Trauma, Grief & Bereavement

PANEL SUMMARY: These incredible Panellists cover an enormous range of topics related to trauma, grief and bereavement. Discussions cover topics such as guided support in digital spaces. They cover concepts around digital death where - unlike 20 years ago when ‘death was finite’ - it is now perceived differently by children and young people (e.g., “Is there WiFi in heaven grandpa?”) and involves the use of memory facilities by social media platforms, which can risk re-traumatising people by the unexpected encounter of digital information related to the loss of a loved one. Panellists also shared personal views on how the pandemic impacted themselves, their therapy work, and gave balanced views on the short and longer impacts of the pandemic on young people. Discussions also covered child adverse experiences (known as ‘ACEs’) and how they relate to outcomes, as well as underlying core issues and key factors related to grief, including the term ‘complicated grief’ which connected with some neuroscience research discussions (e.g., reward pathway, default mode network etc.). Plus so much more!

Live Panel Recording 5/08/21


Panellists

Smriti (Sawhney) Joshi, MBPsS

Lead Psychologist, Wysa

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Smriti Joshi, MBPsS, is a licensed clinical psychologist and one the first certified tele mental health practitioners in India. She has a rich experience of 20 years in the field of mental health. She is a graduate member of the British psychological society & an International Affiliate member with the APA. She is also a life member of International Society of Mental Health Online (ISMHO) and Telemedicine Society of India (TSI). At present, she is working as the Lead Psychologist at Wysa, contributing to designing psycho therapeutic interventions for the world’s first mental health chatbot and leading the text based coaching delivery team for Wysa. She has played a key role in setting up one of the first online therapy platforms in India and has been on the advisory board of some others. She is a part of the National Mental health council for Wicci India (Women's Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry). She has been offering pro-bono grief work sessions since the pandemic began especially for women and young adults in need of this assistance.


Dr. Catherine Knibbs

Online Harms-Cybertrauma-Geek-Gaming Clinician

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Cath is a tech geek, gamer (of sorts), tech/gaming therapist, trauma psychotherapist using biofeedback/tech and gaming to elicit Post Traumatic Growth, healing and #flow. She is a functional health and nutrigenomics practitioner and incorporates this into her psychotherapy practice too. Her model is Interpersonal Neurobiology with an emphasis on Polyvagal theory (not a vagal nerve 'hacker'). Recently published a book available for pre-order on the 'why' we do what we do in cyberspace and how to help children, young people and adults published via Routledge. She is a disruptor, advocate for children's rights, privacy and digital explorations online. She also educates therapists via her company Privacy4; about Data protection/privacy/cybersecurity issues in relation to their practice. She is also a Director and mental health advisor for Gamersbeatcancer CIC. www.catherineknibbs.co.uk www.intergratedhealthclinic.co.uk www.childrenandtech.co.uk GamersBeatCancer www.gamersbeatcancer.co.uk Pre order new book: Children, Technology and Healthy Development from Routledge or Amazon


Dr Venkat Reddy MRCP (UK), FRCPCH.

Consultant Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician and Lead Clinician, Community Child Health Services, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

Officer for Digital Health and Technology – Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

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He has specialist clinical expertise in Autism, ADHD and Learning Disability, physical disability, safeguarding children and Special Educational Needs.  

His previous roles include National Clinical Lead (Children and Young People) for the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, Clinical Director, Designated Doctor for Safeguarding Children and Medical Advisor for Adoption and Fostering. 

His interests include digital health, medical leadership, user involvement and clinical informatics.


Louis Weinstock

CVO, Apart of Me

Louis has worked with vulnerable children and young people for over 20 years. He has worked as a drugs counsellor, a Child Protection social worker, and ran a therapeutic school for teenagers with complex trauma. He is a qualified Child Psychotherapist, a Hypnotherapist, a Coach, and a Meditation Teacher. He is co-founder of Apart of Me, a charity that helps young people on a journey from grief to compassion. Their therapeutic mobile game was shortlisted for a Bafta, won some other awards, and has had over 90,000 users in 50 countries around the world.


Last minute pre-recorded speaker?

We are still open to speakers who are interested in submitting a pre-recorded talk that will be released on 4th August 2021 - Day 1 of the Digital Innovation in Mental Health (DIMH2021) conference