All of my peers had used trauma-informed care and were extremely compassionate when talking to the clients about the shooting that occurred at the hospital. Vesper used trauma-informed care when she was assessing Sally right after the shooting at the hospital took place, Kelsey used it when talking to Greg about his substance abuse troubles, and Andrew used it when working with Max after he was having stress induced chest pains. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) explains trauma-informed care as an approach that realizes the impact of trauma, recognizes symptoms of trauma, responds by using trauma-informed practices, and avoids re-traumatizing individuals (2015). Throughout the entire simulation, everyone seemed …show more content…
Narrative therapy is informed by literature and is explained by the idea that therapy can take place without blame or disrespect (Morgan, 2000). This type of therapy places a person at the center of their own lives and allows them to be viewed separately from the people or problems surrounding them (Haugaard, 2006). This approach worked well with Nicole because I was able to listen to the way she felt without blaming her for her son’s wrongdoing or making her feel like she did not belong in therapy with me. Since Nicole was feeling alone in the world, I had to be able to provide a safe place for her where she could talk to me about how she was feeling without making her feel unsafe or insecure. Narrative therapy allows for a client to tell their own stories and assumes that the client has skills to reduce difficulties in their lives (Morgan, 2000). I did not judge Nicole in any way throughout the time that we were talking to each other and I tried to meet her where she was at so that we could work together to move forward. I worked hard to normalize the ways in which Nicole was feeling and help her understand why she was feeling isolated and alone. Since Nicole’s son was the active shooter in the hospital, Nicole had a very unique role within the simulation. I was glad that I was able to work and connect with her by placing her at the center of her own world …show more content…
Since this was a simulation and I was not going to have long enough to reach any sort of goal, I was just interested in forming a therapeutic alliance with Nicole and getting a true sense of how she was feeling. In the assessment phase of the intervention, Nicole was explained as being difficult and irate. I became nervous to talk to her and was not exactly sure how I was going to be able to meet her where she was at. Once we started talking, I felt very comfortable listening to Nicole’s side of the story and really wanted to help her reach a place of comfort and understanding. I use narrative therapy a lot in the hospital because many of my patients feel as though nobody is listening to them. This type of therapeutic approach felt comfortable to me and I like getting an understanding of the person in their environment before I try to figure out what they need help