Discover How to Deal with Traumatic Stress at Associated Counselling
Is Trauma an Event or a Reaction to an Event?
It can be acknowledged that the word “trauma” is commonly used to describe a particular event. Currently many people refer to trauma as being more of an event rather than the reaction. At Associated Counselling, we believe the opposite seems to be truer, that trauma is more of a reaction rather than an event. Traumatic events may include:
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Emotional abuse
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Loss or separation
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Degradation or humiliation and coerced sexual experiences also can be experienced as traumatizing
Major Types of Trauma
Some of the major types of trauma can be:
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Natural disasters
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Mass interpersonal violence (terrorist attacks)
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Major car/plane/train accidents & fires
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Rape and sexual assaults, physical assaults, domestic violence (for all involved, including witnesses)
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Torture, war & exposure to working with trauma survivors
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Child abuse , including sexual (fondling to rape) assaults, physical (severe spankings to life-threatening beatings) assaults, psychological abuse and/or neglect, is also considered a traumatizing event
Trauma Defined
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An event is traumatic if it is extremely upsetting and at least temporarily overwhelms the individual’s internal resources.
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It can also be psychological where there is continuous powerlessness.
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Traumatic events are extraordinary, not because they occur rarely, but rather because they overwhelm the ordinary human adaptations to life. Trauma is about overwhelming the ordinary human adaptation.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR, Neurofeedback, and Creative Meditation Techniques are all therapies that are beneficial in working with traumatic stress and many people experience a great deal of success using these therapies.
