Crisis Intervention
Taking Trauma, Crisis, and Grief Counseling alongside Child Abuse and Domestic Violence has been one of the most transformative experiences of my counseling education. These courses did more than teach me theory and interventions—they invited me to look within, to understand how trauma lives in the body, and to approach both my clients and myself with greater compassion, awareness, and humility. Through class discussions, readings, and personal reflection, I have developed a deeper appreciation for the complexity of trauma, the resilience of survivors, and the counselor’s sacred role in helping others reclaim their sense of safety and self.
In Trauma, Crisis, and Grief Counseling, I learned that trauma is not defined solely by the event, but by how the nervous system internalizes and stores the experience. The course challenged me to rethink traditional notions of healing, emphasizing that recovery is not just a cognitive process but a full-body journey that involves restoring safety, regulation, and trust. We explored a variety of approaches—such as grounding techniques, trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions—that help clients reconnect with their bodies and emotions in healthy ways. The class also helped me better understand the stages of crisis response and the counselor’s role in creating stability and containment before moving toward deeper processing.
The Child Abuse and Domestic Violence course expanded that understanding by helping me see how early attachment wounds, chronic neglect, and exposure to violence shape development. Learning about the cyclical nature of abuse and how trauma can be transmitted across generations gave me insight into many of the behaviors I encounter in my work with adolescents. It became clear that many of the “defiant” or “angry” behaviors displayed by youth are, in truth, adaptive responses to years of fear, shame, and unmet needs. This shift in perspective has profoundly influenced my empathy and approach to counseling. I have learned to look beyond behavior and see the pain and protection that often lie beneath it. Perhaps the most powerful influence across both courses was reading The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. This book changed the way I understand myself, my history, and my body’s responses. For years, I carried physical tension, unexplained anxiety, and emotional numbing without realizing how deeply they were rooted in my own experiences of childhood abuse. Van der Kolk’s explanation of how trauma reshapes the brain, body, and nervous system gave language to sensations and struggles I had never fully understood. It was both painful and healing to recognize that my body had been carrying stories I had long silenced.
Reading this book while taking these courses became a deeply personal process of awakening. It allowed me to see that my body was not my enemy—it was a survivor, communicating in the only ways it knew how. I began to notice patterns in myself: moments when my shoulders tensed, my breath shortened, or my body reacted before my mind caught up. Rather than judging those reactions, I started to listen to them. I found myself integrating grounding and mindfulness techniques not only into my work with clients but also into my own daily life. In doing so, I experienced firsthand the truth that healing is not linear and that safety must be re-learned one moment at a time.
These courses also taught me the importance of self-awareness and self-care as a counselor. Working with trauma and abuse survivors requires not only skill but also emotional resilience and reflective practice. Recognizing how my own trauma history might influence my countertransference has been essential in maintaining ethical and practical boundaries. I learned that being trauma-informed is as much about how I show up—as calm, grounded, and attuned—as it is about the interventions I use. This understanding will continue to guide me in creating spaces where clients can feel seen, validated, and empowered to begin their own healing journeys. Ultimately, Trauma, Crisis, and Grief Counseling and Child Abuse and Domestic Violence have deepened both my professional competence and my personal healing. They reminded me that trauma does not have to define a person—it can become a foundation for empathy, strength, and purpose. Reading The Body Keeps the Score gave me a mirror to understand how my past shaped me, but also a window through which I could see hope and possibility. As I move forward in my career, I carry with me the knowledge that healing begins with safety, that the body holds wisdom, and that the counselor’s presence can help transform pain into power.
These courses have not only prepared me to work effectively with traumatized clients but also taught me how to continue doing my own healing work alongside them. I have come to see that my journey through pain, understanding, and recovery is not separate from my professional path—it is part of what makes me a more compassionate, grounded, and authentic counselor.