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Trauma

What is it? 

Trauma refers to experiences that overwhelm your ability to cope, often leaving a lasting impact on how you feel, think, and relate to others. Trauma is not defined only by the event itself, but by how it is experienced and held in the body and mind. It can show up as heightened anxiety, emotional reactivity, numbness, or difficulty feeling safe in relationships.

Symptoms of Trauma

Many people will experience some form of “trauma” in their lives, but not all people experience trauma in the same way. What may be a difficult event for one person, may be deeply traumatic for another. What makes a difficult event clinically traumatizing is when it negatively impacts your ability to function at work/school and socially, as well as personally with your thoughts, sensations, and emotions. Typical symptoms of trauma include:

  • Difficulty focusing

  • Increased anxiety

  • Increased hypervigilance

  • Increased irritability or easily frustrated

  • Depressed mood

  • Inability to regulate emotions

  • Avoidance of people, places, activities, feelings/memories or things that remind one of the traumatic event(s)

  • Difficulty with sleeping (too much or too little, quality of sleep is lowered)

  • Frequent and distressing dreams/nightmares about the event(s)

  • Adverse or unwanted reactions/behaviors if experiencing reminders of the event(s)

  • Consistent and disturbing flashbacks or memories of the event(s)

  • Feeling detached from one’s self or feeling detached from reality 

  • Increased use of substances to help avoid feelings, memories, etc. from the event(s)

  • Inability to remember details or whole episodes of the event(s)

Treatment

Trauma can be layered and complex when navigating care for it. Having professional assistance is a powerful resource to not just alleviate symptoms, but understand trauma's complexity on the human mind and body. Treatment may include:

  • Trauma-informed therapy focused on safety and pacing (i.e. EMDR, Interpersonal Therapy).

  • Identifying and understanding emotional and relational patterns

  • Building regulation skills and body awareness via mindfulness skills

  • Processing experiences in a way that feels manageable and empowering like journaling

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Therapy creates space to make sense of what has happened, reduce distress, and move toward a greater sense of stability and connection. Having a professional guide you on the best combination of skills and treatment can lead to effective change and management of trauma. Specific therapists who specialize with trauma concerns are Kylene, Dr. Sherd, and Susan. 

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