Brief Trauma Interventions II Dr Lisa Arslanian Trauma

Brief Trauma Interventions (II) Dr. Lisa Arslanian

Trauma Continued • With trauma, it is not the event itself that creates trauma, but the person’s response to the event. • Past trauma can make it harder to navigate through current trauma, especially if the past trauma has influenced the person’s unconscious organization. • As we become aware of our own feelings, we can help others to become more aware of their own feelings. This is at the core of counseling. We will return to this point in a bit. • Some people can go through very difficult experiences and not have trauma—they can move through the pain and come out stronger.

Resilience • Awareness of feelings • Ability to regulate those feelings • These first 2 points work in collaboration with one another. • Social support and connectedness; develop a pairing system • Hopefulness and Optimism • Ego Resilience • Mental Centeredness; Ability to maintain perspective • Flexibility in Cognitive restructuring

What makes us more vulnerable to countertransference in trauma? • • • Morbidity of the trauma Having our idealistic views challenged The pressure in having others look to us for support and guidance Internal pressure; feeling responsible to make this person whole again Conflict of acting human but not reacting Video on Compassion Fatigue

Self-Care for Therapists • Reach out to your network of colleagues • Ask for help • Music and Art—help us connect to our feelings (releasing painful feelings, connecting to more optimistic feelings, etc) • Re-connecting to elements of ordinary life; this is important because trauma takes us away from life as we knew it • Exercise • Sunlight/Being in nature • Healthy Food Choices • Sufficient sleep

Knowing Yourself • • • Who do you know yourself to be? How can you tell when you feel like yourself? What is your response under times of significant stress? How can you tell you are not feeling like yourself? What are things that help you feel re-connected to yourself? Simple exercises to help us reconnect to ourselves • Breathing exercises • Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Resources Psychoeducational handout Index Cards Breathing Technique Progressive Relaxation Feelings List Videos for Kids www. icmglt. org Chapter 12 of the book "International Handbook of Multigenerational Legacies of Trauma" is specifically on the Armenian Genocide; can provide some insights towards our work today • Armenian mental health professionals in the diaspora • •