with different ideas of things staff can

do to ensure they are practicing self-care. My supervisor expressed spending time with loved

ones, and getting outside and being active habitually as a means of ensuring she is taking care of

herself.