Trauma

Overview

Hi, I'm Mindy. Do you find that painful experiences from the past keep coming back to you, with the emotions from that time flooding back as if it were happening all over again? Trauma (psychological trauma) refers to the wound left in the mind by an intensely stressful experience that overwhelms a person's ability to cope. Accidents, abuse, violence, loss, and many other events can become traumatic, and even the same event can affect different people in different ways.

Key Concepts

Examples of This Experience

After witnessing severe arguments between parents as a child, a person may instinctively flinch whenever they hear a loud noise. Feeling extreme tension every time you pass a road similar to where a car accident occurred is also a trauma response. Experiencing intense anxiety every time you enter a new group, after being bullied at school in the past, is another example.

How Can You Cope?

The first step in trauma treatment is establishing a sense of safety. Identify places and people where you feel safe. Specialized trauma therapies (such as EMDR, experiential therapy, and somatic therapy) can help you process the past in a safe way. Learning self-regulation skills (such as breathing techniques, grounding, and self-soothing) can help you manage trauma responses when they arise in daily life. Recovery takes time, so please be patient with yourself.

A Word from Mindy

The fact that you are still living your life after experiencing trauma means you are already strong enough. The wounds of trauma can be difficult to heal with time alone, but with the right support, recovery is absolutely possible. Mindy will be with you every step of the way.