Trauma Counselling Comox Valley
June 27, 2023
Trauma and Trauma Counselling
Trauma is part of the human experience. Traumatic experiences include abuse, neglect, witnessing violence, natural disasters, and accidents. Traumatic experiences can profoundly affect physical and mental health and may lead to PTSD and cPTSD.
Trauma Counselling and The Need for Holistic Treatment
PTSD can develop after a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. PTSD symptoms include intrusive and distressing memories of traumatic events, and sufferers of PTSD tend to avoid places and events that may trigger memories of these events. PTSD sufferers also experience negative mood changes and feelings of detachment or estrangement from others.
Complex trauma occurs from prolonged or repeated trauma and may include multiple types of trauma. Those who suffer from complex trauma can experience emotional flashbacks, and the impacts of complex trauma can affect the individual’s brain development, physical and mental health.
Healing is possible for individuals experiencing childhood trauma, PTSD or cPTSD. One approach to dealing with PSTD or cPTSD is trauma therapy. Trauma therapy intends to assist individuals in processing their traumatic experiences, managing the symptoms, and developing coping strategies.
Trauma-informed care is an important consideration when receiving treatment. Trauma-informed care simply means your caregiver recognizes the impact trauma has had on you and works in a non-judgemental empowering way centred around your needs and strengths. Trauma-informed care is provided in a way that prevents the client from being triggered and re-traumatized.
In ‘The Body Keeps the Score’ Bessel Van der Kolk suggests that traumatized people turn to numbing their awareness of what is occurring inside. We end up pushing away distressing memories, feelings, and beliefs. Pushing or locking away emotions and memories protects us from trauma distress, but ultimately these parts of ourselves are looking for expression and healing. By engaging in therapy, we can become aware of the real feelings underneath our behaviour and experience, learn how to express those feelings, and bring healing to the exiled parts of our lives.
Numbing and avoiding are normal reactions to traumatic events. Sometimes, numbing and avoiding are all we have to get through the most challenging events of our lives. Part of my approach to healing our traumatized parts involves appreciating how we coped with the sometimes unbearable experiences that impact us. Sometimes we feel emotions and reactions in our body before we can give rational expression to them.
If it makes sense for you right now, just take a moment to locate the part of you that helped you get through, the part of you that helped you survive. Where do you feel it? In your stomach? Your chest? Maybe your neck? Just notice this part of you and let it know in whatever way makes sense that you are thankful and appreciate that it helped you cope and survive. What does that feel like? My guess is that it feels like a bit of relief for you. A part of you that has been neglected for a long time is being seen and heard.
The first steps in dealing with trauma, and accessing trauma counselling or therapy can be difficult and emotional. The good news is that you have already accessed the courage and bravery to take the first step. Admitting that we experienced trauma and accepting that it happened is important and helps us to realize that we aren’t alone and help is available. Trauma counselling is helpful in the journey of healing from trauma. Therapy can provide tools and support to process traumatic experiences, manage symptoms, and develop coping strategies. As you progress through therapy, you can expect to experience self-compassion and healing for your wounded parts, leading to a more fulfilling, compassionate-filled life.
If you are looking for a trauma counselling in Comox Valley, I provide a safe space where you will experience empathy and, even more importantly, self-compassion. My approach is gentle, trauma-informed, and tailored to each individual’s needs.
