Creating Trauma-Informed Services Tipsheet Series: Tips for Supporting Survivors with Reduced Energy - Promising Futures

Survivors may seem very sad, lack energy, or feel hopeless. For a survivor who is also experiencing depression or another mental health condition, the increased demands that are posed by having to manage internal distress may mean that they have very little energy for DV counseling and advocacy. This lack of energy may also reflect the impact that mental illness, head trauma, depression, and stress have on the brain’s capacity to focus, sustain energy, and maintain attention. Advocates who better understand these symptoms can more effectively support survivors.