What is Trauma
And how do we treat it?
Painful experiences can leave lasting impacts—even if we didn’t realize how painful they were at the time.
The best definition of trauma is anything our brain is not prepared to handle and exceeds our ability to cope with at the time.
Trauma is not always what you think. Most people think of trauma as something horrific. Traumatic experiences often entail a threat to life or overall well-being, but any situation that leaves a person feeling overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but how we experience the event. The more anxious, paralyzed, or hurt a person feels during the experience, the more likely they are to encounter long-term effects from the trauma. Also, whether or not there was support available at the time to process the trauma will determine how it impacts the person throughout their life.
Trauma doesn’t need to be a single event. It can build up over time. Complex Trauma can develop from lack of secure attachment, instability in the home, neglect, abandonment, criticism, grief or loss.
Something isn’t quite right…
Perhaps when life is good you feel fine, but as soon as something tips the balance you might have memories that interrupt your day and bring back the physical sensations, thoughts, or flashbacks of what you experienced.
You might notice depression and feeling slowed down, losing interest in things that usually matter to you.
You might experience panic or anxiety keeping you overly alert, having trouble sleeping or concentrating, and feeling on edge in social settings.
Maybe your mind is going all the time and you find yourself repeatedly replaying interactions, wondering what you did wrong or what people are thinking about you.
Or you might feel disconnected from your friends and family, and unable to explain what you’re feeling or what is wrong.
You may find yourself wanting to get back to “normal,” but no longer know what normal is for you.
No matter what you do, you can't seem to make the sadness and pain go away. It's like there's this voice inside your head that never stops whispering that you're not good enough.
These are all common responses to trauma.
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You might tell yourself, “I should be over this by now” or “This shouldn’t impact me so much!”
But trauma affects our minds and bodies in ways that don’t just go away with time.
How do we treat trauma?
With trauma, traditional talk therapy approaches are often not enough. Talk therapy may provide some relief but it can be harder to heal the root of the trauma. Many clients report that they’ve been in therapy for years and still aren’t seeing the results they want.
If you’ve tried other types of therapy in the past, it may be time to consider more specialized trauma therapy.
Specialized Trauma Treatment Modalities I use:
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An evidenced-based, non-judgmental approach, IFS helps to reconcile our internal struggles, quiet our critical inner voices, and to hear the wise parts of ourselves that sometimes feel far away.
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A leading Trauma Treatment, EMDR stimulates the brain to better understand and process trauma which helps clients perceive disturbing memories and thoughts in a less distressful way.
Starting therapy, especially to heal trauma, can feel overwhelming & difficult. But you don’t have to do it alone.
Our Promise
At Spring Lake Counseling we promise to be there for you every step of your journey. Our goal is to help you grow from your struggles, heal from your pain, and move forward to where you want to be in your life. If for some reason, we are unable to provide you with the services you need, we will gladly refer you to a better fit.