Trauma is an emotional, physical and mental response to adverse life events. Events in themselves are not inherently traumatic; trauma is determined by how our system processes, organizes, and responds to events. When we experience something as traumatic, it changes how we view ourselves, and how we view and participate in the world. 

Trauma can be acute, in response to a single incident; chronic, meaning one type of trauma ongoing for an extended period of time; or complex, meaning multiple types of trauma over an extended period of time. Complex trauma usually occurs during childhood and often has severe impacts into adulthood. 

Certain types of therapy can help to heal from past traumas. Methods like EMDR and IFS allow us to work with stuck parts in order to release traumas stored in our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies.

Ideally in childhood our caregivers are able to meet our physical and emotional needs. When our emotional needs (safety, connection, love, attunement) are not met, we develop attachment wounds. Because we are children, we cannot understand our caregivers' struggles and we naturally blame ourselves for this. We may feel unsafe in the world, not good enough, like there's something wrong with us, incapable, etc. We may have to focus all of our efforts on getting our emotional needs met by pleasing, changing who we are, hiding our emotions, or becoming smaller in order to hide or larger in order to be seen. If we do all of this, and still our needs aren't met, we are likely to shut down/dissociate, run away, or fight. These are normal responses to dysfunctional environments. However, as adults who no longer live in these environments, we have the opportunity to heal these wounds.

Internal Family Systems was developed by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz over the last 30 years. It holds the view that we all have a core Self and a system of inner parts that make us who we are. Parts take on roles based on what we have experienced in our lives, and like external families, sometimes our internal family system does not feel harmonious. IFS sees all of our inner parts as valuable, and the goal of this therapy is allow our core Self to help us heal in order to feel more integrated and whole. IFS can be helpful in working with any therapeutic goal. I would love to tell you more about this transformative therapy!

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Trauma Therapy

EMDR is a trauma treatment therapy that helps people process trauma and disturbing life experiences. We are constantly taking in and processing daily experiences. Most of the time, our system processes and integrates unpleasant experiences so that we have a memory of the experience but it does not carry an intense emotional charge. However, sometimes disturbing experiences get stuck in our brain instead of processing properly. When this happens, the disturbing experience may feel like it is still with us every day, bringing up the same feelings, images, and thoughts as it did when it first happened. EMDR activates the brain's natural system of information processing in order to uncouple memories from the upsetting feelings, thoughts, and images that accompany them. EMDR is an evidenced-based approach and recommended treatment for healing PTSD from traumatic events.

Mindfulness-based therapy focuses on being in the present moment and noticing your physical sensations, emotions, and thoughts as they arise. Mindfulness helps generate awareness so that we can observe parts of ourselves as they arise, rather than blending with them. Practicing mindfulness can help in healing trauma, which often keeps us stuck in past, or fearful of the future.