Indeed it is. I have my basic certificate in Clinical Incident Stress Debriefing and I've attended seminars the Canadian Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada has put on about Operational Stress Injury including one where we were loaded on trucks and taken out to the range where we went through a simulated convoy attack with an IED; quite the experience. I would not call myself any kind of expert on it, but I'm certainly aware of the issues and that has helped my ministry.

Oh... my... goodness. Some of my colleagues deserve a good kick in the...  I've worked as a chaplain in psychiatric institutions. Therapy techniques DO work.

And properly so.

I fully agree there.

I recall one of my CPE supervisors reading us the Riot Act about thinking we were more competent than we actually were after one unit of CPE. It was only when I did my second unit that I really realized just how little I knew and got comfortable learning from the patients.

Our hospital came up with the money to put 100 local clergy through basic CISD training. This was one of the offshoots of what happened in Walkerton. I have also found Veterans Affairs Canada and the Canadian Forces to be really helpful and supportive in sharing knowledge on PTSD.

i took a basic course in PTSD as part of my foster parent training... all it did was show us the signs and symptoms of PTSD, how to deal with them, and then VERY CLEARLY said that we, as foster parents, were NOT trained to delve into the treatment of the child.  we were taught exactly who to contact in order to get the child the help that they needed from a trained therapist.

even then, i recall one parent freaking out at the end of the course because she didn't feel that she had been taught how to treat them.  the facilitator once again stated THAT WAS NOT OUR JOB... our job, as foster parents, was to recognize the signs and symptoms only, and report them to the proper people. 

is that part of the clerical training in this, DKS??  that clergy are only to recognize the signs and symptoms, and do what needs to be done to ensure that the person gets the professional help they need?? 

That's basic to CPE training. Unfortunately, too many clergy are in environments where "they're it".

Having taken PTSD. and gone to one of the top seminaries which offered a PHD in counseling ( took a couple of courses) i know my limits  The guideline that the teachers offered was this:  You are not to do  therapy unless you have the skills, but you can do spiritual direction.  If you are seeing someone in crisis or mental issues more than 6 times you are beyond what you should be doing - sent them to mental health if the crisis is on going and recognize mental health issues and send them on to those whose job it is.

Another learning was this if you become a counselor, get the training and it is the fastest way to empty a church.  There are levels in people's emotional experience and we can deal with what is the normal emotional feelings - like grief or divorce or some other life issue, because they are not mental health issues.  Of course they can become so but most of the time it is not so.  Here spiritual counseling works.  Sometimes it is a faith issue not a mental issue, and sometimes it is both and we need to know the difference and our limits.

DKS - I'm curious - what is "CISD training" ?  It's not an acronym I've heard.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing

Panentheism has provided the best advice and one all should learn. 

We all have limits.  If we do not face them, in the end we do neither ourselves or those we are trying to help any good.

I have watched, and am watching now, caregivers give and give until they collapse.  In some cases those individuals die.  The person they were caring for lives on.

There are multiple layers why this occurs; love, stubbornness, pride, guilt, etc. etc.  There are pressures from within and without the individual caregiver.  Family, friends and society add to the mix.

It takes tremendous courage to say "I've had enough" and when someone says that, either verbally or nonverbally,  the response from others should be "let me help".

LB

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After the verb "to love," "to help" is the most beautiful verb in the world
     Bertha von Suttner

LB - your words make a certain amount of sense.  Others should step up when one person has had enough - needs a bit of caring and support.  Unfortunately, when a need is expressed it isn't always met by the wider community.  I wish I knew why some people get support and others don't and are left to struggle on alone. 

Good question Kay ( and great post lb) there are many reasons people do not ask for help.  Let me give some that I have experienced - God wants me to do this - if I did not do this then people would dislike me - pride, I can do it on my own - control, I am in charge here - Poor self esteem, make myself good and worthy by my actions  -  Great words of how great and wonderful you are to be so good -  Selfish - have no support from my family because they don't love me (" have you asked for help, well no").  mind reading, you will come to my aid without me asking but I don't give clues - others get tired and know their limits.

In  my experience I have found the community when it knows comes to the aid, if allowed too.  And sometimes, the situation is such that what is needed is beyond the support that can be given.

imho, it is often because the person in need is too scared to admit they are in over their head, or sees asking for help as a sign of weakness.  and some don't ask for help until it is far too late, and they have already burned out.

i think that society needs to keep on telling people that it is OKAY to ask for help, that it is actually a sign of strength to admit when you are out of your league.  especially in the health care professions... over and over i have seen the damage done when doctors, nurses, or therapists blunder across that line.