Romi goes to the bank (INTEGRA-02-EN)

Romi is a 39-year-old woman who has had problems managing integration for many years, even to the point where she often loses the social and material resources she needs. It is particularly difficult for her to regulate either her health or social status. He often does not appear at the hearings of the employment office in order to find a job, the Center for social work in order to obtain cash social assistance, and to participate in education, which is dictated by the active search for work. As a result, she has already lost a number of important transfers, which have led to life problems, such as non-payment of rent, health insurance, etc. She had been preparing for this day, this very morning, for the entire past month. Every single day she put off leaving. A month and a half ago, she received a notification from the bank that she should contact them to arrange a new bank card. She had been planning all month to go to the bank first thing in the morning, when it just opened. She knew from observation that there were few customers in the bank at this moment. upon entering she felt that she is becoming emotional and upset and especially alert about the place. She screened it and stepped in front of the desk. When she was standing like that in front of the window, she heard the loud breathing, almost grunting, of a man behind her. Suddenly the images of the past took on colour and a terrifying danger engulfed her body. Her heart was beating madly, she gasped for air and suddenly she was back in that damp room, a helpless little girl in the arms of a drunken father who had sexually abused her for years. In a soft voice, the employee asked her how she could help her, but Romi did not hear her again. Then everything happened at breakneck speed. She cried out in agony and impulsively reactively opened the first access door to the empty office and locked it behind her.

By observing Romi's non-verbal communication, the bank employee became more aware. She felt the client's tension, fear and heightened level of situational observation - her screening. People who are hypervigilant are constantly on guard and prone to overreaction. They maintain an intense and sometimes obsessive awareness of their surroundings, frequently scanning for threats or routes of escape.

Of course, the bank had its own security guards, but this time the employee intervened discreetly so that the security guard did not get involved. Some time ago, she completed the Trauma-informed Practice in the Community training, where she also learned about the basics of PTSD.

She recognized the client's strong emotional excitement, dilated pupils, fear and agony at the time of the incident, although she did not know her story. The client was not mentally present at all in space and time. Impulsive behaviours as a result of most likely uncontrollable reactive thoughts.

Therefore, the employee first approached the door of the office and began to empathetically address Roma inside in a soft voice. She introduced herself and said that she had been working at the bank for many years. Since there was no response from the inside, she continued with her soft speech, talking about more everyday things, and here and there between the lines she told Romi that there are only two of them in this part of the bank, that the situation is safe.

During this time, the security guard vacated the lobby and redirected customers.

After fifteen minutes, the employee heard the first movement in the room, footsteps.

She invited Romi to come closer to the door. Then he continued again with a soft narration of his story. (building trust - personal aspect).

In the meantime, she addressed Roma all the time between the sentences and established contact with her. After half an hour had passed, the door was unlocked and slightly ajar, and the clerk entered the room slowly and quietly, closing the door behind her.

She offered Romi a chair with a high headrest, in a half-sitting position (comfort), and she herself sat on the stool next to her, but at a sufficiently large personal distance, and first coordinated her breathing rhythm with hers (connection). She noticed that Romi was tearful and still shaking slightly, but she was back in time and place.

They stayed in silence and rhythmic breathing (grounding) for a while, and then the employee asked her how she could help her and offered her a glass of water.

The established connection and empathic support resulted in a conversation (although Romi had difficulty knowing and describing internal states to describe her panic reaction), in which the employee provided her with information about where she could read and self-educate about what can be done in situations like hers this morning. In addition, she also handed her a brochure about a free psychological and psychiatric community access point, where she can also obtain valuable information over the phone or, to begin with, join the community's free online counselling (empowerment).

Integra Institute, Sonja B. Eisenreich