How do you cope?

Xena1

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Feb 27, 2014
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I finally landed up where I wanted to be. I study psychology and I always wanted to be in a position where I can do trauma counseling. I went for an interview at a police station, and I am starting volunteer work next week. Studying these things is one thing and really getting your hands dirty with the job seems unreal and is also another thing. We will get called out to rapes, robberies, family violence and suicides and I realised this is it!!! My biggest fear is that I will get emotional myself when we get called out. I know detachment will come with time and I will become tougher as I deal with these things more. But are there any firemen, police officers or para medics that works with traumatic situations that can give some advice please? How do you cope on the job and afterwards?
 

Electric

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Jul 22, 2013
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I find a good beating often relieves my works stress.
I take the one cleaner out back and really moer him with a belt.
 

cerebus

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If you start dreaming of a feathered moose, you're in too deep.

Okay sorry
 

LCBXX

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"You're an adult: cope"
- Jack Nicholson as Art Land in 'Mars Attacks!'
 

Cius

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Go to counseling yourself if something is disturbing you. I have close family that work in social services and while some think they are immune to the stuff they see very few are. Use the facilities available to you.

On how to avoid getting emotional up front I would try to shadow a more experienced counselor for the first few times and have them shadow you if possible for your first few to give feedback later. It does take a bit of time to desensitize yourself and for your training to get over the shock and kick in but it comes.
 

Xena1

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
607
Go to counseling yourself if something is disturbing you. I have close family that work in social services and while some think they are immune to the stuff they see very few are. Use the facilities available to you.

On how to avoid getting emotional up front I would try to shadow a more experienced counselor for the first few times and have them shadow you if possible for your first few to give feedback later. It does take a bit of time to desensitize yourself and for your training to get over the shock and kick in but it comes.

Thanks for this one :). I will be with a more experienced counselor when I start out. She said when you feel emotional you walk away until you feel better. I wished that there was a way to not get emotional at first at all. I don't know what to expect from myself as in some traumatic situations I feel "nothing" and in others I feel kind of too much.
 

Sherbang

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Joined
May 14, 2008
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9,874
I finally landed up where I wanted to be. I study psychology and I always wanted to be in a position where I can do trauma counseling. I went for an interview at a police station, and I am starting volunteer work next week. Studying these things is one thing and really getting your hands dirty with the job seems unreal and is also another thing. We will get called out to rapes, robberies, family violence and suicides and I realised this is it!!! My biggest fear is that I will get emotional myself when we get called out. I know detachment will come with time and I will become tougher as I deal with these things more. But are there any firemen, police officers or para medics that works with traumatic situations that can give some advice please? How do you cope on the job and afterwards?

Counsellors who do trauma work go for debriefing regularly - they have their own counsellors.
 

Electric

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46776079.jpg
 

RyanPCMR

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Each individual in this world has their own personality type and practicing the same technique might not always make perfect. Just my 2 cents. :)
 

Xena1

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
607
Counsellors who do trauma work go for debriefing regularly - they have their own counsellors.

Yup, although it wasn't mentioned at the trauma centre where I am going to work. But I guess finding a counselor isn't difficult.
 
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