More About Your Journey

We all respond to the trauma of an accident differently, based on our personality, physiology, background, and circumstances of the accident. Many people experience symptoms of acute and posttraumatic stress disorder. Other mental health issues to watch out for include depression, substance abuse, and anxiety. As your body and brain attempt to adjust to the...Read More

In addition to PTSD, many CADIs (those who caused Accidental Death or Injury) experience a constellation of feelings and thoughts known as moral injury – the distress that comes from failing to live up to our moral standards, expectations or aspirations. Even though we did not intend harm, we no longer see ourselves as good...Read More

Some of us harmed others due to error, negligence, or impairment. Others were not at fault but nonetheless carry grief or guilt. Sometimes the question of fault is unclear and subject to interpretation. The Hyacinth Fellowship is open to you so long as you did not intend harm. Accountability means that we accept responsibility for...Read More

Compassion is vital to our recovery. Compassion helps us to manage distress and channel feelings in positive actions. We encourage you to accept support and accept compassion from a therapist, pastor, friends, family, and The Hyacinth Fellowship. Such support is strongly associated with better psychological outcomes. Of special importance is self-compassion and self-forgiveness. How would...Read More

We will always carry the pain of having harmed or killed another person, but we can emerge from trauma and despair with new resolve. The fourth element in our healing process is community — regaining a sense of belonging and connection to others, to ourselves, and (for those who believe) to God. It begins with...Read More

As we travel down the pathway to peace, many find that they have become more empathic and less judgmental. We have gained a newfound sense of connection to ourselves and others. Researchers have identified how trauma can lead to personal growth, even though you may still be struggling with PTSD symptoms. For example, Tedeschi, Park,...Read More

Peer support brings together people who share the experience of unintentionally killing or seriously injuring another person. It is a powerful force for coping, support, and healing. Despite the many benefits of peer support, it is not a substitute for professional behavioral health treatment, counseling, or therapy. We recommend peer support with Hyacinth Fellowship as...Read More

When bad things happen to us we sometimes wonder, “Am I good anymore?” or “Why did this happen to me?” These are profoundly spiritual questions. We understand spirituality to be a region of the human experience, even “a connection to that which transcends the self.” This connection might be to God, a higher power, a...Read More

Unintentional killing is a serious trauma that can lead to long-term mental health problems. We recommend professional psychotherapy or counseling for anyone who has unintentionally killed or seriously injured another person. Therapy does not mean you’re weak, crazy, self-indulgent, turning yourself into a victim, or whatever other reason you might be giving yourself for avoiding...Read More

If you are thinking about suicide, we urge you to seek help. Although you are suffering right now, you can find relief from pain and inner peace. Depression and trauma distort our thinking, so that we feel hopeless when in fact there is every reason to hope. How you feel today is not necessarily how...Read More

There are a variety of therapeutic methods for treating trauma that research has shown to be effective. You explore them below and in the Resources section. We also offer links to reputable therapist finder websites. Whatever methods you are drawn to, keep in mind that the quality of the relationship is key to success. You...Read More

The great psychiatrist Karl Menninger found himself answering questions from a reporter. ‘What’s the leading cause of mental distress?” he was asked, “I mean, what’s to blame, in most cases, for a person to be institutionalized?” “That’s easy,” replied the Harvard-educated doctor, “I see it all the time, it’s a person’s inability to forgive themselves.”...Read More