De-escalation in Practice: Strategies for Supporting Newcomers Experiencing Crises

Switchboard Webinar Announcement

Switchboard is pleased to announce an upcoming public webinar open to all refugee service providers, whether working at state agencies, resettlement agencies or affiliates, or other organizations. Please circulate this announcement widely among your colleagues!

De-escalation in Practice: Strategies for Supporting Newcomers Experiencing Crises

Thursday, September 4, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET (Note: Use a time zone converter to determine your local time for this event.)

Registration

Register in advance for this webinar HERE:
https://rescue.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5S5vUjDXQcexcViODjIdqA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing instructions for joining the webinar.

What will this webinar cover?

While filled with hope and possibility, resettlement can be an extremely stressful process. Newcomers often face unfamiliar systems, new employment, high living costs, cultural adjustments, and the emotional toll of loss and isolation. These pressures during this formidable time of change can sometimes become overwhelming, resulting in heightened emotions and potential escalation. Not every crisis is avoidable, but many can be prevented through trauma-informed approaches to client care. This webinar will explore prevention strategies and the four core actions of de-escalation so you can respond calmly and effectively when tensions rise. You will learn how to support clients through high-stress moments in ways that promote safety, connection, and trust.

Is this webinar for me?

This introductory-level webinar is geared toward direct-service caseworkers but may also benefit front-line administrative, supervisory, or management staff working in refugee resettlement.

While not a requirement, Switchboard encourages participants to attend this webinar with a foundational knowledge of trauma-informed care or read the information guide Trauma-Informed Care: A Primer for Refugee Service Providers in advance of this training.

Why should I participate?

After participating in this 60-minute session, you will be able to:

• Describe escalation and recognize early warning signs in newcomer clients
• Explain trauma-informed approaches to crisis preparation at the client, staff, and organizational levels
• Apply the four core actions of de-escalation in resettlement settings

Webinar Facilitator

Jenna Christie-Tabron, LMSW, MFT
Senior Training Officer, Switchboard

Jenna Christie-Tabron is Switchboard’s Senior Training Officer. She is a trauma-focused mental health clinician with experience working in psychiatric, health care, judicial, and educational settings. Before joining Switchboard, she was the Intensive Case Management Supervisor for the IRC’s Phoenix office. She holds two postgraduate degrees in Family Therapy and Social Work.
Email: jenna.christie-tabron@rescue.org

Webinar Speaker

Megan Rafferty, MA, LPC, LAC
Mental Health and Wellness Training Officer, Switchboard

Megan Rafferty has worked in mental health settings providing culturally responsive, strengths-based, trauma-informed services to refugee and immigrant populations for over a decade. She has provided case management, individual therapy, and psychosocial group interventions to individuals experiencing a wide range of mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and adjustment difficulties. She has also led program development, evaluation, and clinical supervision. Megan received her master’s degree in International Disaster Psychology: Trauma and Global Mental Health from the University of Denver.
Email: Megan.Rafferty@rescue.org