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 handle at the time.
Trauma is not always what you think. Most people think of trauma as something horrific, such as 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, trapped, or hurt a person feels during the event, the more likely they are to encounter long-term effects from the trauma. The level of support available at the time also contributes to how it impacts the person throughout their life.
Trauma doesn’t need to be a single event. Complex Trauma is a wide spread phenomena that can develop over time from a lack of secure attachment, instability in the home, neglect, abandonment, grief or loss.
Perhaps when life is good you feel fine. But when something unexpectedly tips the balance…
You feel flooded with old memories that interrupt your day.
You notice depression, heaviness and losing interest in things that usually matter to you.
You experience panic or anxiety and feel on edge in social situations.
You have trouble sleeping or find it difficult to concentrate.
Maybe your mind is going all the time and you find yourself repeatedly replaying interactions, wondering what people are thinking about you.
Or you feel disconnected from your friends and family and are 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.
Through trauma therapy, you can expect to:
Develop a greater sense of self-awareness and self-compassion
Process and release traumatic memories and emotions
Learn effective coping strategies for managing symptoms
Improve relationships and communication with others
Reconnect with a sense of safety and hope for the future
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.