Survivors display incredible coping mechanisms during the assault, even though they do not always realize it. You can reinforce their confidence in their coping mechanisms. Whatever they did to survive was the right thing to do. Helping survivors realize that they are survivors and regain confidence in their own resources is a very important aspect of healing. Sometimes it's not the lack of coping mechanisms that cause crisis, but the lack of confidence in those coping mechanisms.
People cope with extraordinary circumstances to the best of their ability.
Post-traumatic stress responses are normal. Given the stress of the survival experience, almost every individual experience psychological stress. Meaning - don't look for underlying issues. Work with the trauma survivors must address the trauma as the main stressor. Survivors are able to use information about their experiences and post-traumatic stress responses to help themselves understand their experiences and reduce the impact of the traumatic event.