As therapists, our goal is to help our clients work through their struggles so they can live more fulfilling lives and enjoy healthier relationships. Quite often, this involves helping them address their experiences of trauma.
Even experienced therapists face challenges when helping clients revisit traumatic memories––as this process can lead to unintentional disengagement, dissociation, or even re-traumatization.
How can we, as empathetic therapists, discuss and explore trauma without causing further distress?
One helpful metaphor can be found in an unexpected place—a slinky toy.
Imagine a compressed slinky as a client’s memory of trauma. Instead of pulling the slinky apart all at once and overwhelming your client, you can begin by gently exploring the edges of the memory. Focus on the moments before and after the traumatic experience, or on the least distressing aspects of the trauma itself.
In the following video, Dr. Diane Poole Heller explains how, by exploring these edges, you’ll help your client gradually process the memory and build resilience. This approach allows you to work deeper into the “slinky,” where you can address the more challenging “core” of the traumatic experience.
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