A phenomenological exploration of client experiences of trauma debriefing by lay counsellors

Abstract

South Africa is a country with one of the highest crime rates in the world, resulting in much violence and trauma. Trauma debriefing models are used with groups and individuals in an attempt to facilitate the trauma recovery process and prevent the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There has been much debate on the efficacy of trauma debriefing over the past two decades with few qualitative studies exploring the utility of debriefing. A phenomenological methodology was used in this study, with the aim of understanding how participants experienced the process of trauma debriefing and what aspects were perceived as helpful or unhelpful. Semi-structured in- depth interviews were conducted with six adults who received debriefing following a single traumatic event, by volunteer lay counsellors from the Community Intervention Centre (CIC) based at the Milnerton Medi-Clinic.