How Do I Heal From Past Trauma?
Do you ever wonder what it takes to heal? At what point the pain of your past stops haunting you? Or maybe you have tried to detach from what happened. Have you ever thought “if I don’t think about it, maybe it will just go away?” I hear you. Healing from past trauma, or painful life events is a complex and deeply personal journey. The effects of what you experienced can linger long after the experience is over. It may come in the form of sleepless nights, a constant feeling of stress, inability to rest or feel calm, having trouble in relationships, a struggle to trust or even allow people to get close to you. It also may look like you are afraid to be alone and desire to be with someone as much as possible. The impacts of trauma can also come in the form of flashbacks, where it feels like you are reliving the event, health issues due to trauma stored in the body, and more. It truly is unique to each person.
While healing from trauma is complex and personal, I want to share with you some steps that are included in the healing journey so that you can begin to reclaim your sense of identity, peace, and well-being.
Understanding Trauma:
Before addressing the process of healing, let’s take a moment to understand what trauma is and how it impacts our lives. The definition I work within is trauma is when someone experiences an event that overwhelms the nervous systems ability to cope in that moment. It also involves a lack of resources or effective support following the traumatic instance. When we encounter the traumatic event, our mind and body go into survival mode, often leading to a range of psychological and physiological responses. Trauma can occur in a variety of experiences.
Elements of the Healing Process:
Receiving Support:
Healing from trauma often requires support. Isolation is not conducive to healing. Whether it's through therapy, support groups, or trusted friends and family members, having a strong support network can provide validation, empathy, and guidance throughout the healing process. Therapy can offer a safe space to explore your emotions, identify negative thought patterns and messages that develop from the traumatic experience, develop coping strategies, and heal from the wounds of trauma from the inside out.
Engaging in Soul Care / Self Care:
In addition to seeking professional support, incorporating soul care practices into your daily routine can promote healing and resilience. This can include activities such as prayer, scripture reading, mindfulness, gentle movement, journaling, music, time in nature, artwork and more.
It's crucial to prioritize soul care and make time for activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul. Remember that healing is a gradual process, and it's okay to take small steps forward each day.
Processing Emotions:
Healing from trauma involves processing emotions that you may wish not to feel. While in counseling for trauma, it is important to allow yourself to enter and work through the emotions that your body is holding, so that you can move forward in the healing process. Journaling, artwork, music, and dance are a few ways in which you can express your emotion. Our brains process painful life events differently and the traumatic material can become “stuck” in the amygdala which can lead to a variety of trauma reactions impacting your day-to-day life. Through trauma therapy, such as EMDR, you can reprocess this material so that the painful experience no longer has a grip on you.
Setting Boundaries:
When healing from trauma, setting boundaries is an important aspect to navigate. This may involve setting limits with toxic people in your life, saying no to things that drain your energy, prioritizing what you need to heal, or it could look like allowing safe people to be close enough to support you. Boundaries can either be too rigid, or too flexible. Identifying what boundaries look like for you, and then learning to assert yourself and communicate your boundaries effectively can be both scary and empowering. It is a muscle that needs to be worked and strengthened until you feel more confident in the process.
Embracing Resilience:
You are resilient. You have already survived your trauma and are here today which shows that you have resilience already inside of you. Cultivating increased resilience is an important piece of trauma recovery and involves developing effective coping skills, regulating the nervous system, increasing capacity to handle a variety of emotions, experiencing reduced distress, and cultivating a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Resilience is a skill that can be learned and strengthened over time, and each challenge you overcome brings you one step closer to healing.
You Can Heal!
Healing from past trauma is a journey that involves courage, patience, and perseverance. By seeking support, engaging in soul care, processing emotions, setting boundaries, and embracing resilience, you can gradually move towards a brighter future.
Remember that healing is a personal and ongoing process, and it's okay to seek help when needed. Be gentle with yourself, celebrate your progress, and know that you are not alone on this journey. With time and dedication, you can heal from past trauma and create a life filled with hope, healing, and possibility.
