Dealing with Trauma

Trauma is very common, and can take many forms. For those who have experienced severe trauma, many times a diagnosis of PTSD is appropriate. 

Trauma happens due to a fearful or threatening event. This could be some act of violence, a car accident, an act of God such as a hurricane or tornado, or any situation in which you feel threatened in your bodily safety. 

How could one know if he or she has been traumatized? Some of the common symptoms of trauma are…

• Experiencing intrusive, negative thoughts about a certain event. These are thoughts that show up frequently, and they are unwanted. Yet they come into your mind and one can feel powerless against them

• Having nightmares. Nightmares happen when someone has been through a traumatic event.

• Feeling hypervigilant. This would mean that you feel “hyper-alert” to possible threats around you. Maybe you are looking over your shoulder, or waiting for something troubling to happen.

• Experiencing an exaggerated startle response. This could happen when something minor occurs, but your mind and body experience it much more dramatically. 

• Avoidance of particular places or things that remind you of a traumatic event

• Having a deep shift in moods, such as anxiety, depression, and outbursts of anger.

• Feeling emotionally numb

• Feeling a sense of detachment from people

Our reaction to a traumatizing event is usually one of three things: fight, flight, or freeze. You would either feel the need to fight, to run, or simply feel so fearful that you would be literally immobilized. Many people feel this “freeze” sensation whenever a threat is perceived.

How does one address traumatic events? How could one finally begin to feel some peace instead of turmoil?

I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) to address trauma. These two approaches, used together, will help you identify negative and toxic thoughts, challenge them, and replace them with positive, accurate thoughts. You will be empowered to deal with these negative thoughts, and stop them from causing pain, fear, anxiety, and phobias. Using EMDR, I will help you to reprocess painful memories through an approach called bilateral stimulation, using your eye movements to help you target a traumatic memory. 

If you are experiencing trauma, I am here to help. Feel free to inquire about these powerful approaches to reducing trauma.