This is one of the ways that our bodies are designed to keep us safe by alerting us to situations that are similar to previous traumatic events.
And while in theory, this should be useful in practice, it can actually be really distressing and debilitating for individuals who experience post traumatic stress.
If we look at any situation where we contract against life; if that contraction doesn’t come back to completion, expanding back to stable equilibrium, that contraction is a trauma and then later in life we will re-contract in the same situation over and over again. This can lead to forming addictions, toxic relationships etc as we strive to find ways to make life feel manageable.
Many people who have experienced stress or trauma may not really be connected with their body sensations and so talking, replaying the story, is often the thing that happens to avoid feeling those sensations or even being aware of them.
To help people manage this distress I have expanded my services to include Trauma Therapy using a somatic embodied approach to help clients to start to get in touch with their body’s cues and sensations. Working with the whole body we can find the root cause of the presenting symptoms. The actual root system of trauma is in the body.
“Trauma is anything that puts our nervous system into a state of overwhelm.”
Some of the symptoms of Trauma can be:
Intrusive and/or worrying thoughts
Denial, disbelief, or shock
Overwhelming fear
Difficulty sleeping
Panic attacks
Obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviours
Feeling sad, hopeless, or helpless
Confusion, disorientation, poor focus, or difficulty concentrating
Racing heart rate, difficult breathing, nausea, muscle tension
Irritability, agitation, or mood swings
Social isolation or withdrawal
Changes in eating patterns
Feeling disconnected, numb, or dissociated
Negative outlook of the world or of self
Use of substances to numb
By going through the healing journey and healing ourselves we are able to live more consciously and create a better future for ourselves, or families and generations to come.
If trauma is something that is affecting your daily life, find out more about the healing journey here.