Trauma: What the hell is it?
Maybe when you think about traumatic experiences you think of sexual assault, abuse, or witnessing something horrific. While these are traumatic, there are so many more experiences that can be characterized as traumatic for a person.
What causes trauma?
None of us escape childhood without some scars.
This is because parents are human and likely passed on patterns from their childhood. You have a few choices now. First, you can deny these scars. Or, you could mast them with perfectionism and surpass your goals at work. You also have the option of staying busy. Another option is numbing with your “drug” of choice. Or, you can choose to acknowledge those scars and choose to do things differently. If you are feeling stuck, my job is to sit with you in that “stuckness.” I’ll help walk with you towards the light, towards hope, towards a different path.
In my humble opinion, “survivor” doesn’t quite cut it for me as a good word to describe someone who has experienced trauma. I prefer the term WARRIORS.
An amazing follow on Instagram, @Laurenlearnslife once posted about this and I felt like it made so much sense. The word, WARRIOR, fits so much better because you have been through your own war.
Whether that war was your childhood, later on in life, or now. You have survived but at what cost.
You have been trying to put your past behind you but it just keeps coming up again and again. No matter how much you try to forget about it, it always resurfaces. It’s possible that you haven’t connected the dots yet on how your past is encroaching on your present. You just know you have never felt safe in any relationship. You struggle to feel any emotions and walk around numb. It’s like you are watching your life happen and not actually living it. To learn more about the lasting impacts trauma can have, visit this site!
What You’re Feeling Before Trauma Therapy
You walk around tense, so damn tense that when you lay down at night it feels like you have run a marathon you are so sore.
It is difficult for you to fully trust others. Yet, you struggle with saying no. This often leaves you feel resentful. You are always on the giving end never the receiving.
The voice in your head is often mean and cruel. The words you speak to yourself, you would never say out loud to another human being. You desperately want to leave your past in the past. But images, feelings, sensations, and memories pop up in your head at the worst times. They always throw you for a loop.
What You’ll Feel After Online Trauma Therapy in Texas
All seems lost except for one single word. Hope. Somehow, someway you have held on to this, clung to it even. You know how I know this because you are still here.
Breathing. Clinging.
You can heal and shift those patterns that no longer serve you.
Imagine living a life where you feel safe in your own body and eventually in relationships. Where you enjoy the happy moments in your life instead of being hijacked by this sense of fear that it won’t last. Where you actually feel love and embrace being loved.
You sleep nightmare free. You are able to look yourself in the mirror and see someone who is worthy of love and belonging. Your inner voice is kind and something you can depend on. You are living not just surviving.
A life with hopes, dreams, happiness, trust, vulnerability, bravery, courage, and compassion.
What is Trauma Treatment?
I am not going to lie to you, trauma therapy is tough. Healing hurts.
You know the saying there is no way around, only through. This is the work of trauma treatment.
We have to focus somewhat on the past to help you start living in the present. I can completely understand why people are hesitant and resistant to open Pandora’s box. I hear things like “that is in the past, why would I want to go back there” or “the past is in the past, let’s just keep it there” or my personal favorite, “so my parents were a little mean, none of that affects me now”.
The Journey of Trauma Therapy
It may affect you more than you know. Know that not everyone has to go back into their past in order to move forward. I will only focus on the past if I feel it is intruding on how you live your life in the present.
If you are unsure if this is you, feel free to set up an initial consultation with me. We can talk things through and figure it out together.
Before we really delve into talking about the trauma, I want to make sure you are safe to proceed. I will never ever throw you into the deep end without a life jacket.
This doesn’t mean it won’t be hard to talk about the trauma or feel uncomfortable. But I want to make sure you can safely stay in the room with me mentally. I also want you to be able to tolerate the strong emotions of thinking about and talking about your trauma. This is my number one priority.
If you are not able to do that (which is 100% OKAY) we will focus on building up that lifejacket first.
How can online trauma treatment help?
- Find out about trauma and how it affects the brain which in turn affects everything.
- Learn how to regulate. How to ride the strong wave of emotions and focus on things you can control.
- Get in touch with your body. You will be able to notice when and where you are feeling tension and how to release it.
- Be able to notice your warning signs of when you are being triggered and learn how to tell the brain “it’s okay, I am safe, there is no need to run, fight, or freeze.”
- Begin trusting others. That you have choices and you can set healthy boundaries with others.
- Learn how to reason with your thoughts and not take them as absolute truth 100% of the time.
Starting Online Trauma Therapy in Texas with Everyday Bravery Counseling
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably feeling pretty motivated to deal with the mess trauma has left. This journey can be scary and unpredictable, but you won’t have to do it alone. When you’re ready to take back control, follow these steps:
1. Schedule a free 20-minute consultation.
2. Get to know me, Addie, as your new therapist.
3. Start your path towards the life you want.
Other Online Therapy Services Provided by Everyday Bravery in Texas
I know that life is messy and can be overwhelming. To reflect that, Everyday Bravery offers a variety of services to help you through the day-to-day. If you find yourself not feeling joy or happiness the way you used to, depression treatment could be a good option for you. Anxiety therapy can help you with those racing, all-consuming, and intrusive thoughts. Perhaps you struggle to really acknowledge your self-worth? Looking into self-esteem therapy might be the solution. How about your quality of sleep? If this five-letter word isn’t really in your vocabulary, consider exploring insomnia counseling with Everyday Bravery. I’m here to help in any way I can.