What Is Trauma Therapy for PTSD?
I say these words so often I forget they are a mystery to many. It sounds fairly scary and honestly, at times, it certainly is. Let’s first examine the definition of trauma before moving into the world of what it means to heal from it through therapy. Since you could read a definition on Wikipedia of trauma, here is my simple one.
Trauma sucks. It hurts and it sucks. Trauma is inevitable for all human beings, but suffering does not have to be a part of the equation. Trauma is something our brains and bodies have not learned to process; it’s an unwanted visitor demanding all of our attention and we simply have none left to spare. It hijacks our nervous systems so strongly; it often manifests life-challenging symptoms and disorders such as PTSD.
What is PTSD?
PTSD stands for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. This disorder is common for anyone, but just because you have been traumatized, does not mean you will experience PTSD. PTSD must include various symptoms such as re-experiencing the trauma though nightmares and flashbacks or avoiding the trauma through feeling disconnected and disassociated to name just a few. These symptoms are not choices, just like the trauma experienced was not of your choosing. Trauma impacts every single aspect of our lives; our connection with ourselves, our bodies, our various relationships, and the world around us. Whether it’s a car accident, losing someone we love, a divorce, being psychically, sexually or verbally abused, trauma does not discriminate. It impacts us all.
The good news?
There’s a cure. And it is called therapy. Trauma focused therapy has been proven time and time again to help us reconnect with all which was once lost during or after the traumatic event occurred. I want to describe what I mean by cure. Therapy is not like a pill that makes all of the pain disappear. It is more like a weekly massage; bringing awareness and intention to the places that hurt and slowly, safely working it out of our being.
Trauma therapists skilled in their knowledge of trauma’s impact on one’s whole self, help the survivor first understand their symptoms and then find tools and skills to decrease and hopefully, eliminate them; like finding the knot in our muscle and targeting it with treatment for release. Doing trauma therapy is vulnerable and very brave. Being in the role of trauma therapist, I have witnessed this bravery take place before my very eyes and let me tell you, it is beautiful. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.