-
Try to restore,
promote and ensure safety in the group ---this is essential for
any group treating trauma.
-
Establish
initial safety by introduction of leaders, clarification of time,
place and purpose of the group.
-
Go slowly;
encourage members to join the group in their own ways and at their
own pace; let members know they can listen and participate as they
wish.
-
Remember that
fears of stigma and cultural barriers may impede help-seeking and
interfere with becoming a group member.
-
Utilize
opportunities to normalize responses and provide information that
legitimizes feelings, fears and physical symptoms in the aftermath
of trauma.
-
Model support,
acceptance and active, non-judgmental listening.
-
Try to remain
experience-near, emotionally attuned and soothing.
-
Highlight
similarities/commonalities/universalities to relieve aloneness and
to pave the way for subsequent reconnecting.
-
Pay careful
attention to basics---especially boundaries and boundary
violations (task boundaries; time boundaries; role boundaries;
confidentiality boundaries).
-
Recognize that
the frame may be different in a trauma group. For example, outside
social support and networking by members may be encouraged.
-
Give members
the opportunity to find their voices; to share/discuss accurate
information about unfolding events; share their experiences; and,
in some instances to speak the unspeakable when the group is ready
to hear it.
-
Remember that
“emotional avoidance” may be an important and necessary defense
for some in the early aftermath of trauma.
-
Contain/control
the level of emotional stimulation and the anxiety level of the
group; titrate stories of trauma so that group members can take in
what is being said without becoming overwhelmed and
re-traumatized.
-
Assess in an ongoing way and verbally check how speakers and
listeners are doing with the material shared or feelings
expressed.
-
Co-leadership
facilitates on-going assessment and individual member support, if
needed.
-
Attempt to
re-establish trust; remember that this is a core issue and that
members are likely to feel severely shaken, distrustful and
suspicious.
-
Encourage
members to help one another, especially in terms of sharing coping
strategies and self-care activities.
-
Facilitate
members’ use of existing family and social networks and well as
fostering new networks of support.
-
Look for
opportunities to identify and support resiliency traits, e.g.,
creativity, intelligence, spirituality, interpersonal strength,
art, athletic ability, etc.
-
Avoid making
interpretations; stick with conscious material; focus primarily on
the current life situations, what lies ahead and the here-and-now
of the group.
-
Be alert to
members who manifest persistent, intense or incapacitating
symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
-
Make provisions
ahead of time for managing referrals and emergency interventions,
e.g., for those in need of immediate individual assessment,
medications, or hospitalization.
-
Work with a
co-leader, if possible; co-leadership facilitates on-going
assessment and individual member attention, if needed; it also
affords support in terms of containment of traumatic material,
physical and emotional fatigue, processing of countertransference
issues, and reducing vicarious traumatization.
-
Establish an
ongoing relationship with a supervisor/consultant.
-
If possible,
participate in a support group for leaders where you can examine
your own reactions.
-
Monitor your
countertransference responses; be alert to signs of vicarious
traumatization in yourself, especially the cumulative effects of
prolonged exposure.
-
Be sure to take
proper care of yourself.
