This is an interesting video on flashback management. It shows how therapists can help with handling flashback management in people who have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other trauma-related disorders.
When I teach flashback management to people who have flashbacks, I usually teach them four things to do at home:
1. Get physical sensation back into your body (lightly stomp your feet, pinch yourself (do not cut!), give yourself a gentle slap.
2. Remind yourself of where you are (become aware of your surroundings)
3. Remind yourself of when you are (what is the date today, how old are you, etc.)–this is why the therapist in the video asked the client what her age was.
4. Remind yourself it is just a flashback and it is actually your brain trying to heal itself.
Two warnings for the video: it can be triggering for some (watching someone else have a flashback can trigger one in someone else who is sensitive to flashbacks), and you just need to know that when I do therapy I don’t play footsie with clients.
Hope this is helpful to people.
