Crisis and Trauma Counselors
Today, so many people use the terms crisis and trauma interchangeably, but is there a difference? They are different, and the counseling approach in these situations is different.
What is Crisis Counseling?
A crisis is an event that occurs that creates overwhelming stress in one or more areas of life. This could be a car accident, a natural disaster, a divorce, a transitional time like a child leaving for college, or the loss of a loved one. Before the crisis, there was a baseline level of well-being. Perhaps there were difficulties, but overall, the individual had a way of life and a level of stress that was “normal” for the individual.
The goal of counseling after a crisis is to bring the individual back to the baseline of well-being that was being. The goal in counseling after a crisis is to meet the needs of the individual who has experienced the crisis. Sometimes, the individual is ready to process the emotions that were brought up because of the crisis, and other times, they need to cope until things calm down and they have the bandwidth to process their feelings.
I want to help you find the support that you need quickly. Together we will discover what those things are, so that you are better able to get through the crisis. We will learn to manage stress, form a safety plan if needed, and reduce anxiety.
What is Trauma Counseling?
Trauma is an event that threatens the individual’s life or the life of someone they love. However, life can be threatened in various ways, not just in living or dying. An individual who experiences childhood abuse, emotional abuse, or sexual assault has their emotional life threatened. Spiritual abuse takes the individual’s life and chooses for them. This is trauma as well.
Trauma creates a disconnect between an individual's emotional, spiritual, cognitive, physical, and social aspects. In trauma counseling, we work to knit these developmental areas back together. We look at the past because it affects the present and will continue to affect the future unless the individual can find healing.
In trauma counseling, you’ll learn coping strategies and follow the roots of the hurt back to its source. This allows the individual to find healing and move forward in well-being.
Key Differences between crisis and trauma counseling:
1.Duration
While crisis counseling can be short because of dealing with the crisis at hand, trauma counseling usually takes longer. Whether you need help through a crisis or trauma, rest assured that you will be in control of how long we work together. I bring much to the table regarding skills, but at the end of the day, you are the expert on you.
2. Goals
In crisis counseling the goal is to bring the individual back to the level of well-being before the crisis occurred. Coping strategies are learned. Balance is restored as the immediate needs are met. Still in trauma counseling coping strategies are learned, but the individual processes the hurt of the past to restore all of the areas of development to a cohesive whole.
How can you find the right counselor?
Finding the right counselor for you is vital. It is important that you connect with the individual you will work with. This is why I offer a free 30-minute phone consultation to all prospective clients. In this call, I will listen to make sure that I can help, and you will get an opportunity to get to know me and ask your questions. So don’t wait! Call now! (302) 270-8503. I look forward to speaking with you today.