Trauma-Informed Grief Support Matters
Trauma-informed peer grief support assumes that an individual is more likely than not to have a history of trauma. There are many ways that trauma could be a part of someone's journey, from living with the addiction’s constant crises over a long period to dealing with the ambiguous losses, such as when a person is physically present but psychologically absent, or the traumatic ending when a loved one dies. Trauma-informed peer grief support recognizes the presence of this trauma.
As peer grief supporters, we want to be sensitive that trauma can be an outcome of the suffering individual's experience. They are having a “normal” response to an “abnormal” situation. While not everyone will experience a traumatic reaction to an overdose, there are traumatic moments in every addiction journey that can be supported and validated in a peer grief group.
You can view a video presentation about trauma-informed peer grief support, by SADOD Director Glen Lord (including the slides). Please also see SADOD's handout on trauma-informed practices.
Finally, if further help is required, please see “When Professional Help is Needed” in the March 2021 newsletter.