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PART III : THEORY
• When survivors tell their stories , ask them to describe and explain their reactions to you .
• Ask survivors if their families should be present during discussions or if they would like to have their religious leaders present .
• Ask survivors if they would like to go to a place of worship or should complete ceremonies or rituals following the crisis .
• Ask survivors to describe what they would like you to do to be of assistance to them , and then tell them truthfully what you can and cannot do .
Useful cross-cultural interventions include : social contact ( which reduces isolation ); relaxation techniques ; meditation ; teaching about crisis in culturally relevant terms ; and learning techniques that help survivors to understand their emotions and increase their self-esteem ( Sieckert ).
Bearing these reflections in mind , the following specific questions will be relevant
• What do you call your illness ? What name does it have ?
• What do you think has caused it ?
• Why and when did it start ?
• What do you think the illness does ? How does it work ?
• How severe is it ? Will it last for a long or a short time ?
• What kind of treatment should you receive ? What are the most important results you can expect or hope from treatment ?
• What are the main problems the illness has caused ?
• What do you fear most about the illness ? ( Kleinman 1989 )