Is it normal to feel helpless as a provider when working with people who are in ongoing traumatic situations, like war? In my opinion, absolutely yes. As providers, we are trained to help alleviate problems and suffering. But that isn’t usually possible when someone is in an ongoing situation.
As behavioral health providers, many of us receive training, and are well positioned to help people after a disaster or traumatic event. But what do you do in situations of ongoing threat, ongoing stress and adversity, perhaps lasting months or years? In this episode of Practical for Your Practice, we are joined by the amazing Dr. Patricia Watson, a psychologist at the National Center for PTSD, who walks us through the incredibly versatile Stress First Aid (SFA) model.
Like many of you reading this, I am a mental health provider. I have worked with a wide variety of clients dealing with a wide variety of challenges–successfully and competently (or at least I hope). I have had the privilege of bearing witness to and helping people navigate some of the darkest, soul-crushing experiences, sometimes supporting them, sometimes helping them approach rather than avoid, sometimes grieving with them, and always cheering their successes and their strengths. Last fall, I found myself on the other side–well, not exactly.
As providers, we’re trained to do everything we possibly can to prevent suicide. We take continuing education courses, we ask the “right” questions, we provide gun locks, we offer crisis sessions, we collaborate on safety plans, and we document it all. Then we hope and pray that our patients use the tools that we’ve given them and that we don’t receive that dreaded notification. But sometimes all of our best work is not enough.
As we wind down PTSD awareness month, I want to focus on us….the helpers. While we are all adept at identifying PTSD symptoms in our patients, we are less adept at recognizing our own struggles. We have the honor and privilege of hearing the stories our clients share with us, but with that comes some occupational stress that is unique to those in the helping profession