Trauma & PTSD
Therapeutic Approach
“Only after letting down the load we carry,
do we realize the weight of the burden we held"
Jay Sutton
Whether the result of a single-event (Car Crash, Personal attack/assault, Rape, etc.), the cumulative effects of patterned repetition (abusive family/relationship life, attachment/abandonment struggles, vocational exposure, etc.), or some combination of both, the fact of the matter is, that each and every one of us is carrying,
and to some degree are influenced by, the effects of trauma.
As an EMDR therapist, I specialize in helping address these various kinds of trauma, as well as the maladaptive triggers and responses which typically accompany them. By cleaning out these "channels of effect", we often find the abiltity to live more fulfilling lives and enjoy more positive interactions.
To help determine whether or not I'd be a good fit in helping you pursue your therapeutic goals,
I invite you to book a FREE 15min consultation using the button below.
Looking forward to helping you heal, hope, and thrive!
Trauma Explained (very briefly)
What is Trauma?
How Trauma Occurs?
How Trauma Occurs?
Simply put, trauma is a word of Greek origin that means "wound". And while it's been used for generations to describe a physical hurt, in recent times we have come to understand, and attribute its use in a much broader sense; perhaps none more significant than surrounding mental health.
But while we each experience some degree of mental "wound" anytime we experience stressful, frightening or distressing events, trauma as it were, is typically reserved for describing the resulting effect of those situations and/or circumstances that carried such impact/influence they actually "overloaded" our autonomic nervous system (ANS); disrupting our neural networks to the point our whole being (physical, emotional, psychological) feels the repercussions long after the incident(s) occurred and the threat has passed, with the resulting effects being as varied as we are as individuals and can range from mild to severe.
How Trauma Occurs?
How Trauma Occurs?
How Trauma Occurs?
Trauma's indiscriminate nature dictates that there really isn't any substantive predictor of how one person will react to one particular stimulus over another, and shows no concern for the age, sex, race, creed etc., of its target; which makes it virtually impossible to anticipate the degree of effect it may exert in one over another, or even whether it will cause a reaction at all.
That being said, some of the more common methods through which adverse effects may arise would be by way of:
Direct action: Rape/abuse (sexual, physical, emotional or verbal); or the
Result of an event: (accident, explosion, war, or natural disaster).
As shown by the diagram above, it can also arise by way of cumulative effect of the person's life or environment (multiple moves, grief, neglect, divorce, parent incarceration,etc)
Effects of Trauma
How Trauma Occurs?
Effects of Trauma con't
As seen here, when functioning in a healthy manner, we typically operate within our "Window of Tolerance" where we're able to cope with the punches thrown at us. In this state we find ourself calm & alert, without feeling overly tired or anxious.
When experiencing the effects of a trauma, we can find ourselves instinctively thrust into various states of arousal ranging from Hyper -Arousal where we feel extremely anxious, angry, or even "out of control; right through to Hypo-Arousal which is often indicated by a feeling of numbness or "zoned-out", both emotionally and physically.
Effects of Trauma con't
Effects of Trauma con't
Effects of Trauma con't
Those having endured a persistent or prolonged series of traumatic events are at an elevated risk of spending more time "outside" their window of tolerance than they do within; which understandably can exert elevated stress(es) on their daily lives.
As indicated by the diagram above, the manifestation of its effects can be as varied as the factors contributing to its onset.
Some of the more common indicators however, can be:
Anhedonia
Chronic Pain / Headaches
Dissociation
Eating Disorders
Insomnia
Nightmares / Flashbacks
Panic Attacks
Shame / Self-Hatred
Substance Abuse, etc.
Trauma Responses
Effects of Trauma con't
Trauma Responses con't
In response to various stimulus, there is 5 typical postures one may adopt. They are:
Fight - The fight response is typically exhibited by narcissistic behaviours, which can include bullying and fits of rage.
Flight - As a means of avoidance, the flight response tends to be exhibited by acts of "perfectionism", and can also be displayed through addiction, eating disorders and excessive busyness.
Complimentary to this (if we can call it that) is the idea of Fawn - an alternate means of avoidance, fawn dominant personalities will typical resort to being people-pleasing and co-dependent, often repressing themselves as a means of avoiding conflict and mitigating the risk of further trauma
Trauma Responses con't
Effects of Trauma con't
Trauma Responses con't
Freeze - Because our ANS doesn't rely on one sole method for body responses, at times, the system can arrive at a reactionary stalemate which has two or more responses competing for control; the result of which is freeze, which can lead to immobilisation, dissociation, and possible shutdown.
Closing out the 5 is Flop - an extension of freeze, that can end up with the individual going limp, losing physical control of their body altogether, and in some cases fainting
And while each of us invariably has a bit of a "default" method of response to a traumatic stimulus, we certainly can be susceptible to any or all of them depending on state of mind and personal traits/characteristics.
This is where EMDR can help!
EMDR & Trauma
What is EMDR?
Processing a Traumatic Event
Normal Brain Functioning
EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, auditory signals etc.), designed specifically to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain which allows the brain to resume its natural healing process.
The results of which often bring a reduction in the vividness of the memories as well as the emotion response (trigger) associated with the trapped stimulous.
Normal Brain Functioning
Processing a Traumatic Event
Normal Brain Functioning
Naturally, our brain plays a vital role in our daily functioning. From orchestrating our core bodily functions and regulating our thoughts and emotions, right up to ensuring our safety and survival by way of its perception and sensing capabilities, there isn't much that goes on in our lives that the brain isn't involved with in some way, shape or form.
And when things are operating "normally" the brain is able to recognize, process, and largely discard much of the "input" it receives, storing only the parts and pieces deemed necessary for survival and effective functioning.
Processing a Traumatic Event
Processing a Traumatic Event
Processing a Traumatic Event
As mentioned in the trauma explained section above, a traumatic event "overloads" the ANS and interrupts the normal processing of information.
And because the brain must continue to monitor and process the constant flow of input information, it simply doesn't have the time, nor the resources to stop and evaluate what exactly has transpired and what the specific danger of the event/situation is.
As such, it effectively takes a "snapshot" of the event as a whole and segregates it for processing at a later date.
How we Become "Stuck"
How we Become "Stuck"
Processing a Traumatic Event
Unfortunately, most of us never really give our brain the opportunity to adaptively process the information contained in these "stored" images because of our desire to continally "do"; and thus the brain is all but forced to keep this images separated in an effort to maintain its ability to trudge on through the constant bombardment of "new" information coming its way.
And while this is beneficial for our continued functioning in the moment, it is also harmful in the fact that this is the place where our trauma struggles begin because the brain doesn't have the capacity to delineate time, but rather simply reacts to given stimuli.
This is how triggers are formed
Triggers
How we Become "Stuck"
A "New" You!
When our brain encounters a "present-day" stimulus that is either representative of something in the stored image(s), or a direct replica of it, our neural receptors react as before, and our mind and body is once again flooded with the sights, sounds, and reactions of the original event(s) even though there may not be any present danger to us or our well-being.
As highlighted in the effects of trauma section above, you can see that this can cause much distress in our ability to function in our daily lives, and can also exert many negative effects on our interactions with others; both professionally and personally.
But it's in these instances that EMDR is so effective!
A "New" You!
How we Become "Stuck"
A "New" You!
By creating a place where the brain can feel safe enough to be able to relax, a skilled professional is able to facilitate an individual experiencing the negative effects of a traumatic event(s) through the 8 steps of the EMDR procedure.
Within the confines of the process, the brain is afforded the time, and ability, to focus on these stored images and effectively "crop-out" anything that is no longer useful, and subsequently process anything that is viable and beneficial going forward; allowing for the normal healing process to resume.
The result of this is an adaptively stored memory without the emotional/sensational charge associated with it. So not only does this provide a huge relief for those who've been effectively "pinned-down" by its trappings, but it allows the individual the opportunity to live free from its effects going forward!
Reach out and start your journey today!