TRAUMA

 

Trauma is often thought of as an experience wherein an individual fears for his or her life or well-being. This experience or event then seems to be stored in such a way that the individual can be triggered by any number of sights, sounds, smells, or even tastes, throughout his or her life, wherein the survivor is immediately transported back in time to that disturbing event. These are referred to as "flashbacks." Flashbacks to trauma, large or small, can steal your life and keep you in a cycle of reliving your worst nightmare time and time again. Combat Veterans and survivors of all types of abuse and assault are a few populations that come to mind when speaking of trauma survivors. But remember, caregivers, first responders, and a number of other individuals are impacted by trauma as well. Also to keep in mind - trauma comes in all shapes and sizes. Even if your experiences can be classified as "small t traumas," attention to these can bring much needed relief. There various effective treatments for trauma, however, after years of practice and a wealth of research, I have found EMDR to be the most helpful and comprehensive approach. For more information about this type of therapy, www.emdria.org is a great resource.