Trauma
by Vicki Childs, Reg Counsellor, Clinical Hypnotherapist.
Most people have experienced some form of trauma in their lives. Few of us get by unscathed.
Trauma is often defined as any single, ongoing, or cumulative distressing event that overwhelms our capacity to cope.
The causes and triggers of trauma are diverse and different for every individual. What may be considered traumatic for one person, may be something quite normal for another. Trauma is very much a personal response.
Below are the types of trauma we identify and work with as your therapist:
Acute Trauma
Complex Trauma
System Induced Trauma
Vicarious Trauma
Compassion Fatigue
Insidious or Historical Trauma
Epigenetic Trauma
*Not an exhaustive list, but the main culprits
When we are highly stressed or in situation that is unfamiliar and scary our limbic system sets off an alarm bell signalling danger. Our brains then release cortisol to help us feel and stay safe by using our Fight/Flight/Freeze/Face/Fawn instincts.
At this time, we either Engage (fight/face) or Disengage (flight/freeze).
Understanding your trauma and the why of how it makes you feel and react is the first step in the therapeutic journey.
Trauma may affect the following parts of your life;
Physical Health
Mental Health
Social Life
Relationships
Belief Systems
Executive Functioning
Learning and Memory Retention
Thankfully, there are ways we can regulate our responses and bring a dysregulated mind back to calm/regulation.
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