• Verbally acknowledge the horrific events the patient has lived through
acknowledgement in minus? Foundation crumbled? Acknowledgement isn’t praise
• Tell the patient that their reaction is perfectly normal, that survivors tend to blame themselves and feel weak and peculiar
watch Good Will Hunting it’s not your fault it’s not your fault it’s not your fault it’s not your fault
• Avoid false promises but do point out that with time and support the situation may improve
Nothing vanishes, grief dilutes and comes tumbling back, guilt suddenly impales after hibernating
• Expect that the patient might be unwilling to continue talking about trauma, even though they began doing so. Avoid pressurizing them.
Can we put it into words, colors, sound, articulate the unfathomable unbearable with plenty of adjectives?
• Expect contradictory and fragmented accounts
Truth is like that, spiky with bruises and swollen membrane falls into pieces
• Explain to the patient, how you can help
Hand on shoulder, coffee, nodding, listening, asking, nudging, encouraging, coffee 12 x 45 minutes
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