Beneath the Surface AU
Version 1.1 : Effective 14 August 2026
Scope
This disclaimer applies to all BTS AU presentations, workshops, keynotes, and facilitated sessions. Topics covered may cause distress and are addressed in a professional manner, drawing directly on lived experience. Trigger warnings are included before sensitive content is discussed.
1. Purpose
The purpose of this disclaimer is to clearly communicate to all participants:
- The nature of the content being shared, including topics that may cause distress
- How trigger warnings are issued before those topics are discussed
- How conclusions are signalled after those topics have been covered
- The key principles that guide how this content is delivered
I only share what is relevant, and I do so in a professional manner. The warnings and protocols documented here are designed to allow every person in the room to care for themselves while remaining as included as possible.
2. Trigger Warning Topics
The following categories of content may appear in BTS AU presentations. Not every presentation includes all categories. The disclaimer at the start of each session will identify which apply.
| # | Topic | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Domestic Abuse & Violence | Types of abuse and violence, and examples directly related to topics discussed. |
| 02 | Homelessness | Examples from lived experience of homelessness, including emotions, feelings, coping mechanisms, and associated mental health issues. |
| 03 | Sexual Assault | The term sexual assault is mentioned during a specific incident. A trigger warning is provided beforehand. No details of the assault are given, nor will they ever be given, under any circumstances. This is to ensure the safety and protection of myself and others. |
| 04 | Suicide | Suicide is mentioned within the presentation. A trigger warning is provided beforehand. No details of the attempt are given, nor will they ever be given, under any circumstances. This is to ensure the safety and protection of myself and others. |
| 05 | Personal & Emotive | This is lived experience: my life. It is hard to talk about. I am still, and always will be, actively dealing with what I have been through. |
| 06 | Use of Humour | Humour is used as a coping mechanism to open up about traumatic incidents. It is not making light of mine, or anyone else’s, circumstances or experiences. |
| 07 | Language Warning | Given the nature of the content, and as a product of lived experience, some inappropriate language may slip out. |
| 08 | Use of Photos | Personal photos are used throughout to humanise the presentation, reduce heaviness, and add humour alongside the content being discussed. |
3. Warning Protocol
Before any distressing content is discussed, a trigger warning is issued. The format used on slides is:
Warning Slide Format
Potential Trigger The upcoming slides contain the following: [Topic]
Why this is being shared: [Brief rationale, for example context, or foundation for understanding a specific pattern of behaviour]
3.1 In-Session Delivery
When issuing a warning during a session:
- I will briefly pause and usually take a sip of my drink.
- I will break eye contact with the room.
- I will look downwards, and invite the room to do the same.
- This allows those wishing to step out a moment to do so as dignifiedly and gracefully as possible.
I am never insulted, offended, or disrespected if someone wishes to leave during a section. If I were sitting in a similar workshop with similar experiences, I would step out too.
4. Conclusion Protocol
After each distressing section, a conclusion slide signals that the content has finished. The format used is:
Conclusion Slide Format
Trigger Conclusion This trigger has concluded. If anyone has excused themselves, please invite them back. Please ask any questions if you’re unsure.
This serves two purposes:
- Those remaining in the room know the section is over.
- Designated staff or a co-facilitator can invite those who stepped out to return.
5. Key Principles
Content is shared only when relevant. Nothing is included for shock value. If it is in the presentation, it is there because it provides necessary context or foundation for what is being explored.
Leaving is always okay. Choosing to step out during a section does not imply personal experience of the topic being discussed. Our lives are vast and diverse in experience and understanding; our thresholds and tolerances for information are dynamic. Just because someone chooses to leave doesn’t always mean they’ve experienced what is being discussed. And that is okay.
Thresholds differ. What one person can engage with comfortably, another cannot, and vice versa. This is not a reflection of strength, weakness, or history. It is simply human.