Advice from serious car accident survivors?
What can I tell my daughter to expect from a very scary car accident yestrrday that miraculously only left her with bruises? She ended up upside down hanging, undid her seat belt and crawled out.
She is 29, lives 10 hours away, pretty mentally fragile. Accident happened yesterday and the mental processing is really getting to her.
I want to tell her she will be ok, she's lucky no serious injuries, and she will be stronger for this.
In truth, I fear PTSD.
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It was a traumatic experience, she does need someone to talk it through with her. She might also need a motherly hug, sounds like you could use a hug too based on your post yesterday.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181640919
Can she get assistance or at least a referral from the non-profit she works with? It's for vulnerable youth, so would think they have some contacts with therapists.
At the very least try a video call with her. Just seeing each other might help.
All the best to you and your daughter. 
what an amazing story! Very uplifting! How are you now?
My daughter AND my husband both had near life-altering injuries in the last 3 weeks and dodged real serious "bullets." Both are looking at significant recoveries. Your last sentence really speaks to me - even though we are pagan humanist agnostic atheists!!
Thank you!
😆
Every now and then I'll have pretty bad nightmares. My wife and I have a king size mattress and we put it on the floor. I have flipped out of bed from a dead sleep on several occasions. It gets better and easier to deal with as time passes on. I see that others have said to go to a therapist which I'm sure will help. I would also suggest getting plenty of exercise every day. Also if she has any type of positive outlets that would be good too. I like to play the guitar, but she could have other ways to deal with it. The thing is that stress needs a positive outlet. It could be working with dogs and cats or painting or some sort of arts and crafts. She should try to stay busy doing something that is fun. She should also give herself something to look forward to this year, like a nice vacation. You don't have to spend a lot of money to do something fun. I like camping or going to visit my brother who has a house on big lake. Anyway, that's how I like to deal with it. In my crash I was basically body-slammed to the pavement at about 40 mph. I spent a week in the hospital and am now an old meat-sack of broken bones. Exercise helps with the mental and physical pain. Keep moving and putting good things in front of you and things will get better. Good luck!
I have only ever driven by DC on my way to NY or Boston. We live in south Florida so it's such a long trip by car that we never stopped in DC. We lived in Boston for a couple years and have family in NY and NJ. I hope your daughter has a quick and healthy recovery! It sounds like she's in very good hands!
People think of these modalities only for kids, but that is not true at all. They reach dynamics there are no words for, or those that are difficult to express in words. (Process based, so one does not need to be an artist.)
So sorry to hear of her accident, but really glad she is going to be ok!
Ty for your kind words.
Just paper & crayons, chalk, oil pastels & even finger paints are amazingly cathartic. Let the materials choose her & just freely create.
But usually best to do with therapist as emotions can surface that she might need help and guidance to process.
2 great books by Pat B. Allen, Art Therapist & professor at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago:
Art is a Way of Knowing
Art is a Spuritual Path.
Yhe 1st is what they teach in their master of art therapy program. Amazing!
Some 15 yrs ago they were teaching the process to progressive corp. boards as a way of intuitive decision making.
Very interesting that for trauma that occurs in pre-verbal stages, art is the only real way to process the events, because the memories are not stored verbally.
Art therapy was originally devised to treat not only kids, but military vets who had difficulty discussing their issues.
There could be non-discursive aspects to her accident which might be more readily and thoroughly resolved through the process-based arts.
Movement theraoy might also be helpful for her.
We have a very open relationship and are able to talk. She is our only child ...
Yes, her therapist is for anxiety. Our daughter felt like she was giving up when she got on the meds, but I see what a wonderful help they are to her!
I feel like this incident is going to be transformational for her in some way. She is seeking her life path right now. I just hope it is somehow clarifying, if not actually beneficial, and doesn't frighten or cause her to withdraw from life. She was quite bold, I think, to move to Montana after college without know anyone there. So there's a strength within, but she can also demonstrate a side that folds at the least perceived personal failing or discord.
I'm so sorry for your loss! Tragic. I'm tough, too. But what you have been through is of a different order!