How trauma counselling helps those with PTSD symptoms associated with BC forest fires

A hotter, dryer climate is fueling an increase in forest fire activity across the BC. In fact, the 3 worst fire seasons in the province’s history have all occurred in the last 5 years.

This is leaving a lot of people affected by potentially traumatising events. Up to 30-40% of survivors go on to develop PTSD in the first year after experiencing a disaster.

Trauma counsellors in Surrey are providing support by helping them work through their feelings and responses so they may return to a more peaceful, pre-trauma state.

What is PTSD

PTSD is a nervous system response to actual or perceived traumatic events like natural disasters, war, violence, homelessness or times when someone experiences threat. Anyone can be affected regardless of age, sex, culture, gender or job.

Who might experience PTSD from BC fires?

• Those receiving evacuation orders

• Those experiencing loss of a home, person, pet, job or community

• Friends and family worried about those in harm’s way

• Attending firefighters and emergency service or other frontline workers

• Those affected by wildfire smoke

• Those watching the news or hearing about wildfires

• Anyone worried about being the victim of a forest fire

Symptoms of PTSD

• Flashbacks/reliving trauma through vivid imagery

• Nightmares

• Intrusive thoughts

• Severe anxiety

• Emotional numbness

• Physical/mental overwhelm at reminders of traumatic events

How does trauma counselling help?

Trauma counselling in BC is helpful to those who have experienced an intensely distressing event. For this type of counselling, psychotherapy, a.k.a. talk therapy is the recommended treatment to help survivors deal with the psychological impacts caused by the event.

Talking through their thoughts and feelings with a trained counsellor can help an individual process what happened. They also get the opportunity to gain insight from their experiences and apply healthy coping strategies that help them return to a happier, more back-to-normal life.

Alison Bell counsellors have specialised training to help people get back to a life lifted from the weight of their traumatic experiences. Make an appointment to speak with one of our trained trauma counsellors. 604-372-1545