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Trauma & PTSD

Experiencing a traumatic event can be overwhelming, leaving a lasting impact on your well-being. Whether caused by relationships with those who should prioritize our safety or other factors, trauma affects us emotionally, psychologically, and even physiologically.

Understanding the profound effects of trauma on our health is crucial, and therapy plays a vital role in untangling its impact. Check out the following resources to gain further insight into the intricate ways trauma impacts our well-being. Remember, seeking professional help is essential in overcoming trauma.

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What is Trauma?

Flashbacks

Trauma is stored in the brain differently than other memories. Sometimes, when we "remember" trauma, it's more like "re-experiencing" trauma. We can feel as if the trauma was happening again right now. We might see the same things, hear the same things, or even taste or smell the same things.

Dissociation

When we feel completely overwhelmed by stress or danger, our mind can try to protect us by "dissociating". Dissociation feel like being disconnected from yourself, other people, or the world around you. You see the world through a fog, lose track chunks of time, or have an out-of-body experience

Hypervigilance

When we survive something horrible, sometimes our brain tries to protect us by turning up the sensitivity on our "danger radar system" so we don't get hurt again. This makes us feel like we're always on edge, looking around every corner, or that it's only a matter of time before the other shoe drops.

Changed Beliefs

One way of defining trauma is "a big event that negatively changes the way we view ourselves, other people, and the world around us". In surviving trauma, we sometimes come out the other side with radical but persistent beliefs like "I am bad", "The world is completely dangerous", or "Everyone always leaves".

What Causes Trauma?

Trauma is caused by events that significantly overwhelm our perceived abilities to cope. Often, there a threat to the physical or emotional safety of ourselves or our loved ones. These big events have a dramatic impact on our body, brain, and nervous system.

Our brain's #1 goal is to keep us safe and alive. To do this, it has to learn what's dangerous and what's not. When we've survived a trauma, sometimes our brain tries to keep us safe by cranking up the sensitivity on our "danger radar" system. Our nervous system and sensory system become hyper-attuned to even the slightest indication of possible danger. Upon perceiving this possible danger signal, our brain then sets off a really big reaction: racing heart, tense muscles, sweating, or emotional numbness.

Our brain has forgotten how to tell when we're "safe" and when we're in danger. Trauma therapy is all about re-teaching the brain when we're safe and when we're not.

How Do We Heal From Trauma?

Safety

This is priority #1! In order to heal from trauma, we have to be out of trauma. This means our basic needs must be met: food, water, shelter, physical safety. The brain only perceives safety when the world around us is consistent and predictable. This is why priority #1 in trauma work is to put out fires and achieve stability.

Connection

We're social creatures. Often trauma occurs in the context of relationship and the symptoms of trauma usually disrupt our relationships with others. Healing also takes place in relationship: the therapeutic relationship. Our second priority is to establish trust, rapport, and a strong sense of connection between you and your therapist. Connection is key!

Bottom Up Coping

Coping with trauma is different than coping with other stressful things. We can't "think" our way out of trauma, we have to "act" our way into feeling better. Trauma coping skills engage the whole body and sensory system to regulate our emotional state and get the "thinking" part of our brain back online. Part of trauma work involves building a new tool kit to help us through crisis.

EMDR

Once we've established safety, connection, and some basic coping skills we can begin to address trauma directly. EMDR is a type of therapy that helps our brain remember that the past is over, we're safe, and that we don't need to be on "hyper-alert" all the time. This process can be painful, but tends to work significantly faster than "talk" therapy by itself.

Quick Coping Tip: TIP The Temperature

When we've been triggered, often our body temperature increases as anxiety and panic set in. We can utilize ice or cold water to activate the "dive response" in our body, shocking the nervous system just enough to begin calming down. Try holding an ice back over your eyes while holding your breath for 15-30 seconds. Notice how the heart rate and breath change.

How Can We Help?

Our therapist are trauma trained, experienced, and certified. We offer individual therapy, group therapy, and occupational therapy to engage you as a whole-person while you work towards healing.

Trauma by it's very definition is terrifying and overwhelming! Our therapists are ready to walk with you in the dark and guide you when you feel lost. You don't have to heal alone.

CONTACT US

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Address

112 S Maple St

Murfreesboro, TN, 37130

Phone

615-212-9141

Email

info@MindTheGapTN.com