Crisis Counseling Programs for the Rural Community
Disaster Crisis Counseling Program
The Nature of Disasters
Definition of a Federal Disaster Declaration
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides supplemental funding to States for short-term crisis counseling projects to assist survivors/victims of Presidentially declared major disasters. FEMA supplements, but does not supplant, mental health services traditionally provided by State and local mental health agencies. The Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (commonly referred to as the Crisis Counseling Program) was first authorized by the U.S. Congress under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-288) and later modified by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-707). FEMA is responsible for administering the disaster assistance programs of the Stafford Act, including Federal assistance for crisis counseling services.
A major disaster, as defined by the Stafford Act, is any natural catastrophe, or regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, which in the determination of the President causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance to supplement efforts and available resources of States, local government, and disaster relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused by the disaster.
Disaster Types
Different types of disasters covered by the Stafford Act that may impact rural areas include: hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, wind driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire, flood, or explosion. Disasters also differ by a number of characteristics including the following:
Origin of disaster (natural versus human-caused)
Length of warning time
Intensity of the event
Extent of property damage
Number of persons impacted
Number of injuries and deaths
Dynamics of the recovery period
Each type of disaster has its own unique pattern of destruction and characteristics that affect the emotional response of disaster victims (NIMH, 1983):
Flood disasters can result in long incident periods and the evacuation of whole communities.
Earthquakes strike without warning and after shocks intensify fright and despair.
Tornadoes randomly choose their victims, skipping one house and striking the next.
Hurricanes can be unpredictable and suddenly change course causing the evacuation of large areas.
Disasters may be classified as either natural or human-caused. The following chart describes the different characteristics of natural and human-caused disasters. Blame is a characteristic that differs significantly for natural and human-caused disasters. Disaster survivors of human-caused disasters may blame and feel anger toward individuals, groups, or organizations they believe caused or contributed to the disaster. In contrast, survivors of natural disasters may blame and feel anger toward themselves, believe it is "God's Will" or a punishment. Survivors of natural disasters may project their anger onto caretakers, disaster workers, or others (CMHS, 1996).
Natural vs. Human-Caused Disasters
Natural Human-Caused
Causes Forces of nature Human error, malfunctioning
Examples Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods Airplane crashes, major chemical leaks, nuclear reactor accidents
Blame No one Person, government, business
Scope Various locations Locations may be inaccessible to rescuers, unfamiliar to survivors, little advance warning
Post-disaster
Distress High Higher, often felt by family members not involved in actual disaster
Source: CMHS. Psychosocial Issues for Children and Families in Disasters. A Guide for the Primary Care Physician. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Publication No. (SMA) 96-3077, 1996.
Definition of Crisis Counseling Services
The Crisis Counseling Program, as it has been supported in the past twenty-five years by the Federal government, provides for short-term interventions with individuals and groups experiencing psychological sequelae from Presidentially-declared disasters. This type of intervention involves classic counseling goals of helping people to understand their current situation and reactions, assisting in the review of their options, providing emotional support, and encouraging linkage with other resources and agencies who may assist the individual. The assistance is focused upon helping the person deal with the current situation in which they may find themselves.
It draws upon the assumption, until there are contradictory indications, that the individual can resume a productive and fulfilling life following the disaster experience if given support, assistance, and information at a time and in a manner appropriate to his or her experience, education, developmental stage, and ethnicity (CMHS, 1994.
The Emergency Services and Disaster Relief Branch (ESDRB) of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) will provide technical assistance to states in developing a grant request.
The ESDRB can be reached by phone at (301) 443-4735.
The Crisis Counseling Program is unique in comparison to the mix of Federal programs made available through a Presidential disaster declaration. It is the one program for which virtually anyone qualifies and where the person affected by disaster does not have to recall numbers, estimate damages, or otherwise justify need. The program provides primary assistance in dealing with the emotional sequelae to disaster.
Robert T. Stafford Act
The Stafford Act authorizes the President to provide training and services to alleviate mental health problems caused or aggravated by declared disasters. The Crisis Counseling Program is designed to provide supplemental funding to States for short-term crisis counseling services and is implemented when creating such services are beyond the resources of the State or local providers, given a Presidential disaster declaration.
FEMA may fund two separate portions of the Crisis Counseling Program: Immediate Services (IS) and Regular Services (RS). The IS grant enables the State and its local agency to respond to the immediate mental health needs with crisis counseling services. IS can be funded for up to sixty days after the Presidential declaration. If an RS application has been submitted, the program period for the immediate services may be extended thirty days and additional funding may be awarded. FEMA may approve a longer extension, if the review process of the regular program application exceeds thirty days. Costs incurred from the date of the incident to the date of declaration may be reimbursable under the immediate services program. The RS provides up to nine months of crisis counseling services, community outreach, and consultation and education services to people affected by the disaster. Funding for RS is separate from IS. The State may apply for either or both portions of the Crisis Counseling Program.
Application for IS funding must be completed within fourteen days of the disaster declaration. The application must contain a disaster description, needs assessment, program plan, budget, and budget narrative. The needs assessment is based on the needs of the affected communities and the ability of the current mental health system to respond to those needs. A State must demonstrate that State and local resources are insufficient to provide adequate services.
Differences Between Disaster Mental Health and Traditional Mental Health Programs
Disaster Crisis Counseling Programs are a departure from traditional mental health practice in many ways. The program is designed to address incident specific stress reactions, rather than ongoing or developmental mental health needs (CMHS, 1994). Programs must be structured and implemented according to Federally established guidelines and for a specific period. Emphasis is on serving individuals, families, and groups of people - all of whom share a devastating event that most likely changed the face of their entire community.
CRISIS COUNSELING PROGRAM
Immediate Services
Application due in fourteen days
Sixty-day program
Extension if RS is applied for
Regular Services
Apply within sixty days of declaration
Nine month program
Applications must include
Disaster description
Needs Assessment
Program Plan
Budget
Budget narrative
for more information click below
crisis counseling ceus
Outreach and crisis counseling activities are the core of the Crisis Counseling Program and create a unique set of challenges. Disaster crisis counseling requires breaking out of traditional ways of identifying people in need of services, providing access to those services, maintaining documentation, and determining effectiveness. Mental health professionals will work hand-in-hand with paraprofessionals, volunteers, community leaders, and survivors/victims of the disaster in ways that may be foreign to their clinical training. This publication will focus on the implementation of appropriate crisis counseling services for rural communities across the United States.
February 28, 2010
After The Disaster: A Children’s Mental Health Checklist
After The Disaster: A Children’s Mental Health Checklist
Disasters can be particularly traumatic to children. Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine the extent of the psychological trauma, and whether or not professional mental health services are indicated. This checklist is one way to assess a child’s mental health status.
Add up the pluses and minuses to obtain a final score. If the child scores more than 35, it is suggested you seek a mental health consultation.
Has the child had more than one major stress within a year BEFORE this disaster, such as a death in the family, a molestation, a major physical illness or divorce? If yes: +5
Does the child have a network of supportive, caring persons who continue to relate to him daily? If yes: -10
Has the child had to move out of his house because of the disaster? If yes: +5
Was there reliable housing within one week of the earthquake with resumption of the usual household members living together? If yes: -10
Is the child showing severe disobedience or delinquency? If yes: +5
Is the child showing any of the following as NEW behaviors for more than three weeks after the disaster?
Nightly states of terror? +5
Waking from dreams confused or in a sweat? +5
Difficulty concentrating? +5
Extreme irritability? +5
Loss of previous achievements in toilet or speech? +5
Onset of stuttering or lisping? +5
Persistent severe anxiety or phobias? +5
Obstinacy? +5
New or exaggerated fears? +5
Rituals or compulsions? +5
Severe clinging to adults? +5
Inability to fall asleep or stay asleep? +5
Startling at any reminder of the disaster? +5
Loss of ambition for the future? +5
Loss of pleasure in usual activities? +5
Loss of curiosity? +5
Persistent sadness or crying? +5
Persistent headaches or stomach aches? +5
Hypochondria? +5
Has anyone in the child’s immediate family been killed or severely injured in the disaster (including severe injury to the child)? +15
Note: Preoccupation with death, unusual accident proneness or suicidal threats are reasons for immediate consultations. It is also recommended that any child who has been seriously injured or who has lost a parent, sibling or caregiver by death, have a psychological evaluation and/or brief therapy.
Note: This checklist was developed under the auspices of Project COPE, a federal funded (FEMA) crisis counseling program activated in Santa Cruz, California, in response to the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. The project provided individual, family and group counseling, agency debriefing services and a school intervention program. Over the course of 16 months, the project provided services to more than 25,000 individuals. Peter J. Spofford, M.S. served as Project COPE Director.
Disasters can be particularly traumatic to children. Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine the extent of the psychological trauma, and whether or not professional mental health services are indicated. This checklist is one way to assess a child’s mental health status.
Add up the pluses and minuses to obtain a final score. If the child scores more than 35, it is suggested you seek a mental health consultation.
Has the child had more than one major stress within a year BEFORE this disaster, such as a death in the family, a molestation, a major physical illness or divorce? If yes: +5
Does the child have a network of supportive, caring persons who continue to relate to him daily? If yes: -10
Has the child had to move out of his house because of the disaster? If yes: +5
Was there reliable housing within one week of the earthquake with resumption of the usual household members living together? If yes: -10
Is the child showing severe disobedience or delinquency? If yes: +5
Is the child showing any of the following as NEW behaviors for more than three weeks after the disaster?
Nightly states of terror? +5
Waking from dreams confused or in a sweat? +5
Difficulty concentrating? +5
Extreme irritability? +5
Loss of previous achievements in toilet or speech? +5
Onset of stuttering or lisping? +5
Persistent severe anxiety or phobias? +5
Obstinacy? +5
New or exaggerated fears? +5
Rituals or compulsions? +5
Severe clinging to adults? +5
Inability to fall asleep or stay asleep? +5
Startling at any reminder of the disaster? +5
Loss of ambition for the future? +5
Loss of pleasure in usual activities? +5
Loss of curiosity? +5
Persistent sadness or crying? +5
Persistent headaches or stomach aches? +5
Hypochondria? +5
Has anyone in the child’s immediate family been killed or severely injured in the disaster (including severe injury to the child)? +15
Note: Preoccupation with death, unusual accident proneness or suicidal threats are reasons for immediate consultations. It is also recommended that any child who has been seriously injured or who has lost a parent, sibling or caregiver by death, have a psychological evaluation and/or brief therapy.
Note: This checklist was developed under the auspices of Project COPE, a federal funded (FEMA) crisis counseling program activated in Santa Cruz, California, in response to the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. The project provided individual, family and group counseling, agency debriefing services and a school intervention program. Over the course of 16 months, the project provided services to more than 25,000 individuals. Peter J. Spofford, M.S. served as Project COPE Director.
February 27, 2010
Questions to Help Children Talk About a Disaster
Emergency Mental Health and Traumatic Stress
Tips for Teachers
Questions to Help Children Talk About a Disaster
Disasters hit children hard. It is difficult for them to understand and accept that there are events in their lives that cannot be predicted or controlled. Perhaps worst of all, we as adults cannot "fix" a disaster, solve it, or keep it from happening again.
As a classroom teacher, you can play an important role in the healing process of children who are affected by a disaster. One technique you can use to help children cope and heal is to assist them in expressing their experiences and feelings by talking. This technique works best when you use "open-ended" questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer. There are many leading questions you can use to encourage children to talk, such as:
Where were you and what were you doing when the disaster happened?
What was your first thought when it happened?
What did other people around you do during/after the disaster?
Was anyone you know hurt or killed?
Did/do you dream about the disaster?
What reminds you of the disaster?
What do you do differently since the disaster?
How do you feel now?
How have you gotten through rough times before?
What, if anything, would you do differently if this happened again?
As the children begin to open up, encourage various views. Acknowledge their experiences and reassure them that what they are feeling is "normal." Play a guiding role, rather than trying to control the discussions.
Allow children with low language skills, shyness, or discomfort to be silent. It might be helpful to encourage peer support for these children. If a child has limited English-language skills, consider asking for a translator to help the child express him/herself. Create an atmosphere in which a child can feel comfortable sharing experiences and feelings in any language. The goal of the process is to help children feel better. If any of your students show serious signs of distress, consult a school counselor or mental health professional.
Tips for Teachers
Questions to Help Children Talk About a Disaster
Disasters hit children hard. It is difficult for them to understand and accept that there are events in their lives that cannot be predicted or controlled. Perhaps worst of all, we as adults cannot "fix" a disaster, solve it, or keep it from happening again.
As a classroom teacher, you can play an important role in the healing process of children who are affected by a disaster. One technique you can use to help children cope and heal is to assist them in expressing their experiences and feelings by talking. This technique works best when you use "open-ended" questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer. There are many leading questions you can use to encourage children to talk, such as:
Where were you and what were you doing when the disaster happened?
What was your first thought when it happened?
What did other people around you do during/after the disaster?
Was anyone you know hurt or killed?
Did/do you dream about the disaster?
What reminds you of the disaster?
What do you do differently since the disaster?
How do you feel now?
How have you gotten through rough times before?
What, if anything, would you do differently if this happened again?
As the children begin to open up, encourage various views. Acknowledge their experiences and reassure them that what they are feeling is "normal." Play a guiding role, rather than trying to control the discussions.
Allow children with low language skills, shyness, or discomfort to be silent. It might be helpful to encourage peer support for these children. If a child has limited English-language skills, consider asking for a translator to help the child express him/herself. Create an atmosphere in which a child can feel comfortable sharing experiences and feelings in any language. The goal of the process is to help children feel better. If any of your students show serious signs of distress, consult a school counselor or mental health professional.
Disaster counseling
DISASTER COUNSELING SKILLS
Disaster counseling involves both listening and guiding. Survivors typically benefit from both talking about their disaster experiences and being assisted with problem-solving and referral to resources. The following section provides "nuts-and-bolts" suggestions for workers.
ESTABLISHING RAPPORT
Survivors respond when workers offer caring eye contact, a calm presence, and are able to listen with their hearts. Rapport refers to the feelings of interest and understanding that develop when genuine concern is shown. Conveying respect and being nonjudgmental are necessary ingredients for building rapport.
ACTIVE LISTENING
Workers listen most effectively when they take in information through their ears, eyes, and "extrasensory radar" to better understand the survivor's situation and needs. Some tips for listening are:
Allow silence - Silence gives the survivor time to reflect and become aware of feelings. Silence can prompt the survivor to elaborate. Simply "being with" the survivor and their experience is supportive.
Attend nonverbally - Eye contact, head nodding, caring facial expressions, and occasional "uh-huhs" let the survivor know that the worker is in tune with them.
Paraphrase - When the worker repeats portions of what the survivor has said, understanding, interest, and empathy are conveyed. Paraphrasing also checks for accuracy, clarifies misunderstandings, and lets the survivor know that he or she is being heard. Good lead-ins are: "So you are saying that . . . " or "I have heard you say that . . . "
Reflect feelings - The worker may notice that the survivor's tone of voice or nonverbal gestures suggests anger, sadness, or fear. Possible responses are, "You sound angry, scared etc., does that fit for you?" This helps the survivor identify and articulate his or her emotions.
Allow expression of emotions - Expressing intense emotions through tears or angry venting is an important part of healing; it often helps the survivor work through feelings so that he or she can better engage in constructive problem-solving. Workers should stay relaxed, breathe, and let the survivor know that it is OK to feel.
SOME DO'S AND DON'T'S
Do say:
These are normal reactions to a disaster.
It is understandable that you feel this way.
You are not going crazy.
It wasn't your fault, you did the best you could.
Things may never be the same, but they will get better, and you will feel better.
Don't say:
It could have been worse.
You can always get another pet/car/house.
It's best if you just stay busy.
I know just how you feel.
You need to get on with your life.
The human desire to try to fix the survivor's painful situation or make the survivor feel better often underlies the preceding "Don't say" list. However, as a result of receiving comments such as these, the survivor may feel discounted, not understood, or more alone. It is best when workers allow survivors their own experiences, feelings, and perspectives.
Disaster counseling involves both listening and guiding. Survivors typically benefit from both talking about their disaster experiences and being assisted with problem-solving and referral to resources. The following section provides "nuts-and-bolts" suggestions for workers.
ESTABLISHING RAPPORT
Survivors respond when workers offer caring eye contact, a calm presence, and are able to listen with their hearts. Rapport refers to the feelings of interest and understanding that develop when genuine concern is shown. Conveying respect and being nonjudgmental are necessary ingredients for building rapport.
ACTIVE LISTENING
Workers listen most effectively when they take in information through their ears, eyes, and "extrasensory radar" to better understand the survivor's situation and needs. Some tips for listening are:
Allow silence - Silence gives the survivor time to reflect and become aware of feelings. Silence can prompt the survivor to elaborate. Simply "being with" the survivor and their experience is supportive.
Attend nonverbally - Eye contact, head nodding, caring facial expressions, and occasional "uh-huhs" let the survivor know that the worker is in tune with them.
Paraphrase - When the worker repeats portions of what the survivor has said, understanding, interest, and empathy are conveyed. Paraphrasing also checks for accuracy, clarifies misunderstandings, and lets the survivor know that he or she is being heard. Good lead-ins are: "So you are saying that . . . " or "I have heard you say that . . . "
Reflect feelings - The worker may notice that the survivor's tone of voice or nonverbal gestures suggests anger, sadness, or fear. Possible responses are, "You sound angry, scared etc., does that fit for you?" This helps the survivor identify and articulate his or her emotions.
Allow expression of emotions - Expressing intense emotions through tears or angry venting is an important part of healing; it often helps the survivor work through feelings so that he or she can better engage in constructive problem-solving. Workers should stay relaxed, breathe, and let the survivor know that it is OK to feel.
SOME DO'S AND DON'T'S
Do say:
These are normal reactions to a disaster.
It is understandable that you feel this way.
You are not going crazy.
It wasn't your fault, you did the best you could.
Things may never be the same, but they will get better, and you will feel better.
Don't say:
It could have been worse.
You can always get another pet/car/house.
It's best if you just stay busy.
I know just how you feel.
You need to get on with your life.
The human desire to try to fix the survivor's painful situation or make the survivor feel better often underlies the preceding "Don't say" list. However, as a result of receiving comments such as these, the survivor may feel discounted, not understood, or more alone. It is best when workers allow survivors their own experiences, feelings, and perspectives.
February 26, 2010
Helping Children and Youth With Bipolar Disorder
Helping Children and Youth With Bipolar Disorder: Systems of Care
This fact sheet provides basic information on bipolar disorder in children and describes an approach to getting services and supports, called “systems of care,” that helps children, youth, and families thrive at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life.
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes persistent, overwhelming, and uncontrollable changes in moods, activities, thoughts, and behaviors. A child has a much greater chance of having bipolar disorder if there is a family history of the disorder or depression. This means that parents cannot choose whether or not their children will have bipolar disorder.
Although bipolar disorder affects at least 750,000 children in the United States 1 , it is often difficult to recognize and diagnose in children. If left untreated, the disorder puts a child at risk for school failure, drug abuse, and suicide. That is why it is important that you seek the advice of a qualified professional when trying to find out if your child has bipolar disorder.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder can be mistaken for other medical/mental health conditions, and children with bipolar disorder can have other mental health needs at the same time. Other disorders that can occur at the same time as bipolar disorder include, but are not limited to, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorders, autistic spectrum disorders, and drug abuse disorders. The roles that a family’s culture and language play in how causes and symptoms are perceived and then described to a mental health care provider are important, too. Misperceptions and misunderstandings can lead to delayed diagnoses, misdiagnoses, or no diagnoses—which are serious problems when a child needs help. That is why it is important that supports be in place to bridge differences in language and culture. Once bipolar disorder is properly diagnosed, treatment can begin to help children and adolescents with bipolar disorder live productive and fulfilling lives.
What Are the Signs of Bipolar Disorder?
Unlike some health problems where different people experience the same symptoms, children experience bipolar disorder differently. Often, children with the illness experience mood swings that alternate, or cycle, between periods of “highs” and “lows,” called “mania” and “depression,” with varying moods in between. These cycles can happen much more rapidly than in adults, sometimes occurring many times within a day. Mental health experts differ in their interpretation of what symptoms children experience. The following are commonly reported signs of bipolar disorder:
Excessively elevated moods alternating with periods of depressed or irritable moods;
Periods of high, goal-directed activity, and/or physical agitation;
Racing thoughts and speaking very fast;
Unusual/erratic sleep patterns and/or a decreased need for sleep;
Difficulty settling as babies;
Severe temper tantrums, sometimes called “rages”;
Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities, daredevil behavior, and/or grandiose, “super-confident” thinking and behaviors;
Impulsivity and/or distractibility;
Inappropriate sexual activity, even at very young ages;
Hallucinations and/or delusions;
Suicidal thoughts and/or talks of killing self; and
Inflexible, oppositional/defiant, and extremely irritable behavior.
What Happens After a Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis?
If a qualified mental health provider has diagnosed your child with bipolar disorder, the provider may suggest several different treatment options, including strategies for managing behaviors, medications, and/or talk therapy. Your child’s mental health care provider may also suggest enrolling in a system of care, if one is available.
What Is a System of Care?
A system of care is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. Families, children, and youth work in partnership with public and private organizations so services and supports are effective, build on the strengths of individuals, and address each person’s cultural and linguistic needs. Specifically, a system of care can help by:
Tailoring services to the unique needs of your child and family;
Making services and supports available in your language and connecting you with professionals who respect your values and beliefs;
Encouraging you and your child to play as much of a role in the design of a treatment plan as you want; and
Providing services from within your community, whenever possible.
How Can I Find a System of Care for My Child With Bipolar Disorder?
Contact the system of care community in the box on the back of this fact sheet. If none is listed or that system of care community is not in your area, visit mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs and click “Child, Adolescent & Family” and then “Systems of Care” to locate a system of care close to you. If you prefer to speak to someone in person to locate a system of care, or if there is not a system of care in your area, contact the National Mental Health Information Center by calling toll-free 1.800.789.2647 or visiting mentalhealth.samhsa.gov.
Are Systems of Care Effective?
National data collected for more than a decade support what families in systems of care have been saying: Systems of care work. Data from systems of care related to children and youth with bipolar disorder reflect the following:
Children and youth demonstrate improvement in emotional and behavioral functioning.
Caregivers report that children and youth have a reduction in conflicts with others in the family.
Caregivers experience an increased ability to do their jobs.
Caregivers report fewer missed days and a reduction in tardiness from work.
Children and youth with bipolar disorder improve in school-related tasks, such as paying attention in class, taking notes, and completing assignments on time.
Children and youth with bipolar disorder have fewer contacts with the juvenile justice system after enrolling in a system of care.
The Core Values of Systems of Care
Although systems of care may be different for each community, all share three core values. These values play an important role in ensuring that services and supports are effective and responsive to the needs of each child, youth, and family. These core values are:
Systems of care are family-driven and youth-guided.
Systems of care are culturally and linguistically competent.
Systems of care are community-based.
Austin’s Story
At age 12, Austin appears to be a typical sixth grader—he likes to play basketball and video games, and is enrolled in an after-school horseback riding program. He is an honor roll student, and his mother describes him as compassionate, loyal, and a champion for the “underdog.” Austin and his family also manage the challenges of bipolar disorder each day.
Austin was diagnosed in first grade with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and separation anxiety disorder, but Austin’s mother, Kim, recalls a series of incidents that led her to question whether her son’s mental health needs were being met. At age 9, Austin set two fires within a week. The first time it happened, Kim thought it was an isolated incident that would not be repeated— Austin said he was lighting candles.
The second time Austin set a fire, however, the situation was very different. While bringing groceries into the house, Austin set a small fire in the car. When Kim discovered signs of the fire the next morning, she says, “I immediately got on the phone and started calling his physician. Thoughts were flashing through my mind about what could have happened.”
After Kim received a referral from Austin’s physician for diagnostic testing and other mental health services, she learned that her son had been experiencing hallucinations, which were causing him to set the fires. She also learned that his extreme mood swings, as well as his unusual sleep patterns, were signs of bipolar disorder. As a result, Austin was hospitalized for 20 days and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. During this time, Austin was accepted into a system of care through a referral from his school guidance counselor.
Kim says the system of care played an important role in helping Austin make the transition from the hospital to his home—even providing transportation, as Kim’s car was being repaired at the time. System of care staff helped Kim learn more about her son’s disorder. They also helped her locate services and supports tailored to Austin’s needs, including counseling, health care, specialized schooling, after-school programs, transportation, and child care.
The system of care also empowered Kim to be a more effective advocate for Austin’s needs. Before joining the system of care, she says, “I tried to fit the service to the need, rather than fit the need to the service. That was a mistake.”
Kim also assumed that professionals were best able to determine how to meet her child’s needs. After working in partnership with the system of care, Kim now knows that services and supports should be responsive to Austin’s needs and that her and her son’s input into the services and supports is crucial.
Despite the successes her family has had, Kim emphasizes that the journey to wellness is not over. In addition to coping with the symptoms of bipolar disorder, she and Austin also must overcome the stigma associated with mental illnesses. Together, Kim and Austin counter this stigma by educating others that he, and others with mental illnesses, should be known for who they are rather than the disorders they happen to have. Despite the ongoing challenges of stigma and bipolar disorder, Kim believes that the system of care has made a huge difference in terms of helping her family move forward.
What Steps Are Necessary To Enroll in a System of Care?
Although each community’s system of care is different, most children and youth in a system of care go through the following steps to be enrolled:
Step One: Diagnosis and Referral—To be considered for system of care enrollment, your child must have a diagnosed behavioral, emotional, or mental health disorder that severely affects his or her life. Additionally, most children and youth are referred to a system of care by mental health providers, educators, juvenile justice professionals, child welfare professionals, physicians, and others who might already be serving your child.
Step Two: Assessment and Intake—Once your child has been diagnosed and has been referred to the system of care, the system of care may ask you to answer some questions that will help you determine whether or not your child and family are eligible to receive services and supports. If your child and family are eligible, you may have to answer more questions so the system of care can begin to understand your needs. Throughout these steps, the system of care will work with you to fill out all of the necessary paperwork.
Step Three: Care Planning and Partnership Building—After your child and family are enrolled, the system of care will work with you to determine what services and supports best fit your child’s and family’s needs. Once the care planning is complete, the system of care will develop partnerships among you and all of those who are helping your child and family to ensure that services and supports are as effective as possible.
This fact sheet provides basic information on bipolar disorder in children and describes an approach to getting services and supports, called “systems of care,” that helps children, youth, and families thrive at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life.
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes persistent, overwhelming, and uncontrollable changes in moods, activities, thoughts, and behaviors. A child has a much greater chance of having bipolar disorder if there is a family history of the disorder or depression. This means that parents cannot choose whether or not their children will have bipolar disorder.
Although bipolar disorder affects at least 750,000 children in the United States 1 , it is often difficult to recognize and diagnose in children. If left untreated, the disorder puts a child at risk for school failure, drug abuse, and suicide. That is why it is important that you seek the advice of a qualified professional when trying to find out if your child has bipolar disorder.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder can be mistaken for other medical/mental health conditions, and children with bipolar disorder can have other mental health needs at the same time. Other disorders that can occur at the same time as bipolar disorder include, but are not limited to, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorders, autistic spectrum disorders, and drug abuse disorders. The roles that a family’s culture and language play in how causes and symptoms are perceived and then described to a mental health care provider are important, too. Misperceptions and misunderstandings can lead to delayed diagnoses, misdiagnoses, or no diagnoses—which are serious problems when a child needs help. That is why it is important that supports be in place to bridge differences in language and culture. Once bipolar disorder is properly diagnosed, treatment can begin to help children and adolescents with bipolar disorder live productive and fulfilling lives.
What Are the Signs of Bipolar Disorder?
Unlike some health problems where different people experience the same symptoms, children experience bipolar disorder differently. Often, children with the illness experience mood swings that alternate, or cycle, between periods of “highs” and “lows,” called “mania” and “depression,” with varying moods in between. These cycles can happen much more rapidly than in adults, sometimes occurring many times within a day. Mental health experts differ in their interpretation of what symptoms children experience. The following are commonly reported signs of bipolar disorder:
Excessively elevated moods alternating with periods of depressed or irritable moods;
Periods of high, goal-directed activity, and/or physical agitation;
Racing thoughts and speaking very fast;
Unusual/erratic sleep patterns and/or a decreased need for sleep;
Difficulty settling as babies;
Severe temper tantrums, sometimes called “rages”;
Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities, daredevil behavior, and/or grandiose, “super-confident” thinking and behaviors;
Impulsivity and/or distractibility;
Inappropriate sexual activity, even at very young ages;
Hallucinations and/or delusions;
Suicidal thoughts and/or talks of killing self; and
Inflexible, oppositional/defiant, and extremely irritable behavior.
What Happens After a Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis?
If a qualified mental health provider has diagnosed your child with bipolar disorder, the provider may suggest several different treatment options, including strategies for managing behaviors, medications, and/or talk therapy. Your child’s mental health care provider may also suggest enrolling in a system of care, if one is available.
What Is a System of Care?
A system of care is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. Families, children, and youth work in partnership with public and private organizations so services and supports are effective, build on the strengths of individuals, and address each person’s cultural and linguistic needs. Specifically, a system of care can help by:
Tailoring services to the unique needs of your child and family;
Making services and supports available in your language and connecting you with professionals who respect your values and beliefs;
Encouraging you and your child to play as much of a role in the design of a treatment plan as you want; and
Providing services from within your community, whenever possible.
How Can I Find a System of Care for My Child With Bipolar Disorder?
Contact the system of care community in the box on the back of this fact sheet. If none is listed or that system of care community is not in your area, visit mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs and click “Child, Adolescent & Family” and then “Systems of Care” to locate a system of care close to you. If you prefer to speak to someone in person to locate a system of care, or if there is not a system of care in your area, contact the National Mental Health Information Center by calling toll-free 1.800.789.2647 or visiting mentalhealth.samhsa.gov.
Are Systems of Care Effective?
National data collected for more than a decade support what families in systems of care have been saying: Systems of care work. Data from systems of care related to children and youth with bipolar disorder reflect the following:
Children and youth demonstrate improvement in emotional and behavioral functioning.
Caregivers report that children and youth have a reduction in conflicts with others in the family.
Caregivers experience an increased ability to do their jobs.
Caregivers report fewer missed days and a reduction in tardiness from work.
Children and youth with bipolar disorder improve in school-related tasks, such as paying attention in class, taking notes, and completing assignments on time.
Children and youth with bipolar disorder have fewer contacts with the juvenile justice system after enrolling in a system of care.
The Core Values of Systems of Care
Although systems of care may be different for each community, all share three core values. These values play an important role in ensuring that services and supports are effective and responsive to the needs of each child, youth, and family. These core values are:
Systems of care are family-driven and youth-guided.
Systems of care are culturally and linguistically competent.
Systems of care are community-based.
Austin’s Story
At age 12, Austin appears to be a typical sixth grader—he likes to play basketball and video games, and is enrolled in an after-school horseback riding program. He is an honor roll student, and his mother describes him as compassionate, loyal, and a champion for the “underdog.” Austin and his family also manage the challenges of bipolar disorder each day.
Austin was diagnosed in first grade with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and separation anxiety disorder, but Austin’s mother, Kim, recalls a series of incidents that led her to question whether her son’s mental health needs were being met. At age 9, Austin set two fires within a week. The first time it happened, Kim thought it was an isolated incident that would not be repeated— Austin said he was lighting candles.
The second time Austin set a fire, however, the situation was very different. While bringing groceries into the house, Austin set a small fire in the car. When Kim discovered signs of the fire the next morning, she says, “I immediately got on the phone and started calling his physician. Thoughts were flashing through my mind about what could have happened.”
After Kim received a referral from Austin’s physician for diagnostic testing and other mental health services, she learned that her son had been experiencing hallucinations, which were causing him to set the fires. She also learned that his extreme mood swings, as well as his unusual sleep patterns, were signs of bipolar disorder. As a result, Austin was hospitalized for 20 days and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. During this time, Austin was accepted into a system of care through a referral from his school guidance counselor.
Kim says the system of care played an important role in helping Austin make the transition from the hospital to his home—even providing transportation, as Kim’s car was being repaired at the time. System of care staff helped Kim learn more about her son’s disorder. They also helped her locate services and supports tailored to Austin’s needs, including counseling, health care, specialized schooling, after-school programs, transportation, and child care.
The system of care also empowered Kim to be a more effective advocate for Austin’s needs. Before joining the system of care, she says, “I tried to fit the service to the need, rather than fit the need to the service. That was a mistake.”
Kim also assumed that professionals were best able to determine how to meet her child’s needs. After working in partnership with the system of care, Kim now knows that services and supports should be responsive to Austin’s needs and that her and her son’s input into the services and supports is crucial.
Despite the successes her family has had, Kim emphasizes that the journey to wellness is not over. In addition to coping with the symptoms of bipolar disorder, she and Austin also must overcome the stigma associated with mental illnesses. Together, Kim and Austin counter this stigma by educating others that he, and others with mental illnesses, should be known for who they are rather than the disorders they happen to have. Despite the ongoing challenges of stigma and bipolar disorder, Kim believes that the system of care has made a huge difference in terms of helping her family move forward.
What Steps Are Necessary To Enroll in a System of Care?
Although each community’s system of care is different, most children and youth in a system of care go through the following steps to be enrolled:
Step One: Diagnosis and Referral—To be considered for system of care enrollment, your child must have a diagnosed behavioral, emotional, or mental health disorder that severely affects his or her life. Additionally, most children and youth are referred to a system of care by mental health providers, educators, juvenile justice professionals, child welfare professionals, physicians, and others who might already be serving your child.
Step Two: Assessment and Intake—Once your child has been diagnosed and has been referred to the system of care, the system of care may ask you to answer some questions that will help you determine whether or not your child and family are eligible to receive services and supports. If your child and family are eligible, you may have to answer more questions so the system of care can begin to understand your needs. Throughout these steps, the system of care will work with you to fill out all of the necessary paperwork.
Step Three: Care Planning and Partnership Building—After your child and family are enrolled, the system of care will work with you to determine what services and supports best fit your child’s and family’s needs. Once the care planning is complete, the system of care will develop partnerships among you and all of those who are helping your child and family to ensure that services and supports are as effective as possible.
February 25, 2010
NBCC CEUs
Aspira Continuing Education http://www.aspirace.com is NBCC certified.
Mission
The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) is the nation's premier professional certification board devoted to credentialing counselors who meet standards for the general and specialty practices of professional counseling.
History of NBCC
Thomas Clawson, Ed.D.
President and CEOThe National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. and Affiliates (NBCC), an independent not-for-profit credentialing body for counselors, was incorporated in 1982 to establish and monitor a national certification system, to identify those counselors who have voluntarily sought and obtained certification, and to maintain a register of those counselors.
NBCC's certification program recognizes counselors who have met predetermined standards in their training, experience, and performance on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE), the most portable credentialing examination in counseling. NBCC has approximately 42,000 certified counselors. These counselors live and work in the US and over 50 countries. Our examinations are used by more than 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam to credential counselors on a state level.
NBCC was initially created after the work of a committee of the American Counseling Association (ACA). The committee created NBCC to be an independent credentialing body. NBCC and ACA have strong historical ties and work together to further the profession of counseling. However, the two organizations are completely separate entities with different goals.
•ACA concentrates on membership association activities such as conferences, professional development, publications, and government relations.
•NBCC focuses on promoting quality counseling through certification. In addition, NBCC promotes professional counseling to private and government organizations.
NBCC's flagship credential is the National Certified Counselor (NCC). NBCC also offers specialty certification in several areas:
•School counseling - The National Certified School Counselor (NCSC)
•Clinical mental health counseling - The Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC)
•Addictions counseling - The Master Addictions Counselor (MAC)
The NCC is a prerequisite or co-requisite for the specialty credentials.
NBCC's Accreditation
The National Board for Certified Counselors is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accrediting body for the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA). NOCA is the leader in setting quality standards for credentialing organizations.
For confirmation of this accreditation, as well as descriptions of the services and missions of NOCA and NCCA, please feel free to visit NOCA's website at www.noca.org.
Statistics on NCCs
Statistical information based on active certificants as of 12/30/2008
NCC
CCMHC
NCCC
NCGC
NCSC
MAC
43960
1088
540
148
2287
642
NCC - National Certified Counselor
CCMHC - Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor
MAC - Master Addictions Counselor
NCCC - National Certified Career Counselor
NCGC - National Certified Gerontological Counselor
NCSC - National Certified School Counselor
Benefits of Becoming an NCC
National certification can be a continuing source of career enhancement and pride for you as a counseling professional.
What the NCC Credential Does for You
•Generates client referrals for you through CounselorFind, NBCC's referral service linking potential clients to nearby NCCs.
•Travels with you when you relocate in or outside the US.
•Keeps you in touch with current professional credentialing issues and events through The National Certified Counselor, NBCC's newsletter.
•Advances your professional accountability and visibility.
•Ensures a national standard developed by counselors, not legislators.
•Supports the rights of NCCs to use testing instruments in practice through NBCC’s participation in the National Fair Access Coalition on Testing (FACT).
•Offers, through Lockton Affinity, liability insurance to NCCs at bargain rates.
•Allows online access to verification of national certification through the NBCC Registry.
Mission
The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) is the nation's premier professional certification board devoted to credentialing counselors who meet standards for the general and specialty practices of professional counseling.
History of NBCC
Thomas Clawson, Ed.D.
President and CEOThe National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. and Affiliates (NBCC), an independent not-for-profit credentialing body for counselors, was incorporated in 1982 to establish and monitor a national certification system, to identify those counselors who have voluntarily sought and obtained certification, and to maintain a register of those counselors.
NBCC's certification program recognizes counselors who have met predetermined standards in their training, experience, and performance on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE), the most portable credentialing examination in counseling. NBCC has approximately 42,000 certified counselors. These counselors live and work in the US and over 50 countries. Our examinations are used by more than 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam to credential counselors on a state level.
NBCC was initially created after the work of a committee of the American Counseling Association (ACA). The committee created NBCC to be an independent credentialing body. NBCC and ACA have strong historical ties and work together to further the profession of counseling. However, the two organizations are completely separate entities with different goals.
•ACA concentrates on membership association activities such as conferences, professional development, publications, and government relations.
•NBCC focuses on promoting quality counseling through certification. In addition, NBCC promotes professional counseling to private and government organizations.
NBCC's flagship credential is the National Certified Counselor (NCC). NBCC also offers specialty certification in several areas:
•School counseling - The National Certified School Counselor (NCSC)
•Clinical mental health counseling - The Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC)
•Addictions counseling - The Master Addictions Counselor (MAC)
The NCC is a prerequisite or co-requisite for the specialty credentials.
NBCC's Accreditation
The National Board for Certified Counselors is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accrediting body for the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA). NOCA is the leader in setting quality standards for credentialing organizations.
For confirmation of this accreditation, as well as descriptions of the services and missions of NOCA and NCCA, please feel free to visit NOCA's website at www.noca.org.
Statistics on NCCs
Statistical information based on active certificants as of 12/30/2008
NCC
CCMHC
NCCC
NCGC
NCSC
MAC
43960
1088
540
148
2287
642
NCC - National Certified Counselor
CCMHC - Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor
MAC - Master Addictions Counselor
NCCC - National Certified Career Counselor
NCGC - National Certified Gerontological Counselor
NCSC - National Certified School Counselor
Benefits of Becoming an NCC
National certification can be a continuing source of career enhancement and pride for you as a counseling professional.
What the NCC Credential Does for You
•Generates client referrals for you through CounselorFind, NBCC's referral service linking potential clients to nearby NCCs.
•Travels with you when you relocate in or outside the US.
•Keeps you in touch with current professional credentialing issues and events through The National Certified Counselor, NBCC's newsletter.
•Advances your professional accountability and visibility.
•Ensures a national standard developed by counselors, not legislators.
•Supports the rights of NCCs to use testing instruments in practice through NBCC’s participation in the National Fair Access Coalition on Testing (FACT).
•Offers, through Lockton Affinity, liability insurance to NCCs at bargain rates.
•Allows online access to verification of national certification through the NBCC Registry.
February 24, 2010
Trauma and PTSD Continuing Ed
Supporting the Survivor
A guide to understanding the impact of violent trauma on your loved ones and how you can help them
for more information on this topic, visit website below
Trauma and PTSD ceus, mft ceu, lcsw ceu, lpc ceuIn the United States, your odds of falling victim to violence at some point in your lifetime are high. Even if you don’t encounter violence directly, chances are that you know someone who has or will experience trauma. While a victim copes with the direct impact of trauma, those close to the victim also struggle in the aftermath. What do I say? What do I do? Why does my loved one seem so distant?
This brochure is intended to help you begin to understand what happens to many victims of violent crime and what you might do to help them along the healing process.
How Does Trauma Affect Survivors?
Victims of violence often face a wide range of struggles. They often question what has happened or what they may have done to cause or prevent it. Many wonder how they will heal and why they cannot connect with their loved ones as they once did. It is also common for survivors to feel anger or frustration as they ponder whether they will ever feel “normal” again. While every survivor’s experience is unique, violent trauma is almost always a life-changing experience that can affect everything from one’s ability to sleep to his or her ability to concentrate at work.
Understanding the nature and impact of trauma can be key to helping your loved one. Many survivors find themselves in unfamiliar and distressing psychological territory. It is common for them to endure intense feelings of isolation, insecurity, and fear, and their most treasured relationships often suffer as a result. Trauma can also lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which may include both substance abuse and mental health problems.
Violent Trauma, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health Concerns
Many victims turn to alcohol or other substances in an attempt to get some relief from their emotional turmoil and suffering. All trauma survivors manage their experiences in different ways. However, substance abuse is not only ineffective in healing from trauma, but it also can present a host of additional problems that make the healing process even more difficult.
Violence is also a widely recognized catalyst for mental health concerns such as PTSD, a condition that can be caused by experiencing or observing virtually any kind of deep emotional or physical trauma. Millions of people in the United States suffer from PTSD, resulting from many different types of trauma—from enduring years of domestic violence to a single violent attack that lasts but a few seconds. PTSD is characterized by both emotional and physical suffering; many afflicted by it find themselves unintentionally revisiting their trauma through flashbacks or nightmares. PTSD can make a survivor feel isolated, disconnected, and “different” from other people, and it can even begin to affect the most routine activities of everyday life. Psychologists and counselors with experience in treating trauma survivors can be very helpful in working through PTSD, and there are prescription drugs available to help ease PTSD symptoms. PTSD is a potentially serious condition that should not be taken lightly.
According to a recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the most effective way to combat trauma, substance abuse, and mental health problems is through an integrated, holistic approach, taking into account how each individual problem affects the others. To begin, it can be helpful for a survivor to share experiences and concerns with a service provider who can assist in developing a plan to address these struggles comprehensively.
Many wonder how they will heal and why they cannot connect with their loved ones as they once did.
What Can I Do to Help My Loved One?
Since each individual’s experience is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all remedy for victimized loved ones. For those who care about a person who has experienced a violent trauma, finding ways to be helpful and maintaining a healthy relationship can be challenging. Following are some tips to help your loved one who has been victimized.
Listen . Talking about the experience, when the survivor is ready, will help acknowledge and validate what has happened to him or her and can reduce stress and feelings of isolation. Let your loved one take the lead, and try not to jump in with too many comments or questions right away.
Research . If the victim wants more information, would like to report a crime, or has other questions, you can help find answers and resources.
Reassure . As strange as it may sound, survivors often question whether an incident was their fault or what they could have done to prevent the crime against them. They may need to hear that it was not their fault and be assured that they are not alone.
Empower . Following trauma, victims can feel as though much of their lives is beyond their control. Aiding them in maintaining routines can be helpful, as can offering survivors options or possible solutions.
Be patient . Every journey through the healing process is unique. Try to understand that it will take time, and do what you can to be supportive. The healing process has no pre-determined timeline.
Ask . Your loved one may need help with any number of things or have questions on many different topics. Even a favor as mundane as running a few errands or taking the dog for a walk can be a big help, so consider lending a hand.
A guide to understanding the impact of violent trauma on your loved ones and how you can help them
for more information on this topic, visit website below
Trauma and PTSD ceus, mft ceu, lcsw ceu, lpc ceuIn the United States, your odds of falling victim to violence at some point in your lifetime are high. Even if you don’t encounter violence directly, chances are that you know someone who has or will experience trauma. While a victim copes with the direct impact of trauma, those close to the victim also struggle in the aftermath. What do I say? What do I do? Why does my loved one seem so distant?
This brochure is intended to help you begin to understand what happens to many victims of violent crime and what you might do to help them along the healing process.
How Does Trauma Affect Survivors?
Victims of violence often face a wide range of struggles. They often question what has happened or what they may have done to cause or prevent it. Many wonder how they will heal and why they cannot connect with their loved ones as they once did. It is also common for survivors to feel anger or frustration as they ponder whether they will ever feel “normal” again. While every survivor’s experience is unique, violent trauma is almost always a life-changing experience that can affect everything from one’s ability to sleep to his or her ability to concentrate at work.
Understanding the nature and impact of trauma can be key to helping your loved one. Many survivors find themselves in unfamiliar and distressing psychological territory. It is common for them to endure intense feelings of isolation, insecurity, and fear, and their most treasured relationships often suffer as a result. Trauma can also lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which may include both substance abuse and mental health problems.
Violent Trauma, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health Concerns
Many victims turn to alcohol or other substances in an attempt to get some relief from their emotional turmoil and suffering. All trauma survivors manage their experiences in different ways. However, substance abuse is not only ineffective in healing from trauma, but it also can present a host of additional problems that make the healing process even more difficult.
Violence is also a widely recognized catalyst for mental health concerns such as PTSD, a condition that can be caused by experiencing or observing virtually any kind of deep emotional or physical trauma. Millions of people in the United States suffer from PTSD, resulting from many different types of trauma—from enduring years of domestic violence to a single violent attack that lasts but a few seconds. PTSD is characterized by both emotional and physical suffering; many afflicted by it find themselves unintentionally revisiting their trauma through flashbacks or nightmares. PTSD can make a survivor feel isolated, disconnected, and “different” from other people, and it can even begin to affect the most routine activities of everyday life. Psychologists and counselors with experience in treating trauma survivors can be very helpful in working through PTSD, and there are prescription drugs available to help ease PTSD symptoms. PTSD is a potentially serious condition that should not be taken lightly.
According to a recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the most effective way to combat trauma, substance abuse, and mental health problems is through an integrated, holistic approach, taking into account how each individual problem affects the others. To begin, it can be helpful for a survivor to share experiences and concerns with a service provider who can assist in developing a plan to address these struggles comprehensively.
Many wonder how they will heal and why they cannot connect with their loved ones as they once did.
What Can I Do to Help My Loved One?
Since each individual’s experience is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all remedy for victimized loved ones. For those who care about a person who has experienced a violent trauma, finding ways to be helpful and maintaining a healthy relationship can be challenging. Following are some tips to help your loved one who has been victimized.
Listen . Talking about the experience, when the survivor is ready, will help acknowledge and validate what has happened to him or her and can reduce stress and feelings of isolation. Let your loved one take the lead, and try not to jump in with too many comments or questions right away.
Research . If the victim wants more information, would like to report a crime, or has other questions, you can help find answers and resources.
Reassure . As strange as it may sound, survivors often question whether an incident was their fault or what they could have done to prevent the crime against them. They may need to hear that it was not their fault and be assured that they are not alone.
Empower . Following trauma, victims can feel as though much of their lives is beyond their control. Aiding them in maintaining routines can be helpful, as can offering survivors options or possible solutions.
Be patient . Every journey through the healing process is unique. Try to understand that it will take time, and do what you can to be supportive. The healing process has no pre-determined timeline.
Ask . Your loved one may need help with any number of things or have questions on many different topics. Even a favor as mundane as running a few errands or taking the dog for a walk can be a big help, so consider lending a hand.
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