Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress
Under limited circumstances, some students may experience post-traumatic stress as a result of a
traumatic event. Post-traumatic stress is a condition that is precipitated by an event beyond the
range of typical experience. A student who has, for example, suffered repeated losses in their life
may experience post-traumatic stress upon the death of a friend. Also, students may experience
post-traumatic stress if a catastrophe has occurred at school (i.e., shooting of teacher or students,
natural disasters, etc.) Symptoms of post-traumatic stress include:➢ Re-experiencing the traumatic event.
➢ Avoidance of stimuli the person associates with the traumatic event.
➢ Numbing of general responsiveness.
➢ Pattern of distressful behavior which lasts longer than one month.As with any severe anxiety, the helper can assist by:
➢ Providing a safe and supportive environment.
➢ Reassuring the person that the reaction is a natural occurrence to the event.
➢ Helping the person discharge "pent-up" pain.Often times, counseling groups provide the most support for the individual, particularly teenagers.
The ideal group size is from six-to-eight members. The group sessions should be time-limited with
the purpose of providing mutual support and understanding as each group member deals with their
reactions to the traumatic event.