Recent studies say that it is not necessarily the best idea to pressure someone to debrief after a trauma. For some the act of retelling can even be harmful to them. We need to respect each individual’s different means of coping which means we can’t assume that talking about a frightening incidence will bring comfort. Most important is that in the face of trauma, social support is critical and can help one deal with something extremely difficult. Read more in the Times article by Maia Szalavitz.