Pain and suffering are inevitable parts of the human experience. As Jesus himself said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). However, while pain and suffering are unavoidable, trauma can often be mitigated or healed through effective intervention. In this article, we explore how trauma works and how we can prevent pain and suffering from becoming traumatic, both for ourselves and for those we care about. We’ll also delve into strategies for helping someone in crisis to stabilize and find healing.
Understanding Trauma
Trauma occurs when our nervous system is overwhelmed and we cannot organize our experience. In essence, trauma is not just the pain we experience but our inability to process that pain due to a lack of internal or external resources. When pastors and counselors are called to assist in crisis situations, their goal is to stabilize the individual and prevent the pain from embedding as trauma.
How Trauma Develops
Trauma develops when an individual’s nervous system is dysregulated to the point of being overwhelmed. This dysregulation can occur when people lack the necessary resources to manage and make sense of their experiences. It’s not just the event itself but our response to it that determines whether it becomes traumatic.
Preventing Trauma
Preventing trauma involves two primary goals: regulating the nervous system and organizing the experience. Here’s how you can help people achieve these goals:
1. Regulate the Nervous System
To prevent trauma, it’s crucial to help individuals return to a state of calm and safety. This involves several steps:
Establish a Sense of Safety:
Check the Environment: Ensure people are physically safe and aware of their safety. Encourage them to observe their surroundings and confirm that there are no immediate threats.
Grounding Techniques: Help people ground themselves by focusing on their physical sensations, like feeling the support of the chair beneath them and their feet on the ground.
Breathing Exercises: Guide them through deep, slow breathing exercises to activate the ventral vagal state, promoting a sense of calm.
Troubleshoot Basic Needs:
Ensure people have access to basic needs such as safety, shelter, food, water, and clothing.
Confirm their immediate plans, ensuring they have a safe place to go and support from trusted individuals.
