How You Can Help Those Experiencing Trauma Someone who has experienced trauma or is currently experiencing trauma often has their sense of control taken away from them. They may be experiencing the most stress and loss that they have ever experienced in their lives. If you are providing services to someone who has experienced trauma, here are several tips that may help you in your role: • Know that everybody experiences grief and loss differently. There is no “standard” emotional response, but it is common to see a cataclysm of emotions such as anger, fear, guilt, frustration, fatigue, numbness and sadness. These emotions can increase and decrease dramatically in a short period of time. • Provide supportive listening to those who need to talk about what happened to them. • If possible, provide information or answer questions (within your service guidelines) and be available to answer additional questions later as well. Be honest and direct at all times. • Have a list of helpful referrals at your fingertips including: • Crime Victim Compensation – State financial assistance program that helps support victims of violent crimes: www.nacvcb.org • 211 [Emergency Resource Referral Line] – Resource and referral line for those who need almost any type of financial, emotional and mental referral: dial 211 • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - Information and assistance line for those who may be having suicidal thoughts or knows someone who does: 1-800-662-4357 • National Child Traumatic Stress Network – Information and education for parents/caregivers and professionals about how to assist children experiencing traumatic stress: www.samhsa.gov/child-trauma • Mental Health Treatment Facility Locator – National referral line to find mental health treatment and support: 1-800-789-2647 • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Many agencies have an EAP available through their Human Resource Department. The EAP provides free and anonymous counseling services to employees.
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