Embedded Files
- Overview
This workshop was delivered to the RNLI’s TRiM team, volunteers who provide post-incident psychological support to crew members following traumatic operations.
The session focused on strengthening the resilience of those who support others, ensuring they can continue their vital work without compromising their own wellbeing.
“I’ve never seen resilience explained in this way, it’s really helpful.”
“I’ve never seen resilience explained in this way, it’s really helpful.”
2. The Challenge
2. The Challenge
TRiM volunteers operate in emotionally demanding conditions.
They conduct structured conversations with crew members who recount traumatic call-outs. These discussions assess wellbeing and identify whether further mental health support is required.
However:
Listening to trauma repeatedly can be emotionally draining
Volunteers may have attended similar incidents themselves
Conversations can trigger re-experiencing or emotional overload
There is limited formal supervision to debrief their own exposure
Resilience in this context is not a “nice to have.”
It is essential to sustainable performance.
“Very valuable and really worth sharing.”
“Very valuable and really worth sharing.”
3. The Intervention
3. The Intervention
This was a highly practical, experiential workshop designed to both educate and upskill.
Core Framework: The Four Domains of Identity
Resilience was explored through a psychological model of identity distributed across four domains:
Work
Relationships
Leisure
Growth
Participants examined how overloading one domain, particularly work, reduces psychological stability.
The concept of psychological redundancy was introduced:
When identity is balanced across multiple domains, pressure in one area can be absorbed by strength in others.
This reframed resilience from “coping harder” to “structuring life smarter.”
Practical Tools Delivered
Participants were guided through:
CBT-based formulation for identifying resilience fluctuations
Behavioural Activation to restore depleted domains
Structured reflection exercises
A practical workbook completed during the session
The session combined teaching, applied exercises, and facilitated discussion to ensure implementation, not just understanding.
“It’s great to have practical steps to follow for this sort of thing.”
“It’s great to have practical steps to follow for this sort of thing.”
4. Measurable & Observable Impact
4. Measurable & Observable Impact
100% of respondents:
Recommended the workshop to other TRiM workers
Reported the content was directly relevant to their role
Participants highlighted:
A new way of conceptualising resilience
Clear strategies to use when resilience fluctuates
Greater confidence in managing emotional load
“All extremely informative.”
“All extremely informative.”
Work With Expedition Psychology
Work With Expedition Psychology
If your organisation operates in high-pressure environments where people carry significant responsibility, psychological resilience is not optional, it is foundational.
Whether you work in emergency services, healthcare, leadership, safeguarding, or high-stakes decision-making, resilience can be built intentionally.
Get in touch to explore how a tailored resilience workshop could support your team.
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