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What is trauma & Trauma Therapy?
Trauma is different for everyone, therefore trauma therapy is too. Frequently trauma refers to an experience that causes extreme stress that upsets the nervous system in a way that overwhelms our ability to cope. This stress is difficult to contain or move on from in the long-term, and causes disruptions or dissatisfaction in our lives.
Symptoms of Trauma
Symptoms of trauma include psychological and somatic symptoms. Signs can manifest in your mind and emotions, and in your body. These symptoms of trauma vary depending on the person. Recognizing whether you have experienced trauma can be a complex and individual process.
Some symptoms of unresolved trauma are persistent, some come and go, some fluctuate with stress, some change over time. Oddly, trauma can switch how it expresses, changing from one trauma symptom to another depending on what’s going on in the person’s life, and some surface years after the event. 
One key is that symptoms of trauma usually come in groups and become increasingly complex over time. In fact, they often end up becoming disconnected with the original event or experience that was traumatic. Any symptom can arise regardless of the event, perhaps because of genetic predispositions or a multitude of factors.
Here are some signs and indicators that may suggest the presence of Post-Traumatic Stress:
Recurring Distressing Memories or Flashbacks:
You may have intrusive and distressing memories or flashbacks related to specific traumatic events from your childhood.
Emotional Dysregulation:
You may experience intense and unpredictable emotions, such as anger, sadness, fear, or shame. These emotions may seem disproportionate to the current situation.
Avoidance and Numbing:
You may go to great lengths to avoid reminders of the trauma or numb your emotions through behaviors like excessive substance use, overeating, or self-isolation.
Hyperarousal and Hypervigilance:
You may constantly feel on edge, easily startled, and have difficulty relaxing. You may also have an increased awareness of potential threats in your environment.
Negative Self-Perception:
Childhood or relational trauma can contribute to feelings of low self-worth, shame, guilt, or a persistent sense of being flawed or damaged.
Relationship Difficulties:
Trauma can affect your ability to trust others, form and maintain healthy relationships, and establish boundaries. You may struggle with intimacy, have difficulties with attachment, or exhibit patterns of avoidance or clinginess.
Cognitive and Memory Issues:
Trauma can impact cognitive functioning, leading to difficulties with concentration, memory recall, decision-making, and problem-solving.
Self-Destructive Behaviors:
Engaging in self-destructive behaviors, such as self-harm, risky sexual behavior, or substance abuse, may be indicators of unresolved trauma.
Physical Symptoms:
Trauma can manifest in physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, insomnia, fatigue, or a compromised immune system, chronic pain or chronic fatigue.
Research continues to grow which indicates that pretty much all psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses are directly linked to trauma and related (even unconscious) memories.
Get assessed by a trauma professional.
Our licensed mental health professionals look at symptoms as whole, an entire constellation, to make an assessment. We understand that the current classification system for psychiatric diagnoses are almost useless when it comes to actually healing trauma and related illness.
If you’ve been experiencing some of these symptoms, then trauma may be impacting you.
- Irritability or feeling constantly angry
- Persistent anxiety – always feeling on edge
- Feeling unsafe or paranoid
- Needing things to be a particular way, having very rigid expectations
- Restlessness, agitation, trouble sitting still
- Feeling disconnected our out of your body
- Difficulty in relationships or trusting others
- Engaging in risky or dangerous behaviors
- Using drugs, alcohol or behaviors to numb feelings or distress
- Intrusive memories or nightmares
- Worsening of other mental health conditions
Psychological Symptoms of Trauma
Psychological (Mental & Emotional) symptoms of trauma include:
- Chronic Emotional Dysregulation
- Flashbacks or Emotional Flashbacks
- Difficulty with Sleep or Insomnia
- Restless Legs Syndrome
- Nightmares
- Traumatic Reenactment
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- Loss of sustaining beliefs (spiritual, religious, interpersonal)
- Decision fatigue, inability to make commitments or plans
- Shifts in perception of abuser(s), feeling as if they are all-powerful or all-knowing, or revenge fantasies
- Emotional Suppression
- Relationship Issues or Instability
- Chronic loneliness /isolation
- Avoidance of relationships or emotional intimacy
- Reactivity, irritability, mood swings, anger, aggression, fear
- Fear of or uncertainty around close relationships
- Difficulty being alone
- Discomfort of trouble being or feeling close to others
- Difficulty making or keeping friends
Somatic (Body-based) Symptoms of Trauma
- Illness, Chronic Illness
- Pain, Chronic Pain
- Self-Harm Behaviors
- Addiction or substance dependency
- Fatigue, Chronic fatigue
- Muscle Constriction
- Restless Legs Syndrome or General Restlessness
- Headaches, Migraines
- Neck/back problems
- Severe PMS Symptoms
- Hives, Rashes
- Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
- Cardiac issues
- Tension
- Pressure
- Congestion
- Muscle or Joint Aches or Stiffness
- Tingling or Numbness
- Paralysis
- Difficulty Regulating Body Temperature
- Tinnitus
Remember, you don’t have to go through it alone. Seeking professional support is crucial. Trauma specialists at Onward Therapy & Wellness provide specialized guidance to help you navigate the healing process. Schedule a free consult to start your journey toward healing and recovery. Onward together.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is short for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is an anxiety disorder that is diagnosed by a mental health professional based on how a person responds following a traumatic event. People with PTSD experience symptoms that last for more than a month and cause considerable distress or interfere greatly in their functioning in different areas of their lives.
Traumatic events are any experiences that involves actual or threatened death, serious injury, or violation. These kinds of events can be traumatic for anyone who experienced them directly, witnessed someone else experiencing them, or learned about a close relative or friend experiencing this.
What is Complex Trauma?
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops as a result of chronic, repeated exposure to trauma in which the person cannot escape or help themselves. This happens in cases of long-term child abuse, family/domestic violence, or slavery and trafficking. C-PTSD was first described by Judith Herman in her work, Trauma and Recovery (1992).
Healing trauma involves regulating your nervous system to come to a place of balance. Trauma therapy with one of our therapists will empower you to develop mindful awareness. You’ll gain a better understanding of what’s happening within your own mind, body, and spirit. The process of trauma therapy will give you skills to expand your window of tolerance for emotions. Most importantly, trauma therapy involves the processing of unresolved traumatic material. Your brain will be able to sort the memory and associated sensory information properly.
Most simply, there is no one way to heal trauma. Effective trauma therapy should be tailored to you. Our team of licensed trauma-informed wellness professionals work collaboratively with you to recommend neuroscience-informed methods to resolve your specific symptoms and restore your body to wellness.
"Trauma is not what happens to you. Trauma is what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you."
At Onward Therapy & Wellness, our team of licensed mental health therapists are trained in EMDR. We use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a standalone trauma therapy or in addition to standard “talk therapy.”
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma therapy technique.
This kind of trauma therapy means it helps people heal from all kinds of negative life experiences.
Many people report feeling about to actually get unstuck with EMDR and other trauma-focused therapies.
EMDR treatment relieves associated symptoms like anxiety and panic. EMDR stimulates both hemispheres of your brain, promoting the synthesis of cognition, emotions, sensory perceptions, and ideas. It focuses on the distressing thoughts and emotions, enabling your brain to release them.
If you feel stuck because of something in your past, trauma-focused therapy might be for you! Many people think healing from their past isn’t possible or that things will never change because of things that have happened in their lives. Trauma-focused therapy helps people heal from all kinds of difficult and traumatic life experiences.
An evidence-backed treatment option
EMDR is a highly researched and proven, highly-effective brain-based therapy that helps people move onward from past traumas by understanding them in a different way.
For over 20 years, EMDR has been helping people with all sorts of mental and emotional health challenges. It’s not uncommon to struggle. EMDR can treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, abuse, panic attacks, and more. With EMDR therapy, you gain feelings of freedom and security. Moreover, in working through trauma with EMDR, you gain the confidence you need to live life fully.
Professional organizations that endorse EMDR as an effective treatment for PTSD:
- The American Psychological Association (APA)
The American Psychiatric Association
The National Association of Social Workers
- The United States Department of Defense
- The United States Department Veteran’s Administration