sensitivity to trauma avoidance.
from my lived experience and reading interacting with professionals treating us
and my extensive lateral thinking Pastoral Experience
I have identified :
- survivor trauma avoidance
- professionals and Clergy and members of institutions vicariously trauma avoidance
as being survival mechanisms
The problem is avoidance comes at a cost often to oneself and to trauma survivors being denied therapy or support services.
the abondonment I as a survivor experience from trauma avoidant responses from "professionals"
more effort ought to go into equiping professionals from being vicariously traumatised.
this may be as simple as giving survivors non vicarously traumatising vocabulary,
without it being so sanatised that the trauma is minimised.
overcomming or being released from trauma avoidance:
- should not be rushed
- should be done when one is ready
- needs startegies
I suggest an acreditation of vicarious trauma resistant professionals and Clergy
acreditided from lived experience
or seminars
debriefing vivariously traumatised professionals and mandatory Reporters specialists.
Some will argue this is a massive effort for a few people
however, let us note:
- 1 in 6 men and 25% woman have been sexually abused by the age of 16
- add to that those sexually abused 16-18 and adult survivors and the % of the community is significant.
- add those vicariously traumatised
- add the treaumatised veterans and family members who are vicariously traumatised
- add those traumatised during natural desasters and vicariously traumatised responders and family and friends
- and traffic accidents
- and work retaled injuries
and I suggest trauma is a rather large elephant in the room.