For the past 15 years, the J-Bay Trauma Centre has been taking care of the Kouga and Kou-Kamma community members who have experienced trauma, and has helped them make the transformation from victim to survivor through their support, counselling, and training services.
According to Maryke Pretorius, clinical traumatologist and project manager of the centre which was established in 2006, they are committed to providing a professional service of counselling, therapy, training, debriefing, information sharing, and assistance to all the communities.
Pretorius said the vision and mission of the J-Bay Trauma Centre which forms part of the South African Government’s victim empowerment policy, is to help people make the transformation from victim to survivor which occurred when a victim felt empowered throughout the criminal justice process.
“The feeling of empowerment could be facilitated by subscribing to four principles of empowerment which included safety, restored control, respect and ongoing support,” said Pretorius.
“Our motto which is to help take the sting out of trauma encapsulates the overall purpose of the J-Bay Trauma Support Centre.”
Governed by its board members, the centre has three volunteers at their office, including Pretorius, Lynn Mac Kay as the clinical psychologist and Cindy Smit as the administrative assistant.
Pretorius said they help victims open a case at the local police station if they wished to do so and they offer emotional and practical support to all those who visit their centre seeking help.
In addition, victims are informed about information on the criminal justice process; they are referred to various professional services, and are aided along the path of recovery to ensure that their interests are positively represented at every level.
Furthermore, survivors of trauma are offered comprehensive care and ongoing care.
“We are open to all at our centre and fully reflect the diversity of our communities. We are also free to people affected by crime,” said Pretorius.
Some of the services provided at the centre include trauma counselling for people who have had traumatic experiences, general counselling for various experiences that people found challenging, play therapy in which games, toys, and mediums such as clay, drawings and paint are used to help children express their emotions, and debriefing of all emergency personnel and support groups at various schools in Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, Kareedouw and Joubertina.
In addition, the centre, in partnership with the local police, has provided 24/7 trauma support to the community when there were robberies, house breakings, assault, domestic violence, or attempted suicides.
Broadening on their active community services, the centre has provided training workshops to all professionals working within fields where they would likely deal with people experiencing psychological trauma such as NSRI members, victim support centre volunteers, schools, active community members and crèches on various subjects such as gender–based violence, human trafficking, and emotional IQ to name a few.
“We are accessible and consistent in delivery and all information shared with us by the victims is confidential,” said Pretorius.
- For more information visit the centre at Neptune Terrace shop number 7 Jeffreys Street, email jbaytrauma@gmail.com or contact 076 708 6100.
