Michelle Benjamin

Keynote Speaker – Family Law Stream

Michelle Benjamin is an educator of 20 years and is a School Assistant Principal. She teaches trauma-informed practice to Department of Education staff. Michelle has academic degrees in arts, teaching, counselling, expressive therapy and dramatherapy. Michelle is currently completing her LLB (Hons) and has provided training and articles related to trauma-informed practice in the law.

Understanding Trauma

Gain insight into how trauma affects the brain, body, and behaviour — and its impact on clients, colleagues, and practitioners.

Recognising Vicarious Trauma

Learn how to identify vicarious trauma in legal practice, and explore the concept of vicarious resilience as its positive counterpart.

Practical Trauma-Informed Strategies

Take away tools and approaches to integrate trauma-informed principles into daily practice, from self-care to client interactions.

Trauma Informed Practice as an essential foundation for family lawyers

Recently, there has been a movement towards trauma-informed legal practice. Trauma impacts upon the self, work colleagues, litigants, legal practitioners, judges, court personnel and witnesses. This presentation will discuss the nature of trauma and the mechanics of how it impacts on the brain, mind and body, and illustrates differing trauma types, including vicarious trauma and its counterpart vicarious resilience. Vicarious trauma is an occupational hazard of working within the legal profession and makes self-care strategies and workload reduction discussions essential. This discussion will explore the core tenets of trauma-informed practice. It will include measures and trauma-informed strategies to use in practice.