TRAUMA
Traumatic experience ranges from clearly identifiable events to more diffuse but, nevertheless, debilitating experiences such as emotional neglect. Put simply, trauma is something that happened to you either once, several times, or repeatedly, with which your mind and body were not able to cope.
Sometimes it is easy to remember what happened. Sometimes, the effects of trauma are harder to track and appear more obliquely, such as withdrawal from others, anxiety, depression, finding yourself in abusive relationships, and self-neglect. Cutting and other forms of self-mutilation are common results from the lasting effects of trauma.
It is normal and appropriate to feel cautious about beginning the journey of addressing and healing traumatic wounding. Trauma makes it difficult, if not impossible, to trust another, yet this a defining element in the healing process. Often the beginning of healing is recognizing your need for help. When working through a traumatic experience, within the context of a trusting relationship, it is possible to gain a sense of stability, safety, and resolution. As in all other areas of my work, resolving trauma is a relational process, constantly checked and evaluated to go at your pace and to address your needs in any given moment. I prioritize safety, containment, and collaboration as elements critical to the healing process. |