Regardless of the therapeutic approach, hope has been found to be a critical component of positive change. Hope is linked to better physical and psychological health, academic performance, and recovery from trauma.
Hope develops within the context of early attachment relationships.When children feel safe and have their needs gratified they learn to trust,which gives them the opportunity to experience hope. Traumatic experiences shatter one’s belief in a safe world and in trustworthy and dependable relationships. This leads to a sense of a foreshortened future and the loss of hope, and the symptoms common to PTSD, depression, and complicated grief.
Building hope is a key aspect of healing with traumatized children and adults. Hope empowers and motivates people to believe in the possibility of a brighter future. Connectedness to others plays an important part in engendering hope.The therapeutic relationship serves as a vehicle to combat hopelessness. Increasing hope with trauma survivors involves: 1)creating trusting and close relationships; 2) teaching coping strategies that bring about positive change (e.g., anger management and relaxation skills); and 3) identifying and working toward goals.
