Three Things Trauma Therapists Wish You Knew
Let’s face it, trauma is very difficult to unpack, and even sometimes harder to speak about out loud. Trauma therapists know this and understand this, that is why they are specialized in what they do so that they can help you learn to heal and cope with your past experiences and move forward with a healthier life. Although it may feel difficult or even impossible at times, healing from trauma is attainable, although it may not be easy. Here are the three things that our trauma therapists wish you knew about trauma and trauma therapy:
The Physical Effects
Untreated past emotional trauma and PTSD can have a very big impact on your future physical wellbeing. What is known about untreated trauma is that you are left more likely to get sick and have various physical concerns later on in life. In particular, some health conditions that can develop are diabetes, obesity, or even strokes. This is possible because of how your body reacts to the trauma, and left untreated, these physical responses linger in your body. Stress is also a very common reaction to trauma. Stress hormones can impact your body from head to toe as well, and those hormones really take a toll on your body's wellbeing.
The Emotional Effects
Trauma that is untreated can also leave you feeling doubtful or hesitant in various types of relationships. Complex past trauma can change how you think about everything in your everyday life and can have lasting effects on your view of relationships. Some things that may show emotionally from these experiences are being irritable, unwilling to trust others, feeling shut down when trying to explain your feelings to others, or even feeling unsafe in situations that may be triggering your trauma experiences. If your trauma stems from childhood and possibly being a witness to domestic violence, you may feel like you don’t know what a healthy adult relationship looks like. While all of this may sound very scary, it is also known that when trauma is treated and everyone involved is educated, oftentimes spouses or families grow an even closer bond to one another.
Your Trauma Will Not Always Hold You Back
The last thing that our trauma therapists want you to know is that you don’t have to live your life post-trauma as feeling stuck or held back by what you experienced. PTSD and trauma are very treatable. While all of that is easier said than done, it is possible to keep moving forward. It is very tough emotionally to face what has happened to you. It can feel scary or possibly even unsafe explaining your trauma to someone else who hasn’t lived through it. However, a lot of research has shown that several different intervention techniques therapists use are very effective at helping you cope and heal from what you have lived through. And most importantly, help you start to move forward with your life.
Call Us Today To Get Set Up With a Trauma Therapist
If you or someone you know has lived through a traumatic event or experiences and lives in Columbia, MO please reach out to us today. Our client care team will be happy to set you up with one of our trauma therapists. We know that you may not know what to expect with your trauma treatment. As mentioned above, healing from your trauma is attainable, and we will be here every step of the way.
Worried trauma therapy won’t address your other concerns?
We know people who have experienced trauma don’t experience it in a vacuum. You may have other things going on with your mental health as well. Luckily, we can support you in many of those areas as well. For example, your traumatic experience may be complicated by your identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ community (ex: wondering, “Did the assailant target me because of my gender?”), your longstanding depression, an underlying anxiety disorder, grief over everything you’ve lost, or any other mental health concerns. Truthfully, it’s very normal to have more than one thing going on. Don’t worry- our team of therapists are trained in many areas and are ready to help you work through your concerns. Reach out and get set up with one of our counselors today.