Guiding Teens to Overcome Trauma and Build Resilience

Experiencing trauma can be an utterly life-changing event. One moment, everything was fine, and then it suddenly wasn't. Trauma can occur suddenly or over a period of years, but the fact remains that those who have suffered somehow will usually separate their lives pre and post-event. While it is terrible at any stage of life, it can be particularly problematic when it occurs in teens since this is generally the most formative years of life, and things that happen during this stage in life tend to carry over to almost all aspects of adulthood in one way or another. 

Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate some of the pain via tried and tested techniques that this post will cover. While not a comprehensive guide, this post should hopefully give you some idea of how to overcome many of the trauma-related challenges.

Seek Professional Help If Needed

For the vast majority of people, it can feel like a minefield when attempting to help those who have suffered through trauma. After all, how could you possibly relate to someone who has suffered such excruciating pain through no fault of their own when you may have never experienced it yourself? In some ways, if you attempt to soothe their suffering, you could be met with pushback almost as a cry for help, but in a way that they know you will never get what they're experiencing. This is when it might be best to opt for professional help from institutions that specialize in helping teenagers who are in this situation. In the words of specialists from one such facility, Newport Academy, a multidisciplinary approach that includes specialists from a range of fields, including dieticians and counselors, will often yield the best results. Moreover, if you are worrying about covering the costs of attending these places, you can always check with your insurer to see if they cover this sort of treatment, with many tending to do so.

Ask Them To Share Their Story

Many people who have experienced pain of any kind may feel compelled to share their stories but lack the ability to do so. This could be as a result of embarrassment, shame, or almost any other adverse reaction that they fear could result in reprisal of some description. However, it has long been proven that speaking therapy can be a great healer as long as they feel safe to speak out. By sitting down with them in a secure environment and simply asking them to share their story with you, you could elicit an opening up that facilitates the healing process. 

Listen Without Judgment Or Advice

To follow up on the previous point regarding them sharing what happened with you, there is a certain way to go about it. Because those who have endured some form of pain will likely be apprehensive to pour out their emotions, you must go about it sensitively. This means actively listening to what they have to say without any form of judgment or advice. Trefrning from judgment might seem common sense, but you can elicit a range of emotions by even the slightest facial expressions or sentiments. Therefore, you must take care to remain as neutral as possible when listening. Regarding advice, you will find that many don't want to hear your options on the matter; they merely need a shoulder to cry on and someone to listen to what they're saying.

Encourage Healthy Coping Mechanisms

It is all too easy for individuals to fall into bad habits in order to cope with their lives. This can manifest in a number of ways, but in most cases, will involve substance abuse or possibly even manipulative relationships. If you are trying to help someone you know in this situation, you should try to steer them toward healthier coping mechanisms that will take their minds away from the incessant negativity and more towards activities that are healthy and worthwhile. There are several options available in this regard, ranging from outdoor and athletic activities to more cognitive activities that allow them to put their minds to good use.

Teach Self-Care And Self-Compassion

For someone to fully recover from a traumatic event, they need to start loving themselves again. Depending on the type of suffering they experienced, this could be a long path, but it is a very worthwhile endeavor. Self-love involves recognizing your own worth and treating yourself with the kindness and respect you deserve. Professional guidance may be required to overcome deeply ingrained negative perceptions. Nevertheless, engaging in activities that foster self-esteem and surrounding them with positive influences can also be pivotal in this journey toward healing and self-compassion.

Trauma will take time to heal; that's just how it is. However, by using the ideas in this post, you can hopefully set a course toward closure in a way that allows them to feel happy with their lives once more.