Lt Col Oliver Barbour, (Retd) MSc, CCISM, Veteran

CEO of Critical Incident Stress Management Ireland (CISMI)

Biographical Details

- Currently CEO of CISMI providing training on stress management, Critical Incident Response and Consultancy Solutions

- CISM Team Director SafeHaven UK

- EAP Responder for INSPIRE on Critical Incidents

- Instructed for INSPIRE EAP on Critical Incident Responses with Emergency Services

- Mental Health First Aid Instructor Ireland

- Retired Lieutenant Colonel the Irish Defence Forces and has served on several UN, AU, EU Missions.

- Presented in United Nations Training School Ireland and other UN Schools on Gender Equality, GBV, and SEA

- Deputy Military Advisor to the European Special Representative on Darfur during 2007 and based in Ethiopia and Sudan.

- Represented the Defence Forces on the NAP UNSCR 1325

- A trained counsellor psychotherapist.

- MSc in Trauma Management and worked with other Irish Government Departments at home and abroad in assisting them in dealing with a wide range of psychological problems including stress and trauma.

- PRO of the Irish Critical Incident Stress Network Ireland and serves on the Board Member of European Committee for the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF).

- Board Member of the Organisation of National Ex - Servicemen and Women

- Government Appointed Member of Oversight Group of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (2019-2024)

- Assistant Lecturer Southeast Technological University

- Elite Authorised Instructor for the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF)

Ollie has a special interest in psychological trauma and has presented on trauma care and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). He has worked with victims of road crashes, sea disasters and victims of terrorist’s attacks. He has also supported victims of a wide range of other traumatic incidents including murders, hostages, sexual assaults, fatal incidents, bullying and harassments.

Ollie has a keen interest in CISM training and is a qualified Elite Authorised Instructor for the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). He has conducted training for the Defence Forces, Prison Service, Fire Service, Coast Guard, Gardai, Irish Rail, Chaplains to Sea Fears, HSE, Hospitals, Mountain Rescue Ireland, Air Traffic Controllers in Ireland, UK, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Ghana, NHS, Police in Scotland, PSNI and NIFRS among others.

In 2009 he was presented with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Co-founders award for “Excellence in Crisis and Disaster Response”.

In July 2009, two Irish Aid workers working in Darfur were taken as hostages by a rebel group. Ollie was appointed as the Senior Military Officer to the Irish Government Negotiation Team based in Sudan.

In May 2019, he was presented by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation at the World Congress in Baltimore Maryland with a “Lifetime Achievement Award”.