Processing Vicarious Trauma

our responses to a traumatic event vary.      It is important not to predict how someone will respond

rather to let people respond in their own way  and   in their own time

Shock is the most common response

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If it's just too hard to face

the event may  have been preventable

    "how could this happen?"

Link

people need to gather inner strength

and be willing and able to

  re evaluate ones view of life

 to overcome denial

for some denial is a survival mechanism

  A wife and  mother suddenly losses a husband, a father of her children and (until recently and in some cases) the provider.

 how will we manage?

pracital support is recommended.

 

When there is a disclosure of a crime

of a disclosure of a sex crime

members of an institution feel shame

 

the reputation of the institution istake

 

It is now realised the best response is to be open

and follow protocals which now exist.

If the event is contarary to ones expectations

one may feel betrayed.

 eg disclosure of sexual abuse.

 

How could this happen?

Why wasn't it prevented?

and similar questions

 

 

anger is sometimes a grief reaction

and a natural reaction.

 

crying is a natural response.

 actually quite healing

let tears flow.

 

 

 Sometimes we see the warning signs

   we try to set in place preventative measures

   which are not implimented or fail.

 

the Council refuses to install a safety fence

 

someone is repermanded when at school

refuses to respond to instructions

doesn't respond to correction

 

then we hear that person has comitted a crime.

it's sad

people tried to stop a life going to waste

but it happened.