66 Triggered memories( continued)
TO THE TRAINER
PART II: THE TRAINING
Aim. To confirm that the group understands triggering of trauma reactions and what activates it.
Write down the trauma-reminders and identify triggers or triggering events on a flip chart.( For more information, see Section 1 of Part III( especially pages 128-130) on trauma-related stimuli.)
Use Figure 4( The Butterfly Woman experiences triggers and flashbacks some time after the trauma) to show how objects and situations that resembled her trauma activated her responses during the original event. For example, draw something( a soldier) that triggered a flashback in the Butterfly Woman. Then draw a line from the reminder( the soldier) to her left ear, through a trauma memory, and then into her body, head, heart, legs and arms. Explain how the memory affects her thoughts, her feelings, and her physical sensations.
DISCUSSION
Discussion. Describe your experience of working with survivors.
Ask the participants to reflect on what triggered trauma reactions in the Butterfly Woman. Ask them to clarify their thinking by drawing on their own experiences.
• What activates bad memories?
• Why are bad memories activated?
• What helps a survivor to cope?
Ask the participants to talk about their own experiences of working with survivors of GBV, using the questions above.
Add to the flip chart new trauma-reminders or triggering events the participants mention.( For more information, refer to Helping the helpers, in Section 5 of Part III.) Discuss the list with the participants.
KEY POINT
The story and the discussion show that
• Many incidents in your life may be triggers or trauma reminders that recall bad memories.
• Flashbacks may occur suddenly and unexpectedly.