Car Accident Recovery
After a Car Accident, You Are Not Alone
A car accident can leave more than bumps and bruises. Even a "minor" fender-bender can leave you shaken, jumpy, or afraid to drive again. After a more serious crash, these feelings can be as hard to live with as any physical injury.
It is common to feel on edge, sleep poorly, replay the accident in your mind, or feel nervous every time you are back on the road. When a crash also causes a physical injury, pain and stress often affect each other. The same is true in the other direction: when one improves, the other often improves too.
None of this means something is wrong with you. These are common reactions to a frightening event, and many people feel better over time with the right support. Therapy can help you regain a sense of steadiness, whether behind the wheel, at work, or in everyday life.
Is Counselling Covered After a Car Accident?
If an accident happened in BC, counselling may be covered by insurance.
Under the Enhanced Care program of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), a person injured in a crash is automatically approved for up to 12 counselling or psychology sessions in the first 12 weeks after the accident, no matter who caused it. An ICBC claim number is needed to get started.
After the first 12 weeks, more sessions may still be possible. A referral or recommendation from a doctor or another treating health care provider is usually needed, and ICBC reviews each request based on the person's situation. The same applies to anyone already in counselling who needs more than 12 sessions. Approval depends on treatment needs and progress, and on the decision of the ICBC adjuster. Central Path Psychotherapy is happy to assist.
For questions about insurance coverage, contact ICBC directly or reach out to Central Path Psychotherapy.
What Might You Be Feeling After a Crash?
Reactions differ from person to person. Common ones include:
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Trauma reactions - replaying the accident in the mind, bad dreams, feeling jumpy or on edge, and avoiding the road or driving altogether.
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Fear of driving - panic or dread when driving or riding as a passenger, avoiding highways or certain streets, gripping the steering wheel tightly, or relying on others for rides.
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Pain and stress affecting each other - injuries such as whiplash often bring fear of movement and frustration with slow healing, and pain and stress can make each other worse.
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Low motivation or low mood - frustration with how long recovery takes, missing the old routine and independence, and the added stress of dealing with an insurance claim.
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Loss - when an accident changes life in a big way, it is natural to grieve what has been lost.
How Therapy Can Help
Treatment depends on the person and the situation. Some commonly used approaches are described below.
For trauma reactions, Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy are two approaches supported by a large amount of research. In plain terms, they help a person face and make sense of the memory of the accident, instead of replaying it over and over or avoiding it, so the memory can have less effect on daily life.
If driving feels frightening, therapy can proceed gradually and at your own pace, starting with situations that feel manageable and building confidence step by step, rather than beginning with the hardest situations.
If pain is part of recovery, therapy can also address the worries and habits that come with pain, so that improvement in one area can support improvement in the other.
Get Started
Dr. Joseph Tse offers a free 15-minute consultation for anyone struggling emotionally after a car accident. It is a chance to talk through what is happening and how therapy might help.