Mental Health Professional Specialized in Scuba

[NothingClever]

Might check in with @Kimela here. She’s a licensed therapist with her own practice that may be able to provide assistance. Her posts here are always positive and thoughtful and she strikes me as being a skilled navigator of the emotional domain. Although you’re in Denmark and she’s in the US, I don’t think that’s an insurmountable time zone difference even if it’s only for an initial telephonic consultation.

 

[Kimela]

Thank you for the kind words and for thinking of me @NothingClever. I specialize in trauma, and I would find someone who does Brainspotting and/or EMDR. Ideally, this is a single incident trauma and could be resolved with a few sessions (no need for years of ‘analysis’). Understand though, once the trauma is resolved she may still make an informed decision that, in very specific circumstances (rough seas, tough boat entries/exits) she doesn’t feel it’s her preference. The goal is for her to be free of the ‘trigger’ and added anxiety of the trauma. As always, we each get to thumb dives with no recriminations. But if she WANTS to be able to make those boat dives I’d say Brainspotting/EMDR. I’m confident she can find a clinician to work with her in Denmark (especially since we’re all Telehealth right now - and yes, both modalities work great via zoom). I’ll be hoping for a quick resolution. Please keep us posted.

 

[Altamira]

That's the reason the Diver Down flag was created.

I can understand the woman's trauma and fear of getting mangled in the prop or skull cracked by some part of the boat. There have been more than a few tragic accidents where dive boat operators have seriously injured or killed divers in their care, so her fear is not unwarranted. Although I am very familiar with boats and diving from them, my own stress level goes up significantly when boarding, especially when the boat engine is operating. I make it a point to never put myself in line with the prop, and get myself up the ladder as quickly as possible. As a long time boat owner, I know how dangerous they can be with a just moment of inattention or error by the boat crew or diver. When I am operating my boat, I have to assume anyone in the water or on my boat might suddenly do something unexpected, and it is my duty to make sure no one gets hurt.