What is Trauma?
Trauma is the result of an ‘abnormal’ event, one that is psychologically outside of the person.
What is Post Traumatic Stress?
The normal reaction of normal people to an abnormal event.
What happens if Post Traumatic Stress isn’t addressed?
A person’s personal and professional ability to adequately cope with life and its many tasks may be impaired by denial, covert obsessions and/or depression. If relevant psychological assistance is not sought Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can occur.
How does Post Traumatic Stress Disorder occur?
When signs of Post Trauma Stress or ignored, particularly when the symptoms have prevailed and/or intensified over one month or more. Timely intervention is therefore paramount in the prevention and treatment of this disorder.
What is Trauma Debriefing?
A process to identify and ‘diffuse’ any excessive feelings as a result of being in attendance or affected by an incident or disaster. The purpose is to enable the individual or organisation to regain normal functioning as quickly as possible.
The aims of the programme are:
- To get people back to work in a state where they can function effectively;
- To minimise and/or contain the effects of the trauma on the person;
- To minimise the loss of man hours immediately and later;
- To decrease the likelihood of accidents and errors in the workplace as a result of being traumatised;
- To maintain staff morale;
- To educate on the normality and symptoms of stress, post trauma.
The programme led by a team of highly qualified professionals offers:
- Individual and group debriefing sessions;
- Debriefing for any in-house debriefers; and
- A series of critical incident debriefing training workshops.
What should we do?
We recommend that advice and assistance be sought as soon as possible following any incident, in order to establish what level of psychological support is appropriate.
Where does the debriefing take place?
The sessions can be held off site at our Counselling Centre or elsewhere in order to maintain privacy. If necessary the sessions could be arranged within the company’s premises, if a suitable, private location can be made available.