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Who can I call? This list can include replaced. Luckily, she learned how thought is to calm himself with
a family member, friend, spiritual to develop her internal and external a drink at the bar near his home.
leader, or therapist. The people on resources, as well as a trauma Remembering his recovery plan,
this list are those who will listen, be recovery plan in a resilience class he fishes it from his wallet. A small
supportive, and help you to make during a work training. doodle of his church dominates one
healthy choices. After reading her list, she decides side of the paper. His church is also
her dad is the best person to call. on his way home. He checks the
What can I do? Again, think about They chat for a few minutes, and time, then pulls out his phone to
healthy choices. For example: taking her mood starts to improve. Then call his pastor.
a nap, eating a healthy meal instead she mentions the air conditioner Keep in mind that your trauma
of stopping for fast food, opting and how thankful she is to have recovery plan needs to adapt
for water or tea over alcohol, going started an emergency fund as an to each situation. A phone call
for a brisk walk, and engaging in external resource several months to a friend may lift your spirits.
meditation or prayer. Develop a list ago. Even though she doesn’t want However, if you have endured a
of positive things to do, then choose to spend her savings on a new air truly traumatic event—such as
from those instead of doing what is conditioning unit, she tells to her Kevin did— a call to your pastor or
fast, easy and generally unhealthy. dad how much worse the situation therapist might be in order as well.
would be without that extra money But listing several options within
Where do I go? Healthy choices she was saving for a rainy day. your plan can you help to your
need to made here as well. Choose In this example, Chris had been achieve a positive and healthier
to go to the gym or church instead intentional about building her outcome.
of a bar. Another healthy choice is resources to become more resilient.
to spend time in nature, which has As a result, she has the money Concluding Thoughts
shown to provide incredible health needed to replace the AC in her new The next time you experience
benefits—including the ability to home. She won’t experience the trauma or adversity, intentionally
lower cortisol, a stress hormone. trauma of sweating it out for several use your resources to help you
To develop your own trauma weeks while she tries to save the recover in a quicker and healthier
recovery plan, start by creating a money after the problem occurred. She way. Look at your trauma recovery
list under those three questions. also made the conscious decision to plan and choose the healthier path.
Add healthy options including call her dad to lighten the moment. And while you are at it, take note
people, activities, and places. Then By intentionally building resources of how those choices aided in your
as you develop more resources, add and implementing the plan, the recovery.
these to the list so that there are situation had a positive outcome. In doing so, you can train your
more healthy options from which brain to naturally look for those
to choose in times of need. Find a Traumatic Trigger healthy actions in the future—
convenient place to store the list for Kevin has worked in his facility because you understand how
when a quick retrieval is needed. for more than 30 years. He is beneficial healthy choices are for
very much looking forward to his you. 
Recovery Plan in Action retirement at the beginning of the
Let’s look at a couple of examples summer, when he plans to spend
of a trauma recovery plan in action. most of his time with his grandkids. Colonel Brenda Dietzman spent
Just before the end of his day shift, 28 years in law enforcement and
he discovers an inmate attempting corrections, retiring as the undersheriff
Broken AC Unit suicide. Yelling for help, he and in charge of jail operations in Wichita,
Chris just started her job and Kansas. She is an IADLEST certified
moved into her first house. One day, another officer are able to stop the trainer and has presented to national
inmate and get him to medical
she came home from work tired, for help. Unfortunately for Kevin, and international audiences on
resilience and a variety of leadership
hot, and stressed out. But instead this traumatic event has triggered topics. She can be contacted through
of walking into a cool house, the another event from Kevin’s past her website at brendadietzman.com or
temperature in her foyer is higher when his efforts to help a suicidal directly at brenda@brendadietzman.
than the heat index outside. Upon inmate were less successful. com.
investigation, she finds her air
conditioner not working. Given its Sitting in his car after clocking
age, she suspects that it needs to be out, Kevin’s hands are shaking and
his breathing is ragged. His first

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