Introduction
Traumatic experiences are a topical issue in the mental health field that affects many young people. Experiencing traumatic events leaves an imprint on a person’s psyche, resulting in emotional or behavioral failures. Trauma is a reaction to an event that left a significant mark and led to symptoms. Often, anxiety or a disturbing state of mind accompanies the person due to unpleasant memories. Anxiety leads to difficulties in socialization, getting a job, and problems with sleep and health. The program I use to reduce stress consists of sessions that include meditation. It often becomes a client assignment: for example, meditate for X minutes a day X times a week. In my opinion, this practice is helpful, and I am confident that group meditation sessions would promote better results and motivate clients.
The Rationale for the Program
Anxiety as a symptom of trauma involves a variety of treatment modalities: medication therapy, exercise, and group conversations. Meditation acts as a crucial linking factor in these practices, as it allows one to relax and tune in to positive thinking. There will be a large block of group classes in the program I am implementing. I will focus on meditation and thoughtfulness, which will reduce the severity of common symptoms. Often, the stress experienced prevents people from even tuning in to therapy and collective meditation can set the stage for future trauma processing. Relaxation exercise lessons, coupled with therapy sessions, will set the person up for a favorable outcome and address primary needs. Meditation will be a faithful companion for people with anxiety, giving them a calm place to deal with stress. Meditation can be used alone, but in collaborative sessions, one can best develop the habit of relaxation.
Potential Audience and Attraction
Group counseling will be beneficial for the younger generation – clients with trauma or anxiety ranging in age from teens to children will be my primary audience. For adolescents, comfort for successful socialization and personal growth is essential. At a younger age, anxiety can get in the way of getting a job and making family and friends. I think the older age group can attend similar meditation sessions, but it is often difficult to find contact due to generational differences. However, creating separate groups of older adults is also a nice practice. Nevertheless, children’s audiences require close attention and another level of care. In addition, the psychological development of children due to trauma changes significantly, and these acute abnormalities can often be corrected through meditation. Such children require more other techniques, and they should stand in separate groups.
I have an issue: engaging the audience and holding their interest. Clients are not always aware of their trauma and its problems, and they rarely go for voluntary therapy. Unfortunately, the existing stigma of psychotherapy imposes restrictions on sessions, and my role is to change it. Social media courses can be set up among students and teens – the insularity prevents them from seeking help themselves, but sites and apps are more trustworthy. Online programs or electronic pamphlets would create a comfortable media space from which many could get out and come to group meditation.
For the older generation, it is helpful to combine both online information distribution and physical flyers or brochures. Also, having open classes with demonstrations of the benefits of meditation will help build trust from potential clients. It seems to me that practicing available consultations and training is generally a great way to engage people because it shows the real deal and dispenses with stigma.
Program Implementation: Strategic Goals and Components
The overall strategic goal of the program is to achieve a reduction in anxiety levels through meditation and therapy sessions. In addition, the program aims to reduce stress and its effects on everyday life: for example, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy tools (MBCT) will allow for the development of mindfulness. The techniques can be used in the long term, which significantly alleviates anxiety about the future. Such strategies often involve concentration and the ability to concentrate on a particular task: online lessons or relaxation exercises will be helpful.
I would also like to pay attention to how the program will be implemented and the expected results. First, I want to point out that the success of therapy and meditation depends on how aware the individual is. It is necessary to make sure that every person understands how meditation will benefit the healing process. This knowledge will encourage clients to continue to practice the techniques they have learned. Although it will be difficult to achieve at first glance, the gradual enrichment of information will eventually make a difference. Second, I believe that the techniques I offer should be explicitly used in groups. Meditation is quite simple, and the opportunity to share the experience positively affects anxiety levels. Going alone is tough, and this kind of practice will help reduce symptoms and replenish disturbing needs.
A typical practice session would consist of the following components: an educational enlightenment and training session, a meditation session, and a sharing of the feelings experienced. The training can begin at any location, whether it is a room in a hospital or the large office of a private psychologist. The main point that clients should acquire after the training is a technique or mechanism for coping with stress, which they will gradually incorporate into their daily life. Meditation will consist of various sessions of self-control, willpower development, and processing of one’s emotions. This stage is critical because, during it, clients will feel comfortable and at one with their thoughts. Finally, the final component of the sessions will be for clients to talk about how they felt and express their opinions about the meditation process. At this point, the practitioner will understand what to focus on in future sessions and how to implement future practices.
The result of such therapy will be the achievement of awareness and mindfulness, which helps to cope with stress and control anxiety. Various studies have noted that mindfulness is the key to overcoming trauma (Zhu et al., 2019; Schuurmans et al., 2020). In addition, some authors have noticed tangible benefits from the combination of meditation and exercise, and I would like to resort to this practice as well. Ultimately, group counseling will be a place for inner harmony and psychological comfort.
Program Evaluation
I plan to evaluate this program with particular self-report questionnaires or awareness scales. In addition, a group discussion at the end of the sessions will also determine their success rate. Such a group would be helpful to practicing counselors and therapists who are dealing with burnout or the development of abnormal anxiety. Caring for others invariably begins with caring for oneself, and I believe such programs are worth introducing into widespread practice.
Conclusion
Thus, the program developed will include techniques for dealing with trauma and anxiety among adolescents and young adults. The program’s relevance is the need to overcome traumatic experiences for successful socialization. The program’s primary goal is to reduce anxiety through meditation and therapeutic sessions. There will be three components: teaching, reflection, and discussion. The program will result in the development of mindfulness to cope with stress, the effectiveness of which can be assessed using self-report scales or questionnaires.
References
Schuurmans, A. A., Nijhof, K. S., Scholte, R., Popma, A., & Otten, R. (2020). A novel approach to improve stress regulation among traumatized youth in residential care: Feasibility study testing three game‐based meditation interventions. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 14(4), 476-485. Web.
Zhu, J., Wekerle, C., Lanius, R., & Frewen, P. (2019). Trauma-and stressor-related history and symptoms predict distress experienced during a brief mindfulness meditation sitting: Moving toward trauma-informed care in mindfulness-based therapy. Mindfulness, 10(10), 1985-1996. Web.