Recently we delivered some training at Sutton Women’s Centre’s excellent counsellors on working in a trauma informed way with Survivors – this included teaching the counsellors the three phases of trauma informed practice. We got some great feedback including: Thank you for running such a fantastic course. It was incredibly helpful to me as a student hoping to join Sutton Women’s Centre in September….I really appreciate the care and sensitivity around delivering the session and all you shared with the group.
One of the topics we covered on our training was flashbacks– here is a little tool you can use if you are experiencing a flashback or feeling overwhelmed it is called
Develop Your Own Script For Feeling Triggered
We have to tell our minds and brains that we are safe in the present, and using a script can help us do this. I am feeling (name the emotion, such as ‘frightened’)
- And I am sensing in my body (describe as many bodily sensations as you can)
- Because I am remembering (name the trauma by title only, no details)
- But at the same time I am here (name the place)
- And I am in (today’s date including day, month and year)
- And I can see (describe some of the things that you can see right now, in this place)………………………………………………………………………….
- And I can hear………………………………………………………………
- And I can smell……………………………………………………………..
- And so I know (name the trauma, again title only) is not happening now or any more
You might want to write your script out on a card or on your phone and keep it with you so that you can use it when you need it. Remember that practising this when you feel safe will make it easier to use during a flashback or feeling overwhelmed.
Interested In Our Training? Please send us an email at info@intothelight.org.uk