Workshop/Workbook 6

Question 1

What are some examples of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies?

Answer 1

Adaptive strategies:

• Meditation, talking to someone about the problem, physical activity, listening to music etc.

Maladaptive strategies:

• Drinking alcohol, eating comfort food, smoking, ignoring the problem

Question 2

What is identity? What are some factors influencing identity?

Answer 2

• Identity is your perception of yourself

Factors:

• Culture
• Land
• Community and family etc.

Question 3

What is stress?

Answer 3

• Stress is a feeling when a person thinks that the demands placed on them is greater than their ability to deal with them
• Stress is caused by “stressors”
• The more uncontrollable an event is, the more likely it is to be perceived as stressful, and can affect which coping method is adopted (e.g. if an event is predicted, it is more likely that adaptive coping methods will be adopted)

Question 4

How do epigenetics and intergenerational trauma relate?

Answer 4

• During foetal development and early life, the stresses, trauma and life events that the mother experiences affect both the mother and foetus/child, and can determine how the child may deal with stress and trauma
• This is how trauma can be passed through many generations through epigenetics

Question 5

What is the relationship and/or difference between between trauma and stress?

Answer 5

• Stress comes from trauma (the most obvious sources of stress are traumatic events, for Aboriginal people, this could be the effects of racism or policies of segregation and assimilation)
• Not all people who are exposed to trauma may demonstrate lingering symptoms such as mental health problems and/or addiction issues
• Stress is not always detrimental, trauma usually is