70 Stabilising . Introducing the toolbox .
TO THE TRAINER
PART II : THE TRAINING
Stabilising . Introducing the toolbox .
Aim . To teach the participants some recovery skills and stabilising tools that will strengthen and stabilise survivors of trauma .
‘ Stabilising ’ refers to techniques for handling trauma-related reactions . It refers both to ways of animating and ways of calming a survivor .
Summarise the helpers ’ qualities , using Figure 1 and referring back to Exercise 3 on pages 34-35 . Remind the participants that they all have a tool box , and that – with their skills and good qualities – they are the best tools . Draw a tool box on the board and indicate that the Butterfly Woman story is one tool in this box . Emphasise that the participants have many other skills that they have acquired during their life , through work and experience . This section will concentrate on practising additional tools and skills that they can add to their toolbox .
Explain again how important the senses are . Fear is triggered by the senses and the senses can also be used to control it .
If you desire , and feel comfortable , go back to the drawing of the brain on pages 38-39 ( What are trauma reactions ?) to show that our brains can be divided into three parts . Try to explain the main differences .
• The ‘ new brain ’ – ‘ the thinking brain ’.
• The mid-brain ( implicit memory ) – ‘ the emotional brain ’.
• The old (‘ reptile ’) brain – reflexes .
TEACHING INSTRUCTION . POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU PRACTISE EXERCISES AND TECHNIQUES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO STABILISE A SURVIVOR .
• Pick a time and place that are peaceful and safe .
• Make sure you are calm and able to learn something new .
• Practise over and over again every day , for some time .
• A survivor who follows these principles will eventually be able to use exercises to calm herself even when she is stressed and experiencing flashbacks .