Counselling for Trauma
There are many types of situations that could result in a person being traumatized, including, but not limited to, neglect, assault, abuse, bullying, losing a loved one, suffering an injury or illness, witnessing a crime, natural disaster, or war, and even being in a car accident. Regardless of the cause, trauma counsellors are trained to support you through the process of overcoming the emotional distress caused by the traumatic incident.
Could You Have PTSD?
A traumatic event can cause a variety of reactions, including fear, anger, sadness and guilt. These reactions are normal and usually fade with time. However, if you find that your reaction is causing you significant distress or interfering with your ability to function at home or work, you may be struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD. Many people who have been through trauma develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which is characterized by prolonged anxiety, anger, depression, loss of interest, flashbacks, insomnia, difficult concentrating and more.
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Anxiety & Fear
Traumatized individuals may be easily startled, on-edge, anxious and on high alert to prevent the traumatic incident from happening again.
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Avoidance
In most cases, individuals may avoid thinking about or being around places, activities, or people associated with the traumatic event.
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Negative Feelings
Feeling hopeless, depressed, angry, guilty or ashamed are common with survivors as they may blame themselves or question how the incident could have been avoided.
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Relationship Issues
Feeling disconnected, mistrustful, and apathetic towards others makes is difficult for those dealing with PTSD to maintain relationships.
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Loss of Interests
It is common for individuals with PTSD to lose all interest in activities that they once enjoyed. They may also isolate themselves and withdraw from society.
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Sleep Problems
Many trauma survivors have trouble sleeping and may stay awake to avoid nightmares, flashbacks, or being alone with their thoughts.
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Self Destructive Behaviour
In some cases, survivors may engage in self destructive behaviours such as not eating, reckless driving, excessive spending, or heavy substance use.
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Difficulty Concentrating
Survivors may feel like their thoughts are hazy and difficult to sort which makes concentrating and staying focused challenging.
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Suicidal Thoughts
PTSD is overwhelming and can cause a person to feel like there is no hope. If you are feeling suicidal, please call 833-456-4566.
Trauma in Children
Experiencing a traumatic event as a young child under 12 can have a significant impact on the child's development and emotional wellbeing if it isn't properly addressed. Young children may re-enact the traumatic event through play, experience frightening nightmares, or appear depressed. They may also act out their frustration, anger, and anxiety in other ways such as tantrums or violence.
Trauma counselling is important because it helps children process the traumatic event and come to terms with it in a safe environment. The counsellor will teach the child coping skills and help them explore their feelings about what happened so that they can begin to heal and move on with their lives.
EMDR for Trauma
One of the most effective forms of treatment for trauma is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, also known as EMDR therapy. This relatively new kind of therapy helps people with past traumas resolve their symptoms by stimulating different parts of the brain to help it process traumatic events.
The goal of EMDR therapy is to help the client reprocess their traumatic memories so they can move forward with their lives. It does this by using eye movements to stimulate different parts of your brain as you think about your past trauma. These eye movements numb the overwhelming feelings that usually come with recalling traumatic memories. It also helps your brain develop new connections between these memories and other information stored in its long-term memory bank so that they no longer cause fear or anxiety when you think about them.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for Trauma
Accelerated resolution therapy (ART) is a treatment that was developed in the wake of EMDR, and it's not surprising that they share some similarities. ART, like EMDR, uses eye movements to help patients process their experiences. The main difference between the two is that while EMDR focuses on memories, ART focuses on emotions and images. Additionally, ART uses a specific number of eye movements, where as EMDR is more flexible.
In some cases, one of these approaches works better for a patient than the other. Therapists evaluate which approach would be better based on the unique needs of the individual.