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Trauma Therapy
When we consider what is “traumatic”, people often think of incident-driven events like serious accidents, natural disasters, war, losing a loved one, being assaulted, or having surgery. These can be understood as “big T” Traumas, which are life-threatening events that are shocking and deeply disturbing.
Research also shows that there are many ongoing life situations that can overwhelm a person’s capability to cope and that can leave lasting emotional scars, long after the situation is “over”. These are called “small t” traumas and can include losing a job, the breakup of a significant relationship, witnessing a parents’ divorce, chronic illness (especially if it’s “invisible”), feeling rejected, experiencing bullying or being left out. These experiences may be seen as something that a person “should just get over”, adding invalidation to an already painful situation.
If you consider that a life experience has deeply affected you, no matter how big or how small, it matters and deserves to be validated and explored.
Potential Symptoms
Avoiding people, places, or situations that remind you of a past situation
Sudden feelings of panic that come out of the blue
Feeling hyper-vigilant to danger, and feeling as if you are constantly anticipating something bad will happen
Experiencing nightmares; trouble falling or staying asleep
Feeling persistently tired, lethargic, or depressed
Feeling shame about who you are as a person
Difficulty trusting others
Engaging in unhealthy relationships
Feeling numb and disconnected from the body
Benefits of Therapy
Acknowledgement of your pain and suffering
Identifying triggers
Regain power and control over past experiences; trauma Processing or integration
Develop healthy coping mechanisms
Re-establish safety
Manage Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and related symptoms
Overcoming low self-worth and shame
Re-building your sense of self
Areas of Focus
Emotionally Absent or Neglectful Parents
While many people think that trauma is something that happens to you, trauma can also constitute the absence of attuned emotional support and nurturing. I often see clients who, from the outside, had happy, stable families. However, because of their own mental health challenges or hectic lives, their parents were not able to give them the attuned support that young people need to develop emotionally. Engaging in therapy can help you fill in the developmental gaps that may have been missing from your childhood, so you can feel mentally healthy, confident, and resilient.
Childhood Abuse
If you have experienced physical or sexual abuse as a child, you may be experiencing shame, but please know that you are not alone. One-third of Canadians experienced some form of child maltreatment before the age of 15, including physical and sexual abuse by an adult, or witnessing violence between caregivers. The relationship between childhood abuse and adult mental health challenges and addictions is well documented. Processing these experiences in a non-judgmental and supportive space can help you explore the impact of a traumatic experience on your current functioning, and help you leave shame behind and move forward with confidence.
Sexual Assault and Gender-Based Violence
Research shows that sexual violence most often takes place in the context of a relationship, whether it be social, intimate, professional, familial, etc. This can lead to feelings of shame and blame on the part of the survivor, which can have a lasting effect on self-esteem and the belief that the world is not safe. Together we can process past experiences of sexual assault so that you can reclaim your relationship to your body, begin to trust others and feel safe enough to move on.
Trauma at School
Students are more susceptible to experiencing trauma because of how vulnerable it is to be in school or an educational program. There is a significant power imbalance that can exist between teachers/faculty and students, which creates an atmosphere where abuse is more likely. Students can often feel powerless because they risk failing if they speak out about injustices and can feel trapped in a scenario that may not be supportive. Students can also experience high levels of stress, as demands pile up and can begin to feel unmanageable. Together we can plan on how you can best handle a situation in a school context so you can begin to feel more empowered.
Trauma in the Workplace
Many situations in the workplace can have a significant impact on mental health, including being bullied, harassed, or intimidated by a boss or co-worker, feeling like work is taking over your life, having unreasonable expectations put on you, or worrying about pay and job security. Workplace trauma is particularly common because many people feel trapped in their jobs, leading to feelings of hopelessness. Trauma in the workplace can lead to difficulty concentrating, anxiety or panic attacks, inability to maintain boundaries around work, and you may even begin to feel physical symptoms including headaches and digestive issues. If you’re feeling like work has taken over your life or you’re stuck in a situation that feels unsustainable, we can work together to find a way forward.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Unanticipated dangerous events that are hard to get over can cause PTSD. You may feel like you’re living the same frightening event every day. If you’ve faced traumatic accidents or situations in the past, you can still have situational-related phobias and fears that can keep you from functioning in certain situations. When we work together, you will learn to process your trauma and face triggering events better.