Hi,
I think my Girlfriend needs some private counselling or maybe a support group of some sort. I'm just not sure what advice to give her and want to desparately help. Here's the situation:
She is in her later 20's now and has had nightmares, thoughts of suicide, anxiety attacks (I mean she breaks down crying and shaking) since she was in her mid-teens and witnessed her father's murder. I don't know what to say to help make her feel better when this happens, except hug her and tell her everything is okay - but I'm sure this hardly helps at all...
When the incident happened she only told one sibling that happened to come home first and discover the scene, because she didn't want her family to know and go through the trauma... her dad was near-death dying of cancer at the time, so she was able to cover it up (with her sibling) that he passed away from that. I'm only mentioning these details because it might influence your response in the type of counselling I need to help her seek. I'm sure it has caused more repression or something than it otherwise would have. I am well aware that this would be a felony or illegal in some way and the police should be involved if this were in Canada - but this happened in a third world country some time ago now.
I live in Barrie, Canada - which is a city near Toronto. She speaks spanish, though her english is okay. I believe if services were available in spanish she'd be more comfortable. I'm hoping to receive some advice on what kind of services to seek... we don't have much money to spend on expensive psychology sessions, though if it is the only solution please do say so...
If you can direct me to some resources on how I can help her in anyway myself - just what the right things to say are, and what NOT to say that would be appreciated as well.
Thanks for your concern and for providing this type of sevice!
I think my Girlfriend needs some private counselling or maybe a support group of some sort. I'm just not sure what advice to give her and want to desparately help. Here's the situation:
She is in her later 20's now and has had nightmares, thoughts of suicide, anxiety attacks (I mean she breaks down crying and shaking) since she was in her mid-teens and witnessed her father's murder. I don't know what to say to help make her feel better when this happens, except hug her and tell her everything is okay - but I'm sure this hardly helps at all...
When the incident happened she only told one sibling that happened to come home first and discover the scene, because she didn't want her family to know and go through the trauma... her dad was near-death dying of cancer at the time, so she was able to cover it up (with her sibling) that he passed away from that. I'm only mentioning these details because it might influence your response in the type of counselling I need to help her seek. I'm sure it has caused more repression or something than it otherwise would have. I am well aware that this would be a felony or illegal in some way and the police should be involved if this were in Canada - but this happened in a third world country some time ago now.
I live in Barrie, Canada - which is a city near Toronto. She speaks spanish, though her english is okay. I believe if services were available in spanish she'd be more comfortable. I'm hoping to receive some advice on what kind of services to seek... we don't have much money to spend on expensive psychology sessions, though if it is the only solution please do say so...
If you can direct me to some resources on how I can help her in anyway myself - just what the right things to say are, and what NOT to say that would be appreciated as well.
Thanks for your concern and for providing this type of sevice!