Soldiers often have to cope with secondary trauma from their partners. Secondary trauma refers to experiencing the effects of another person's traumatic event through them, such as hearing about a loved one's military deployment and suffering from anxiety, insomnia, and depression. To maintain trust and closeness with partners, soldiers need to develop relational strategies that help mitigate these negative emotions while still being present for their partner's needs. This article will explore some ways soldiers can adapt their relational strategies to create a strong bond between themselves and their partners who experience secondary trauma.
Some common examples of relational strategies used by soldiers include active listening, validation, empathy, reassurance, and communication. Active listening involves giving undivided attention to your partner without interrupting, while validating means accepting what they say without judgment. Empathizing allows you to understand your partner's perspective and share it without imposing your own opinion or judgments. Reassuring gives your partner assurances that they are safe and supported. Communication is essential for understanding each other's perspectives, feelings, and needs. These strategies allow soldiers to connect deeply with their partners despite the challenges they face in their relationships.
Soldiers should also be aware of how their actions may affect their partner's trauma symptoms.
Avoiding topics related to military life or not expressing support may worsen their partner's symptoms. Instead, they should actively engage in conversations about their partner's experiences and provide encouragement and comfort. They should also prioritize quality time together and plan activities that bring joy into their relationship.
Soldiers must be intentional in their approach when caring for their partners experiencing secondary trauma. By using effective relational strategies, they can strengthen trust and closeness and support their partner through difficult times. With patience and understanding, these strategies can help them maintain a healthy and fulfilling relationship, even during trying times.
How do soldiers adapt relational strategies to maintain trust and closeness with partners who experience secondary trauma?
Soldiers can adopt various strategies to establish and preserve relationships with partners experiencing secondary trauma. These include listening empathetically, offering emotional support, providing physical comfort, and respecting boundaries. They also need to be aware of potential triggers that may arise from past experiences and avoid blaming their partner for them. Soldiers should seek professional help if necessary to cope with their own PTSD symptoms and work together to create healthy coping mechanisms as a couple.