The key to our survival in the face of danger is our instinct to ‘flight’ (escape), ‘freeze’ (disappear or ‘play dead’) or ‘fight’. But for many survivors of trauma, the sense of fear that initiates these instinctive reactions never goes away. The result of this ongoing post-traumatic stress can be the experience of:
- high levels of anxiety and addiction (which is our reaction to the constant readiness for ‘flight’);
- depression and thoughts of suicide (which comes from the constant need to ‘freeze’ so as not to be noticed);
- rage and lateral violence (due to a constant need to ‘counter-attack’).
Healing the Wound is a five-day workshop, designed for up to 20 experienced community-based counselors, that will offer knowledge and skills that will support those struggling with trauma in their healing process. Unfortunately, due to its clinical focus, this workshop will not meet the needs of those seeking a trauma recovery workshop for themselves.
- Each participant receives a comprehensive handbook.
Agenda
- The Community is the Medicine Workshop (2 days)
- Understanding Healthy and Traumatic Grief
- Understanding Biological and Psychological Trauma
- Understanding Community Trauma
- Responding to Trauma Reactions
- The Four Paths of Grief and Trauma Healing
- Practical Techniques From the Four Paths