Critical incident stress management is an approach to managing individual and group responses to a traumatic event. It involves exploring, in a non-directive manner, a person’s reactions to the incident and educating them as to common emotional, physiological and behavioural reactions to traumatic events.
We take an evidence based approach to critical incident stress management. Our psychologists respond quickly following a traumatic event to provide support to your workers and help them cope with the effects of the incident. Workers are educated on the type of responses they may have to the event and recommended strategies to manage stress including: expressing feelings about what has happened; accessing support that is available eg, family, friends, company EAP; relaxation; exercise; rest.
Occasionally, individual debriefing or counselling may also be recommended.
Effects of a traumatic event
People who experience or witness a traumatic event can have strong reactions lasting long after the incident has passed. Sometimes there are delays of hours, days, weeks or months.
While the experience is a very personal one, common responses to a traumatic event may include:
- Emotional – shock, numbness, detachment, anger (why, how, what if), fear for one’s safety or returning to the scene of the trauma, sadness or depressed feelings, guilt
- Physical – tension, agitation, difficult relaxing or sleeping, trembling, dizziness, breathing difficulties, rapid heartbeat, nausea, reduced or increased appetite
- Thoughts – intrusive memories and images, flashbacks, nightmares, confusion, memory and concentration problems
- Behavioural – avoidance of where the incident occurred, social withdrawal, detachment, lower work motivation, increased use of alcohol/cigarettes/drugs/prescription medication
Critical incident stress management services may be incorporated in your business' EAP and broader health and wellbeing program. This ensures that you have an holistic approach to supporting the ongoing health and wellbeing of your workers and can manage traumatic incidents successfully should they occur.
To discuss our services please call us or email an enquiry.