"The sort of counselling you do in a trauma situation is quite different.
"It's not focused on in-depth feelings and re-living the event.
"It's about attending to the present and reactivating people's normal coping skills," Relationship Services Whakawhanaungatanga (RSW) Otago-Southland clinical leader Christine James said.
A trained trauma counsellor, Mrs James said many survivors of the earthquake would battle with their experiences for a long time to come.
"It's the flashback-type stuff people can struggle with.
"Smells and noise can bring it back and it can hit like a wave.
"When something like this hits, it hits on top of everything else people are coping with, like domestic issues," she said.
"People have to get reconnected to the support systems they had before it happened.
"People need a connection when they're hurting and for someone to say `you're not alone in this'.
"It's a way to help cope with grief and loss."
RSW counsellors and staff had also been personally affected by the tragedy, RSW Otago-Southland area manager Howard Randal said.
"Our Christchurch office is no more. The Christchurch office was on the fifth floor of the CTV building.
"We lost one staff member and there were 15 survivors," he said.
The Christchurch office had dealt with 500 cases from the first earthquake on September 4 until it was destroyed last Tuesday.
"All calls to Christchurch are now being picked up in Wellington and being diverted to different areas, including Dunedin, on a roster basis," Mr Randal said.
"But we can't provide face-to-face counselling.
"Increasingly, though, we're seeing more and more people who have relocated to Dunedin and we can help them here.
"People have relocated all around the country and they're suddenly finding themselves in a situation that's unfamiliar and with loss of job and no income and wondering what the future holds," he said.
"People are dealing with grief and loss now, but there will be long-term problems.
"Over time, the needs will change."
Dunedin School of Medicine senior lecturer in psychological medicine Dr Christopher Gale suggested last week Christchurch needed practical help and support from family and friends more than "a raft of counsellors".
Need help?
For counselling assistance, contact 0800 RELATE (0800 735 283) or visit www.relate.org.nz
"The sort of counselling you do in a trauma situation is quite different.
"It's not focused on in-depth feelings and re-living the event.
"It's about attending to the present and reactivating people's normal coping skills," Relationship Services Whakawhanaungatanga (RSW) Otago-Southland clinical leader Christine James said.
A trained trauma counsellor, Mrs James said many survivors of the earthquake would battle with their experiences for a long time to come.
"It's the flashback-type stuff people can struggle with.
"Smells and noise can bring it back and it can hit like a wave.
"When something like this hits, it hits on top of everything else people are coping with, like domestic issues," she said.
"People have to get reconnected to the support systems they had before it happened.
"People need a connection when they're hurting and for someone to say `you're not alone in this'.
"It's a way to help cope with grief and loss."
RSW counsellors and staff had also been personally affected by the tragedy, RSW Otago-Southland area manager Howard Randal said.
"Our Christchurch office is no more. The Christchurch office was on the fifth floor of the CTV building.
"We lost one staff member and there were 15 survivors," he said.
The Christchurch office had dealt with 500 cases from the first earthquake on September 4 until it was destroyed last Tuesday.
"All calls to Christchurch are now being picked up in Wellington and being diverted to different areas, including Dunedin, on a roster basis," Mr Randal said.
"But we can't provide face-to-face counselling.
"Increasingly, though, we're seeing more and more people who have relocated to Dunedin and we can help them here.
"People have relocated all around the country and they're suddenly finding themselves in a situation that's unfamiliar and with loss of job and no income and wondering what the future holds," he said.
"People are dealing with grief and loss now, but there will be long-term problems.
"Over time, the needs will change."
Dunedin School of Medicine senior lecturer in psychological medicine Dr Christopher Gale suggested last week Christchurch needed practical help and support from family and friends more than "a raft of counsellors".
Need help?
For counselling assistance, contact 0800 RELATE (0800 735 283) or visit www.relate.org.nz
