SHAPE Training Options

All trainings offered through the SHAPE Office are customizable, and can be individualized to meet your community's needs. Trainings can be conducted for staff, faculty, or students at Wesleyan. If you have an idea, we would love to collaborate with you on it!

Below are some possible training topics:

Supporting Survivors & Responding Disclosures

In this training, participants will define trauma-informed care in a context of supporting survivors of interpersonal violence. Dynamics of interpersonal violence regarding myths and stereotypes in connection to trauma-informed support are explored in conjunction with reviewing best practices in responding to disclosures. Participants will practice skills of responding to disclosures and supporting survivors as either confidential and non-confidential resources. 

Survivor Advocacy 101

This training serves as an introduction to the survivor advocacy process. Advocacy will be defined in contrast to counseling, while paths for advocacy to take are explored when working with survivors. The SHAPE Director's role and capacity will be outlined in connection to the advocacy process. Additional referrals and options for survivors will be reviewed as well. 

Hospital Advocacy & Evidence Collection Kits

This training is an introduction to the hospital advocacy process, including Evidence Collection Kits. Factors influencing survivors’ decision to seek medical attention or not are explored, including difference between what kind of care they are seeking (either from primary care doctor or hospital). Key aspects of an advocate's role in the hospital, Evidence Collection Kit process, and overall impacts on survivors are highlighted. Survivors rights at the hospital are also reviewed. 

Neurobiology of Trauma, Interpersonal Violence, & Trauma-Informed Support

This training explores the neurobiology of trauma as it pertains to trauma-informed support for interpersonal violence survivors. This context will inform discussions on the importance of trauma-informed support as a tool for advocacy and survivor-centered support. Participants will also identify and practice techniques for responding to disclosures in a trauma-informed way. 

Sexual Harassment Prevention & Response

This training explores options for intervention, prevention, and response to sexual harassment in the workplace or otherwise. Participants will define sexual harassment and explore messages and perceptions regarding sexual violence, sexual harassment, and the level of recognized harm. Options for intervention using bystander intervention skills will be examined and practiced by participants. Referrals and options for targets of harassment will be reviewed. 

Bystander Intervention Training (101 & 201)

In collaboration with WesWell, the Office of Health Education, the Bystander Intervention Training programs are designed to empower students to promotes the responsible use of alcohol and prevention of intimate violence on campus. The Bystander 101 training focuses on the "why" of intervention, outlining definitions of intimate violence, alcohol and consent, alcohol 101, all to reframe what situations are worthy of intervention and why. The Bystander 201 training then focuses on the "how" of intervention; identifying and practicing different techniques for intervention, and how to apply those techniques in different situations.

For more information, please see the Bystander Intervention Program Website on WesWell's page.

If you would like to see a recording of a training on bystander intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic, please see the following link.

Request a Training

To request a training, please fill out this Training Request Form two weeks in advance. 

If you have already participated in a training from the SHAPE Office, and would like to submit your feedback, please fill out this Program Evaluation Form.

If you have other ideas for training you'd like to explore or collaborate on, please contact the Johanna DeBari, SHAPE Director (860-685-2696).