Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Oasis Counselling founder Debra Tuibau says she has noticed a growing trend in Fiji where people, often for the first time, are bravely stepping into the spotlight to share deeply personal trauma on public platforms, from social media to community events.
Tuibau says this raw honesty is powerful and moving but also potentially dangerous if not handled with care.
She says sharing trauma publicly, without the right support in place, can do more harm than good.
The counselor says trauma doesn’t simply dissolve the moment it’s spoken out loud.
She says, in fact, it can trigger the body’s survival response—the fight, flight, or freeze mode—as if the person is reliving the moment all over again.
Tuibau says after speaking out, people may feel emotionally numb, overwhelmed, or even regretful, and if there isn’t a strong support system to help them process that emotional flood, the weight doesn’t lift; it lingers.
She says it is important that before someone tells their story to the world, we must ensure there’s emotional safety, trust, and coping tools in place.
Otherwise, we risk re-traumatizing them instead of helping them heal.
Tuibau is calling on communities, organizations, and even event organizers to rethink how they approach trauma storytelling.
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