Emma Ritch law clinic – Trauma Informed Practice and Pet Therapy
On 27 November the Emma Ritch law clinic was joined by trauma informed consultant Nikki Lester, as well as Eamon and Nicole’s dogs Topper and Archie. Nikki is a leading specialist in psychological trauma, providing training, consultancy, supervision and clinical support to organisations and individuals.
As part of the 16 days of activism campaign to end gender-based violence, we focused our session on the commitment we take individually within the clinic to stand up for the rights of complainers in sexual violence cases. We highlighted the importance of maintain the balance between being trauma informed/trauma sensitive and what this means in practice, whilst also taking care of our own wellbeing, exploring the effects of vicarious trauma and burn out. Nikki offered our students great guidance and advice on how they work alongside clients within the clinic but also as they move on in their future careers. Trauma informed lawyering is a relatively new concept and is particularly important within Clinical Legal Education. Many clients approaching law school clinics will arrive having experienced high levels of trauma and re-traumatisation as a direct result of the criminal justice system and the inability to access justice. We explored best practice underpinned by the six principles of trauma-informed practice - safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural consideration. To read more on Trauma informed practice and our Trauma informed clinical legal education network (TICLEN) please refer to our recent report
Archie (chihuahua) and Topper (Greyhound) added a relaxing element to the day, demonstrating small ways in which we can minimise our own stress when discussing and dealing with trauma. Evidence suggests that simply spending time with animals and pets for just 10 minutes can significantly reduce cortisol levels and lower high blood pressure. I’m sure the smiles from everyone demonstrates the evidence is accurate and we look forward to more visits in the future!
