When someone in your life is living with the impact of trauma and experiencing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), you might be feeling at a loss of how to support them.

Despite your best efforts, you might notice that the things you say elicit a strong reaction, things just aren’t as they used to be, and perhaps you feel disconnected from them.

Many caregivers report feeling unprepared to support the survivor in their life – they report feeling unsure of how to talk about what happened or if it’s even safe to do so.

Many families report increased conflict at home and uncertainty around how to set boundaries and get their own needs met without upsetting or triggering the other person.

Many family members and friends report feeling affected by their loved one’s trauma and not knowing how to get support without “making it about them”.

These are common responses to loving someone with PTSD/CPTSD.

There are many different strategies that you can use to support your loved one and yourself. The good news is that when family members get involved in a survivor’s healing journey, not only does the family benefit, the survivor does too!

Despite this positive impact, most families don’t know where to start or how to offer that support. When left to it on your own, the process of learning to support a survivor can feel like a lot.