Trauma Counseling
What Is Trauma?
“Trauma” means “wound” or “injury” in Greek and results when an event occurs that creates extreme stress in the body and mind. Most people think of trauma as the big “T” traumas that are life threatening like war, natural disaster, or rape. Other traumas are ongoing stressors like having been abused as a child, witnessing domestic violence, growing up in an alcoholic family system, or growing up with a caregiver with a mental illness. Some people who have been traumatized don’t identify as such, but if asked if something continues to disturb them can site numerous examples. These little “t” traumas are the more subtle and common life events such as losing a job, a breakup, death of a pet, and marital and parenting difficulties that I spend most of my time helping people with. In fact, these ordinary traumas of the human condition can be more problematic because they are harder to recognize and can build up becoming chronic.
Shock and denial are typical immediate reactions to a trauma. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea. Often there is an attempt to avoid disturbing thoughts, feelings, and sensations related to the trauma by avoiding situations and people that trigger fear and anxiety. Some people attempt to manage trauma symptoms through addictive, compulsive, and obsessive behaviors. Unfortunately these normal reactions prevent living a full, engaged life by constricting engagement with life and limiting experiences of pleasure and joy. Many people become stuck and have difficulty moving on with their lives.
“To understand trauma, we must make the shift from asking “What’s the matter with you?” to “What happened to you?””
- Bruce D. Perry, MD
Do You Experience Any Of The Following…
Live in a state of constant fear or anxiety?
Have strong emotional reactions to events and people that seem out of proportion to the situation?
Find yourself reliving traumatic experiences from the past?
Feel numb, disconnected, or shut down?
Have nightmares?
Have excessive shame or guilt?
Excessively blaming yourself or others?
Living in a persistent negative emotional state?
Find yourself hypervigilant or constantly on-guard?
Have difficulty falling or staying asleep?
Suffer from chronic health problems?
If you answered yes to two or more of the above then you might benefit from trauma therapy. The good news is that trauma can be resolved. Although the past cannot be changed, we can grow and heal.
What Is Posttraumatic Stress?
Posttraumatic stress is a natural response to trauma and includes intrusive memories, anxiety, terror, or depression, nightmares, flashbacks, sleep disturbances, difficulty controlling emotions, or numbness. Trauma results when an event or disturbing life experience occurs that a person finds too overwhelming to process at the time. It is any distressing experience that creates extreme stress in the body and mind. Trauma symptoms cause significant distress and interfere with intimate relationships, work, and quality of life. Effects can be long lasting and debilitating.
“To heal is to touch with love that which we previously touched with fear.”
- Stephen Levine
My Approach To Trauma Treatment
The good news is that it is possible to heal from trauma. Although trauma recovery is complex and often challenging, with commitment, the right kind of support, and an accurate assessment of your particular needs it is possible. Over 30 years’ experience has shown me that therapy must directly access the somatically held effects of trauma. Since trauma effects us on three levels healing requires an approach that addresses the cognitive (thoughts), emotional (feelings), and somatic (body sensations) aspects of traumatic experiences.
