What is “trauma”?
There are lots of ways that trauma gets defined. For the purpose of my work, trauma is something that has negatively impacted the way you see yourself, others, or the world around you.
When we experience something truly terrible to us, the brain holds on to that experience and does not process it in the way normal experiences or memories get processed. The brain preserves that experience in an effort to ensure future safety, however the result is often the opposite, and can result in long-term discomfort and problems for the individual.
Trauma treatment allows the brain to process and integrate that terrible experience, thus allowing the brain to move past it and let go of the discomfort and associated problems.
Trauma can present with any of these (and more)
Feeling disconnected, difficulty feeling alive or being present
Difficulty trusting others or trusting oneself
Intrusive or ruminating thoughts of the experience
Taking responsibility for things even when they are not directly linked to you (shame)
Sudden sweating, and/or heart palpitations, and/or racing heart
Changes in sleep patterns, disruption of REM sleep cycles
Being easily upset or startled, anxiety, hypervigilance
Difficulty concentrating or focusing
Emotional swings, or feeling out of control of one’s emotions
Re-occurring/ repeating narrative of life or experiences that typically are self-shaming, hopeless, and unchanging
Intolerance of others or yourself
Self-harm or other dangerous behaviors
Believing that there is something wrong with you.
Depression
(adapted from Megan McQuary, LCSW, ACADC, CCTP-II, EMDR-C 2022)