I was actually on the air late yesterday, doing a live radio show, when the host interrupted the show with the shocking news of the tragedy in Manchester, England. We shifted the topic from addictions to trauma recovery.
If you have little ones who are having a hard time with this news, you may want to listen to this show. It is an hour, but if you scroll to the 20-25 minute mark, you will hear some tips for trauma recovery.
No time? Here is a cheat sheet:
- While it is never too late to treat and heal post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, early intervention is best.
- Seek counsel from a grief counselor, a trusted spiritual leader in your community, a social worker, a nurse, a therapist, or find a support group led by a trauma professional. EMDR, CBT and animal therapy are all highly effective methods.
- Express your feelings. They must be validated and processed before they can be transmuted.
- Normalize as soon as possible, e.g., eat at regular times, go to bed at the regular time, go to school/work. You may feel like a zombie for a while, but routine cues to the body and mind to begin to heal.
- Witnessing a trauma can be as impactful as being an actual victim.
- Reach out to your support system. Isolating at a time like this can delay healing.
- Animals, nature, exercise, and the creative arts are all helpful in soothing the soul after a trauma.
My heart goes out to all those in Manchester.