Where large numbers of workers are involved, such as in mass disaster rescues, successive debriefings may be held successively over the course of several days to accommodate all the personnel involved. The formal CISD process — often referred to as the Mitchell model, after its chief originator (Mitchell & Everly, 1996). It consists of seven (7) key phases, designed to assist psychological processing from the objective and descriptive, to the more personal and emotional, and back to the educative and integrative levels, focusing on both cognitive and emotional mastery of the traumatic event: 1. Introduction • The introduction phase of a debriefing is the time when the team leader — either a mental health professional or peer debriefer, depending on the composition of the group — gradually introduces the CISD process, encourages participation by the group, and sets the ground rules by which the debriefing will operate. • Generally, these involve confidentiality, attendance for the full session, unforced participation in the discussions, and the establishment of a noncritical atmosphere. Training Module on the Right to Mental Health for the Security Sector Group size may range from a handful to a roomful, the determining factor usually being how many people will have time to fully express themselves in the number of hours allotted for the debriefing. 2. Fact phase • During this phase, the group members are asked to briefly describe their job or role during the incident and, from their own perspective, provide some facts about what happened. The basic question is: “What did you do?” 3. Thought phase • The CISD leader asks the group members to discuss their first and subsequent thoughts during the critical incident: “What went through your mind?” 4. Reaction phase • This phase is designed to move the group participants from a predominantly cognitive mode of processing to a more cathartic, emotional level. The question one can ask is: “What was the worst part of the incident for you?” • It is usually at this point that the meeting gets intense, as members take their cues from one another and begin to vent their distress. • Clinicians and peer-debriefers keep a keen eye out for any adverse or unusual reactions among the participants. 56