Early recognition of psychological problems
Interview with psychologist Juul Gouweloos-Trines
In certain professions, the chance of experiencing major events is high. Think of branches such as the police, the fire brigade, the ambulance service, healthcare and public transport. Juul Gouweloos-Trines from ARQ IVP helps to identify psychological stress in high-risk occupations at an early stage.
Most people are resilient enough to overcome such a shock with the support of their loved ones. That is not to say that they don’t experience stress reactions. Juul: “People can relive an event like that for a while, be more irritable or gloomy, be more anxious and try to avoid similar situations. But this doesn’t mean they aren’t doing well. These are normal reactions to an intense experience.”
"In the first weeks after an incident, social support is very important."
Boosting resilience
“Especially in the first weeks after an incident, social support is very important. If we as professionals are already called in from ARQ, we will normalise symptoms in that first phase. We take care of people and inform them about the support they receive from their environment. In the event of symptoms, we will continue to monitor them closely; this is called watchful waiting. We only recommend psychological PTSD treatment if no improvement is visible after weeks.
In the meantime, ARQ IVP is increasingly working on prevention to promote resilience. With a mental check-up (MCU), we map out what gives an employee stress or energy in daily life. Organisational stress plays a noticeable role in the response to major events. The healthier the atmosphere at work, the more resilient employees are in the face of calamities.”
"The healthier the atmosphere at work, the more resilient employees are in the face of calamities."
Stepping in during crises
“In 2022 ARQ IVP provided a lot of information and advice to organisations. Whereas our work in 2020 and 2021 was still coloured by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was now the war in Ukraine and the resulting flow of refugees. For example, we were engaged by the Red Cross and Takecarebnb. We also had a contact point for municipal health services in the Netherlands, general practitioners and interpreters. I think that’s the beauty of our work: if there is a crisis situation in society, we can step right in.”
