So what is Trauma? We hear that word floating around a lot today and it can be hard to understand what exactly trauma IS. The most basic definition of trauma is any event that overwhelms our ability to cope. Sounds pretty broad, huh? Well it gets a little more complicated. Trauma affects people differently. So an event that overwhelms one person may not bother another person to the same degree. So trauma is subjective. Usually when we think of trauma we think of things like severe accidents, violence, disasters. But ultimately, trauma is anything that causes high levels of stress or makes a person feel intensely afraid, helpless, or lacking control. Or a combination of all three.
After a traumatic experience, you might feel a number of upsetting emotions and body sensations as your nervous system attempts to cope and regulate. You might feel tense or jittery, struggle with sleep issues, get angry or sad more readily, or avoid people, places and things that remind you of the event. You might have recurring unpleasant memories or physical discomfort that comes and goes. Detachment or emotional numbness at times is common too. All of these responses are very normal and part of the recovery process. For many people, recovery from a single traumatic event happens on its own, and they build what we call "traumatic resilience" - that is, an increased flexibility and strength in the face of adverse events.
But for others, the trauma gets "stuck" and our brains are unable to process the event, and our symptoms stay the same or get worse over time. Moreover, reported exposure to traumatic events can create what we call Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) such as in cases of child abuse, military service, domestic violence, and narcissistic abuse.
The good news is we can work with our trauma, with our brains and with our bodies and come back to a place of flexibility, joy and ease.
I focus on helping you feel safe again, connected to others, and re-empowered. By gradually facing the difficult emotions, and witnessing your suffering with compassion and empathy, we take the first steps towards restoring your sense of safety. Once you have enough of a solid base to tolerate the distress of your past, we use EMDR to reprocess these memories and leave the past peacefully and lovingly where it belongs.
For more on EMDR, click here.
Comments