An organisation which focuses on understanding the link between trauma and suffering is holding its first internal conference today.

Quing, founded by reformed addict Graham Clucas seeks to help people understand their mental health or addictions and assist them with re-integrating into the community.

Mr Clucas, now a professionally-trained counsellor and psychotherapist, is hosting the event at the Villa Marina with a wide range of speakers from across this growing field.

The conference From Recovery to Discovery, will explore how treatment is moving away from the traditional labels of addict and offender and starting to recognise trauma and stress as the root cause of individual’s problems and the link between unnatural events and natural responses.

As well as exploring how grief can affect people.

Mr Clucas said the event would also explore how traditional treatments had ’little effect’.

He added that the conference wasn’t just for people who had suffered trauma, but also for employers who sought to have a more ’socially-conscious’ environment or how to ’engage’ with the community and groups.

Chairman of Quing Ralph Peake MHK said: ’Quing feels that the conference is really important as we have International thought leaders and advanced practitioners in evidence based practice in mental health, addiction and trauma, coming from around the world.

’This is a great opportunity for us to see and understand the facts and figures from new successful way of working with personal and community strengths and assets.’

Among the speakers for the conference are Huseyin Djemil from Towards Recovery, Christopher Robin, managing director and founder of Enigma Drug and Alcohol Consultancy, Jackie Chivers, director of Therapy Athena Consulting and others.

More information on speakers and the event as a whole is available on Quings Facebook page.

The conference is running from 9.30 am to 5pm.