Why should I start trauma healing?
Trauma is any distressing or disturbing event that impacts our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Traumatic events can range from single incidents, like a car accident, to ongoing experiences, including developmental trauma, abuse, or neglect.
Healing trauma is hard work, so why should I do it? Regardless of the type or severity of the trauma, it can impact long-term mental health and well-being unless addressed. For instance,
Trauma can cause long-term emotional and psychological distress. Trauma can have a lasting impact on our emotional and psychological well-being. Although some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many experience vague symptoms like depression, anxiety, or anger, which can interfere with daily functioning and quality of life. By addressing and resolving trauma through psychotherapy, we can restore our ability to manage emotions and relationships.
Trauma can affect physical health. Trauma can also harm our physical health. Chronic stress and emotions associated with trauma can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of physical health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and gastrointestinal disorders. By healing trauma, we can reduce our risk of physical health problems and improve overall physical well-being.
Trauma can impact relationships and social connections. Trauma can also affect our relationships and social support system. It can cause us to withdraw from others and have difficulty trusting or forming close connections, leaving us feeling isolated or alone. By healing trauma, we can learn to build and maintain healthy relationships.
Trauma can interfere with daily functioning. Trauma can also interfere with our ability to function effectively in our daily lives. It can cause difficulty concentrating, memory problems, or decision-making and problem-solving. By addressing and healing trauma, we can improve our ability to function effectively in our daily lives and reach our full potential.
Where should I get started? Many different psychotherapy interventions can help us heal trauma. Bottom-up approaches are beneficial for healing trauma. Contrary to top-down approaches that start with cognitive processing, bottom-up approaches start where trauma is encoded in the brain. Bottom-up approaches like somatic therapy work by processing in the bottom of the brain through sensations felt in the body.
Another highly effective tool for treating trauma is parts work. The Internal Family Systems model asserts that all people have parts within ourselves. It describes parts as "sub-personalities like little people who have different goals and motivations; they have different levels of maturity, excitability, wisdom, and pain." By working with each part of ourselves, we can understand what pain or burdens they might be holding and how they might protect us. Once we understand and heal those burdens, we can find new ways of functioning that better serve our values and goals.
Whatever intervention you choose to heal from trauma, the most essential component is to find a therapist who is experienced in trauma and can provide a safe and supportive environment for healing. Get started with a free 15-minute consultation with Tides Center for Wellness.
