Mithra Trust
Preparedness
Tools
Techniques, activities, and practical steps that one can take to navigate and face a potentially stressful or triggering situation.
Preparedness tools are techniques, activities, and practical steps that a person can take to navigate and face a potentially stressful or triggering situation.
For instance, if a person who has experienced sexual abuse has to meet a lawyer to discuss their case, they may have to recount the trauma in triggering detail. So what can the person do to get ready for such a situation?
Understanding how we respond to triggers is the first step to dealing with them. Here are some things that could help one understand oneself, and put together a list that could help one prepare for potential triggers.
Self-awareness
Knowing one's triggers and understand how they affect oneself is useful. Identifying specific situations, people, or topics that trigger oneself can help anticipate and prepare for them.
Safety Plan
Develop a safety plan that outlines steps to take in the face of overwhelm. Include contact information for supportive friends or professionals who can help in an emergency.
Positive Affirmations
Create positive affirmations or coping statements that one can repeat to oneself while facing triggers. These can help shift one's mindset and reduce anxiety.
Support System
Reach out to friends, family, or a therapist to let them know about the triggering experience one is preparing for. Having someone to talk to before, during, or after the experience can be immensely comforting.
Physical Self-Care
Prioritise physical self-care in the days leading up to the triggering experience. Get enough sleep, eat nourishing foods, and engage in regular exercise to help build resilience.
Journaling
Keep a journal to express thoughts and feelings about the experience. One can list out what they want to tell lawyers and others while talking about the experience. Writing can be a therapeutic way to process emotions and gain clarity. It is also important to keep a record of what has happened, which one can refer to while answering questions from lawyers and others one may have to communicate with in the course of your journey. Memories may get mixed up, and sometimes, that is used as a reason to disbelieve survivors.
Visualisation
Practise visualising an outcome that one would like for the situation. This can help reduce the sense of nervousness or worry.
Emergency Coping Kit
Sensory tools can help stay grounded, remain in the present moment, when one faces a trigger. Create a small kit with comfort items that feel supportive, such as a squishy keychain, a slime toy, a small pop it toy, lip balm, perfume, a playlist of soothing music, a stress ball, or a favourite snack, that one can carry for immediate relief.
Plan an Aftercare Routine
Arrange for self-care activities after the experience. This routine can be high energy or activating where one jumps around, dances, shakes their body; or it can be low energy and soothing, like listening to calming music, spending time in nature, taking a nap, meditation.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Learn relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, or autogenic training to calm the nervous system.
Seek Professional Help
If the triggering experience is expected to be particularly challenging, consider consulting a therapist or counsellor for guidance and support in preparation.
Remember that everyone's needs are different, so these tools are best tailored to suit one's specific situation and preferences. It's also important for one to be patient and kind to oneself while preparing for and navigating potentially triggering experiences.
that one can use during a triggering event.