When Life Throws You The Unexpected…
Types of Trauma
Trauma is complex. It can be experienced in many different ways. Here are three categories of trauma to know about:
1. Shock Trauma
- Accidents
- Assaults
- Natural Disasters
2. Developmental/Relational Trauma
- Chronic Adversity
- Abuse
- Neglect
- Lack of Safety
3. Other experiences
- Chronic toxic stress
- Medical procedures
- Adverse community environments such as poverty, racism, and violence
- Intergenerational (passed through genetics)
Effects of Trauma on the Mind and Body
In the past we thought about trauma as events that happen to us. We now know that trauma is an experience, not an event. It’s what happens inside us as a result of what happens to us.
When a person experiences trauma, the body’s autonomic nervous system goes into survival/protection mode. Depending on the circumstance and the unique history of the individual, a person might be able to process the shock-like responses of the nervous system and rebound from the experience without lingering effects. However, often when an individual is unable to fully process the trauma due to helplessness, lack of support, or other factors, the survival response is thwarted and the processing doesn’t complete. This can lead to chronic dysregulation in the nervous system, which results in a number of scary symptoms in the body and increased immobilization from fear.
Counselling Treatment for Trauma
Because trauma is not so much about the specific incident(s), but rather the neuro-physiology of what happens inside us afterwards, it is important to approach treatment from a body-based approach alongside the traditional talk therapy. Today, somatic, or body-centered therapy is now a recognized approach to working with trauma as it help individuals complete the physiological processing and regulate back to a nervous system state of safety and connection.
To learn more about this check out the blog: Healing the Nervous System for Improved Mental Health