PTSD and Trauma Recovery

Nightmares are upsetting.

She startles awake. It’s dark and in the middle of the night. She feels scared, like someone might be trying to break in. She listens but hears nothing. Her breathing is shallow, and her heart beats fast. The nightmare of someone chasing and trying to get her seems so real. She couldn’t run fast enough and couldn’t get away. Then she woke up.

She grabs her journal after turning on the light next to the bed. She writes down “scared,” “terrified,” “frantic,” and “helpless,” as her therapist suggested, focusing on what she feels. Next time they meet, she and her therapist will process this.

While trying to calm her body down and breath more slowly, she tells herself, “I’m okay, I’m safe.” It was only a dream.

Nightmares are good is something she remembers hearing from her therapist because they give you a second chance to resolve old traumas. Every time she and her therapist have processed a bad dream, she has figured out another important piece of the puzzle – helping her to take back a part of herself while feeling something become released. Afterward, she feels lighter.

Overreactions can get you in trouble.

Overreacting and losing his temper are things he keeps doing. The event doesn’t matter – even small stuff makes him lose it. His partner is losing patience. He is worried about what his boss thinks.

The therapist helped him realize that something triggered his reactions. It happens when he feels out of control because it reminds him of something else. His anger about his past comes roaring forward, even though it doesn’t fit what’s happening now.

This anger is new because he doesn’t remember feeling angry previously. He knows that it haunts him. He experienced an injustice, so it makes sense. But back then, he mostly felt powerless and small, like he wished he could disappear. He is starting to make the connection. Sometimes, he feels angry about being put through all that and disgusted with the behavior of those who are supposed to care about him.

As he processes his feelings about the past, his overreactions calm down. His partner is more understanding now that they realize where the rage comes from. That anger is giving him the energy to keep excavating the past. Knowing this is happening now because his life is good and he can handle it makes sense.

Here’s my approach to trauma healing.

I use a combination of different kinds of therapies, depending on your struggles. Not everyone who benefits from trauma therapy has PTSD. Some people may be diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression but have traumatic pasts that need attention.

You might need to stop blaming yourself for something that is not your fault. Some people need help finding a sense of safety. You might need validation for intense feelings. Some of my clients need to learn new ways to manage stress. You might need support to process memories that bother you. Some people need to figure out who they are now or who they want to be.

Whatever has thrown your life off course has a way of demanding your attention. You can use the opportunity to find a resolution and free yourself from the past. Talking things through with an experienced guide can help you get unstuck and feel more empowered.

Transform your pain – and heal. Contact me today so we can work through the past trauma that rules your life.