TRAUMA AND TREATMENT
What do you do if you suspect or know you have been effected by trauma, perhaps have PTSD, and wonder what treatments will help?
You want relief and would like these horrid feelings to go away! They interfere with your life, stumbling up against the same obstacles over and over again.
Traumas are often hard to talk about. Some people feel ashamed that they can’t seem to handle what happened, others want to hide or pretend it didn’t happen, some folks are blustery and angry, and a few people like to wear it on their shirt sleeves for all to see how they have suffered. They are natural and normal.
At the root of all reactions is deep pain and hurt.
WHERE DOES TRAUMA ORIGINATE?
Trauma and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are words that have become so common in our world today. They evoke images of natural and man-made disasters: hurricanes, wars, earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, terrorists, accidents, illnesses, surgery, loss of a loved one. These are all examples of the big “T” traumas.
However, trauma also exists from small “t” traumas; witnessing a parent being abused by the other parent, losing a job, seeing an accident scene, experiencing a home invasion, being regularly bullied as a child are all examples of small t traumas.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED?
The affect on a person from witnessing or experiencing trauma is highly individualized. Not everyone who experiences one of these events is traumatized. However, others are greatly influenced by the events. There is no shame in admitting you are one of the people who have been greatly affected by the horror.
The bigger problem is trying to stuff it down, not seeking treatment, and passing it off as unremarkable. You are then doing yourself a huge disservice. The trauma haunts you throughout the rest of your life. Many types of problems can occur. Getting hooked on substances is often one of them. Relationships fumble, fail, or are in turmoil. The list could go on.
COMMON TRAUMA AND PTSD SYMPTOMS
Some of the most common post-traumatic stress effects are:
- persistent and unresolved behavioral problems such as sudden rage or temper tantrums
- anxiety, persistent fears, tension, stress (see also Anxiety link under the Resources page)
- nightmares, recurrent bad dreams, sleep disorders
- flashbacks, usually to violent scenes
- inability to relax both your mind and your body
- loss of memory, inability to concentrate
- unexplained phobias, fears
- avoiding certain places, people, or thoughts that interfere with your daily functioning
- relying on substances or behaviors to kill the pain of remembering
On the other hand, perhaps your life just isn’t on course and you have intermittent times when you are frightened or worried or unsure of yourself. This could be the result of some trauma. There are other causes for these feelings.
DO I HAVE PTS OR PTSD?
The term PTSD is rather commonly used in today’s language. To fit the accurate description of PTSD, certain criteria must be met. A great number of people do not have PTSD but rather have PTS, meaning they suffer from post traumatic stress but do not meet the rigorous criteria for PTSD. Whether PTSD or PTS, the agony of living with the effect the trauma had on you is vivid and miserable.
TRAUMA TREATMENT
Your body holds the trauma. This is absolutely essential for you to know. Trauma is not a mind problem. It cannot be released logically. If that was the case, you would have long ago gotten rid of the trauma. It must be released using the body.
That is why using hypnotherapy or somatic experiencing to release the trauma are so essential to healing. Using hypnotherapy, you experience both body and emotional release, calling on body, mind, and spirit to guide you to healing. The Wellness Institute, where I trained in hypnotherapy, has a good blog to read about treating trauma and PTSD with hypnotherapy. https://web.wellness-institute.org/blog/bid/258833/treating-ptsd-with-hypnotherapy
Medications alone are not the answer. Medications treat the symptoms, therapy gets at the cause. Although in some cases, medication is useful, more often therapy is the most helpful. Sometimes a person needs a combination of both.
HYPNOTHERAPY AS TREATMENT (available with in home therapy only)
I offer Heart-centered Hypnotherapy® and psychotherapy. Although I have been trained in using EMDR techniques, I much prefer using heart-centered therapy because it uses the holistic approach of mind-body-spirit. It most often works quite quickly, releasing trauma held in your body. Read more about Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy® on the hypnotherapy tab. https://kcounselingdenver.com/hypnotherapy/
HEART CENTERED HYPNOTHERAPY®
- Hypnotherapy occurs in a natural relaxed state
- It accelerates the process of healing
- It is particularly useful for traumas, abuse/neglect traumas and codependency
- Anyone can be hypnotized
- It releases the emotional component of traumas combined with physical (somatic) release, unshackling the flight, freeze or fight response to trauma
- It is a holistic avenue to healing by using mind, body, and spirit
Call to book an appointment today at 303-803-3127