Someone wanting to share their experience of a trauma psychoeducation group with others

A factual description of your example (as free from judgement as possible):

When discussing the evaluation form at the end of the trauma psychoeducation group one of the participants spoke about how she would like to help facilitate a group in the future ( this is a question on the evaluation form Are you willing to help run a group in the future ).

The reason she wanted to help run a group was she had found the group helpful in understanding how trauma had impacted on her. She spoke about how she would of found it useful to have spoken with someone who had been through the group both prior and during the group to normalise some of her fears and how the group had been hard at times due to being triggered on occassions.

 

Whose needs are met in the example that you outline:

• The needs of the person volunteering are met as she is able to see how things have helped her and feel that what she can bring to a group would be valued as well. She can see how her story is important and how it can help other people.
• The needs of the organisation are meet by encouraging co production and focusing on recovery being possible and the introduction of peer workers.
• As the facilitator of the group my needs are meet as  I can see the worth the group has had for her in helping her understand her reactions as survival strategies

 

What positive impact do you think this example had at the time:

• For the group participant she was feeling valued, listened to and had her experiences validated
• By her saying she would like to volunteer is also helped other group members see that they can move forward to and contribute when they feel ready.

 

What factors do you think may have contributed to this example (e.g. leadership, pathway, values etc):

• Values especially as she felt she had worth and things she could bring to the wisdom of her lived experience’s to future groups.
• By having her experiences validated and seen rather as problems as survival strategies she was able to make changes in her life and wanted to help others feel the same
• The pathway of the group helped her understand her reactions better and be able to make sense of her story and why she did things and this meant she could make choices and decision for herself and feel empowered to want to do the same for others.

 

How do you feel when you bring this story to mind?:

• I feel proud that by helping people see things in relation to their trauma as understandable responses that they can feel listened too validated and help them make sense of their experiences.
• It is affirming that by being trauma informed and open to possibilities that we can give people the opportunity to develop and be compassionate to themselves and to others.

 

What motivated you to bring this example in particular:

• It gives a clear example of how from understanding what has happened to you and making sense of your reactions and survival strategies can lead to clear improvements in a person’s view of themselves.
• It also acknowledges the need for peer supports and peer  involvement in the future and how they can bring life and meaning to things that staff alone cant do.