In these last few days we have really come together as a group, connecting deeply while grappling with questions of hope/hopelessness, effectiveness as a therapist, and personal reactions to witnessing stories of trauma. Our process group every evening has been a very powerful, invaluable experience for me. We are learning to sit with each others’ pain and be alright with not having the answers or trying to fix or take away the struggle. This is precisely what we have been doing in our interviews with bereaved families. We have been entering their stories, sitting with them, reflecting back, and ultimately demonstrating that we are listening and understanding. Although going into it last week I struggled with not ‘intervening’ in the way I had learned in my courses, I have realized that this is the most powerful intervention of all: not assuming the role of an expert who can alleviate pain but rather being with the person and carrying their pain with them for a moment…allowing the person to share their story. Dr. G remarked today that many of our reactions throughout the weeks were similar to the reactions of the people we were talking to; that we had entered their system and were thinking and feeling like them. He also shared with us that our listening and empathizing was truly a gift to these families because their hope in young therapists/doctors may have been reignited…hope that was crushed and turned into bitter resentment and helplessness when the mental health system failed them so despicably. There is much work to be done to better the healthcare system’s treatment of suicide, but we feel that we have made a contribution along with PIPS in the right direction. I have been very proud of our school’s focus on community psychology. It is clear that change must happen on a systemic community level before individual therapy can be useful. Our approach and relationships with the community have been helping break the stigmas they hold about therapists. We have done so much incredible work! To top it off, it’s been a “great crack”…you’ll have to look that one up ; )
~Emily Prelevic