The New York State Office of Victim Services (OVS) is pleased to announce a new training course for legal advocates and allied professionals from OVS-funded organizations. 

In partnership with NYU, NYLAG and Columbia University, Trauma Responsive Lawyering is an 8-session virtual training (Fridays, January 22 – March 12, 2021) led by mental health and legal experts who serve interpersonal violence (IPV) survivors and their families. 

This program is open to legal advocates from OVS-funded organizations and sessions are geared toward both newer and more experienced legal professionals. Sessions are free of charge, and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits, including diversity and inclusion credits, will be provided to those who meet eligible criteria.

Training 4: Grounding and Verbal De-escalation Tools, February 19, 12-2 pm EST

This session will provide skills on how to de-escalate clients who are displaying high levels of anxiety, stress, and hyper-arousal. This webinar provides practical tools and exercises that lawyers can use with clients and examples of how to use them.

Farah Herbert, MD is a psychiatrist with the Family Justice Center of Brooklyn from NYC Health + Hospitals Kings County and Clinical Assistant Professor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. She completed her psychiatry residency training at NYU School of Medicine after obtaining her medical degree at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Prior to joining the Family Justice Center Mental Health Program, she was medical director of adult inpatient psychiatry at NYC H+H Kings County where she worked on initiatives to provide trauma informed care in acute settings and reduce use of restrictive interventions and workplace violence through early de escalation and engagement. Her current clinical work focuses on treatment of survivors of gender-based violence with psychopharmacotherapy and trauma focused psychotherapy. Her work involves collaborating with advocates, attorneys and other disciplines to provide holistic services in a unified setting for survivors.