healing from life’s betrayals
Trauma Work
it wasn’t supposed to be this way
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” – Genesis 50:20 NIV
How do I know if it’s trauma? At times we struggle with acknowledging trauma because of the difficulty we have in defining what “qualifies” as a traumatic experience. We can even further complicate things with an internal dialogue that says “It’s nothing, I’m fine” or “That was a long time ago, I should be over that by now.”
A broad definition of trauma would be the response to an emotionally distressing experience that leaves a significant impact on our ability to function either immediately or long term. This can come in the form of a single life threatening event or a pattern of distressing events that have accumulated to the point of dysfunction; such as growing up with emotionally unhealthy parents, experiencing poverty or oppression, multiple losses of loved ones or enduring years of physical or sexual abuse.
trauma-trained for greenbrier
What might happen if I don’t do anything?
Avoidance is our primary mode of coping with life in general. It can come in the form of over sleeping, isolation from others, excessive use of humor during conversations, and/or denial or refusal to acknowledge. While it is healthy to want to move forward from traumatic experiences, suppression or unhealthy avoidance can actually increase our symptoms and overall anxiety because it significantly limits our ability to cope with our surroundings.
At SALT, our compassionate and trauma trained therapists are here to walk beside you through the journey. You will learn more about the emotional and biological impact of trauma, and gain tools individualized for your needs to better navigate, reconnect and experience personal growth from the story you once felt stuck in.
“I’ve been given the tools to gain back control of my life. I feel more stable and well rounded than ever before.”
Common Responses & Symptoms of Trauma:
Anger
Fear
Sadness
Embarrassment
Guilt and shame
Denial
Racing heart
Nausea
Gastrointestinal (GI) Issues
Headaches and sore muscles
Feelings of dizziness
Brain fog
How Impairment Manifests:
Changes in sleep routine and quality of sleep – insomnia, nightmares, hypersomnia, etc.)
Strained relationships or increased disconnect overall
Emotional outburst and difficulty managing moods
Impaired functioning to complete tasks at work or school
“I’ve been given the tools to gain back control of my life. I feel more stable and well rounded than ever before.”
turning the page to heal can be scary