ONBOARD Magazine summer 2019

Following the trip, the management company continued to fail the
crew – finally they were permitted shore leave to seek help, but
even after their approved psychologist had signed them all off to
return to work, they all received word that their contracts had
been terminated – long story short, the crew were effectively
forced into signing away any rights they had. At time of writing,
Nautilus had taken the case on to fight on the crew’s behalf
for compensation. Financial compensation is one thing (if they
receive any) but the lasting effects of a trauma like this which
is dealt with so horrifically will no doubt be felt by that crew for
years to come.
SHEREEN OPENLY TALKS ABOUT HER
JOURNEY ON HER BLOG WEBSITE,
TRAUMAONTOUR.COM WHICH SHE
DESCRIBES AS “ONE WOMAN’S
MISSION TO EXPLORE WELLBEING
AND RECOVER FROM TRAUMA”
Shereen Soliman, a young woman working in the industry for
some years, suffered a brutal attack in St Maarten some years
ago when she was between jobs; a man attempted to rape
and murder her. It left her with acute Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder. Shereen is an inspiration, quite frankly, she’s taken
her experience and has used it to help others, as well as having
returned to the yachting industry on a freelance basis.
Shereen openly talks about her journey on her blog website,
traumaontour.com which she describes as “one woman’s mission
to explore wellbeing and recover from trauma”. Her aim is to
continue learning and to share the lessons with the reader,
whilst also teaching and coaching about emotional intelligence,
trauma recovery and self-care. One of her side projects, Shereen
has recently been involved with the launching of a new Facebook
page called ‘Yacht Crew – That’s Not Okay’ along with Nathan
Skinner, and Matteo Ichino.
This online forum exists to raise awareness of unsafe and destructive
practices in the yachting industry, with the aim to improve working
conditions for all. Crew are encouraged to send PMs to the
group admins where they can remain anonymous and ergo be
protected. Their aim is to point them in the right direction to
get the appropriate support, be it a safety, or personal matter.
Speaking of support, what resources are available to us? In
the first incidence, we can consider what we can do to protect
ourselves following a traumatic event. Karine recommends these
protective strategies:
•’ Refrain from making any major decisions or life changes
•’ Take time to process the emotional response to the event
and acknowledge what you have just been through
•’ Avoid self medication or overuse of alcohol or drugs ’
to cope
•’ Reach out for support from the people who care about you
and you feel comfortable talking to
•’ Try to maintain a normal routine. Keep busy and structure
your day
•’ Make time to practise mindfulness. Engage in relaxation
activities whether it is a walk on the beach, deep breathing
exercises, meditation or yoga
•’ Be aware of the feelings that come up and find a healthy
way to express them, whether it is writing it down in a
journal or talking to a close friend
•’ Seek professional help - make contact with a counsellor ’
or psychologist
Shereen’s website offers great resources on different therapies
and how to find what’s right for you, from one on one therapy with
a trained counsellor, to holistic alternatives. If you’re not ready
to talk to a person in real life yet, there are apps out there you
could use – and lots of counsellors will offer online chat, video, or
phone counselling. Betterhelp, Talkspace, Breakthrough, these
services will match you with a suitable counsellor who can best
fit your needs. It’s important to remember that what works for
one person may not work for the next, so if you don’t find the
right resource, keep looking.
With mental health awareness on the increase, let’s hope we
see more and more resources popping up, and perhaps more
importantly for us in yachting, more emphasis on training, learning
and development in managing the aftermath of an onboard trauma
from owners, captains and management companies.
Please refer to the side panel for a list of resources.
If you’re reading this and any of this is resonating with you, please
don’t feel that you’re alone. Reach out to any of the sources listed
in this article, a friend, a loved one, or your doctor. Keep well.
HELP AT HAND
The Crew Coach offer a counselling service, details of
which can be found on their website
www.thecrewcoach.com
The International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance
Network offer free, confidential, multilingual helplines
for seafarers and their families
www.www.seafarers.org
Shereen Solimon’s website
www.traumaontour.com
The Professional Yachting Association (PYA)
www.pya.org
Nautilus International
www.nautilusint.org/en
British Counselling Services – Sarah Heyler
Tel: +34 663 890 287
Email: info@britishcounsellingservice.com
38 | SUMMER 2019 | ONBOARD