How can you encourage trauma survivors to share their experiences?

2 Establish trust and rapport

Before asking a trauma survivor to share their experiences, you need to establish trust and rapport with them. This means showing genuine interest, respect, and compassion for the person and their situation. You can do this by using active listening skills, such as reflecting, summarizing, clarifying, and validating what the person says. You can also use nonverbal cues, such as eye contact, nodding, smiling, and open body language, to convey your attention and empathy. Avoid interrupting, judging, criticizing, or giving unsolicited advice or opinions. Remember that trust and rapport take time and patience to build, so do not rush or pressure the person to share more than they are comfortable with.

3 Provide information and choice

Another way to encourage trauma survivors to share their experiences is to provide them with information and choice. This means explaining the purpose and benefits of sharing their experiences, such as reducing isolation, gaining insight, processing emotions, and finding meaning. It also means informing them of the potential risks and challenges of sharing their experiences, such as triggering distressing memories, feelings, or reactions. Moreover, it means giving them the option to decide when, how, and what to share, as well as the option to stop or take a break at any point. By providing information and choice, you can help the person feel more empowered and in control of their own healing process.

4 Create a safe and supportive environment

The environment in which you ask a trauma survivor to share their experiences can also influence their willingness and comfort level. You can create a safe and supportive environment by ensuring privacy, confidentiality, and respect for the person's boundaries and preferences. You can also use trauma-informed practice principles, such as safety, trustworthiness, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural sensitivity, to guide your interactions with the person. Additionally, you can prepare yourself and the person for possible emotional or physical responses to sharing their experiences, such as crying, shaking, or sweating, and offer coping strategies or resources if needed.

5 Follow the person's pace and lead

One of the most important things to remember when encouraging trauma survivors to share their experiences is to follow their pace and lead. This means letting the person decide how much, how often, and how deeply they want to share, and respecting their limits and boundaries. It also means following their cues and signals, such as verbal, nonverbal, or emotional, and adjusting your questions and responses accordingly. Furthermore, it means acknowledging and affirming the person's strengths, resilience, and progress, and expressing gratitude and appreciation for their trust and courage. By following the person's pace and lead, you can show them that you are there to support them, not to push them or judge them.

6 Seek feedback and evaluation

The last strategy to encourage trauma survivors to share their experiences is to seek feedback and evaluation from them. This means asking them how they feel about sharing their experiences, what they found helpful or unhelpful, and what they would like to change or improve. It also means asking them how they are coping after sharing their experiences, what they need or want, and how you can assist them. Moreover, it means evaluating your own performance and skills, and identifying your strengths and areas for improvement. By seeking feedback and evaluation, you can enhance your relationship with the person, as well as your own professional development and competence.