On 26th and 27th April, Global Shepherds welcomed an enthusiastic group of 27 law students from various public and private universities for a two-day Trauma-Informed Approach (TIA) Masterclass at the Global Shepherds headquarters. This initiative was a partnership project with Ratio:Cause, an NGO that is dedicates to empowering youth to take action on issues such as human trafficking.
The Masterclass was designed to equip future legal practitioners with a deeper understanding of trauma and its impact especially on survivors of gender-based violence and exploitation. It offered both theoretical insights on the impact of trauma on individuals and opportunities to have conversations with survivors to promote meaningful connection between students and survivors.
The Masterclass focused on the 4R trauma framework - Realize, Recognize, Respond, and Resist re-traumatization. Through this model, student gained insight that trauma is not just an event but an internal experience that can affect emotional, physical, behavioural, and social functioning.
To help students internalize the effects of trauma, the trainers from Global Shepherds used creatively curated symbolic tools and analogies. An egg was used to represent the fragility of individuals impacted by trauma which on the surface they may appear whole, but internally they may be shattered. The Jenga tower was another activity used to demonstrate that it’s just one unstable block (a traumatic event or unsafe interaction) that breaks and weakens one’s sense of self and safety. These analogies helped bridge complex psychological concepts with real-world understanding.
Throughout the session, participants were encouraged to reflect on their role not just as future legal practitioners but as compassionate individuals who can either support or inadvertently harm those they serve. Core trauma-informed values such as safety, trust, collaboration, empowerment, culture, and history were introduced through relatable scenarios. Participants were also engaged in interactive activities to help identify common trauma triggers and their related symptoms. One key activity focused on shifting perspectives moving from the question “What is wrong with you?” to a more compassionate and trauma-informed approach of asking “What happened to you?” This exercise encouraged students to reframe their understanding of behaviour through the lens of lived experience and trauma.
Towards the tail end of the Masterclass, the students had the opportunity to engage with survivors in a closely supervised meet-and-greet session. This was a deeply moving and eye-opening experience for many of them. It allowed them to practice what they had learned—listening with empathy, being present without judgment, and understanding the importance of agency and choice in every interaction.
For some, it was their first time speaking directly with survivors. These encounters helped humanize legal principles and reinforced why trauma-informed lawyering is not optional but essential.
Global Shepherds strongly believes in investing in the next generation of lawyers who are not only competent in law but also rooted in empathy, dignity, and survivor-centred values. The students who participated in this Masterclass demonstrated openness, humility, and a genuine desire to grow. We are confident that they will go on to become legal professionals who uphold justice while honouring the lived experiences of those they represent.
Written by Marni Masri, Senior Programme Executive