Trauma Therapy
Trauma embodies profound suffering. It is an experience that thrusts you into a state of fear and terror, whether it’s for yourself or someone close to you. Its aftermath leaves you feeling helpless, hopeless, and stripped of any sense of control. Trauma has the power to cause you to doubt in your own worth, and reshape your perception of both yourself and the world. Its impact permeates your sleep, unleashes an overwhelming flood of uncontrollable emotions, and instills a pervasive feeling of being at the mercy of unseen forces. As a coping mechanism, trauma often propels you towards avoidance, leading you to avoid the people, places, and activities that once brought you joy, all in a desperate bid to evade the clutches of fear. It can even plunge you into emotional numbness or detachment, severing your connection with your own emotions and bodily sensations. It’s important to remember that trauma reactions are a natural response to an extraordinarily abnormal situation. It’s not your fault.
“What we don’t need in the midst of struggle is shame for being human.”
-Brene Brown
Trauma is often associated with major events that involve life-threatening situations, severe abuse, or violent encounters. However, we often overlook the fact that trauma can also stem from less dramatic experiences, which still evoke fear, distress, and a sense of insecurity. These events may arise from a single event, prolonged and ongoing situations, or the cumulative effect of multiple traumas that persist throughout a person’s life.
“Of all the things trauma takes away from us, the worst is our willingness, or even our ability to be vulnerable.”
–Brene Brown
Trauma is not solely determined by the nature of an incident, but rather by how that incident affects an individual. What might be traumatic for one person may not have the same impact on someone else. This doesn’t diminish the traumatic nature of an experience; it simply acknowledges that each person’s perception and response to it can differ. Emotional trauma can be just as profound as physical trauma and elicit similar reactions. Moreover, it is possible for someone to undergo a traumatic event without an immediate response, with fear and anxiety reappearing, seemingly out of nowhere. Regardless of the specific experience, the struggle to cope with these encounters is equally valid and deserving of compassion and respect.
Unaddressed trauma can have far-reaching consequences on various aspects of one’s life. It can create challenges in maintaining healthy relationships, hinder the ability to connect with and experience emotions, and result in overwhelming and seemingly uncontrollable emotional responses. Such experiences can lead to difficulties in forming and sustaining meaningful connections with others, a tendency to avoid engaging fully in life’s activities, impulsive decision-making, and a reliance on addictive behaviors to cope with intense emotions. Additionally, trauma can foster self-disdain, self-blame, and an overwhelming sense of shame. It may manifest physically as bodily discomfort, chronic pain, unexplained ailments, and an increased susceptibility to health issues such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. When the body remains in a constant state of alertness due to the trauma’s lingering effects, it struggles to prioritize self-care and the healing process. Moreover, trauma can impact the development of the brain, leading to diminished memory capacity and difficulties in forming new memories.
The pain of trauma can be overwhelming, and your strength in surviving is truly remarkable. I deeply respect and acknowledge your journey through this hardship. Now, together, let’s move from surviving to thriving.