Types of Trauma
Trauma is often divided into two types: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is often used to describe one-off events such as: car, plane, or train accidents; assaults such as rape or robberies at knife or gunpoint; natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, or tornados; workplace accidents such as a falls, machine injuries, or explosions. Sometimes PTSD occurs due to repeated events such as those experienced by combat veterans who face a daily onslaught of life-challenging experiences on the battlefield. It can also occur by viewing images or hearing stories of disturbing events.
Complex Trauma
Complex trauma is often the result of ongoing trauma. Common examples include but are not limited to: growing up in a family where there was repeated physical, psychological and/or emotional abuse and/or neglect; living with a partner who regularly inflicted physical and/or emotional abuse on their significant other, children, and/or animal family members; caregivers who were often absent, mentally ill, or abusing substances like drugs and/or alcohol.
Symptoms
Symptoms can vary among people. Some individuals have intrusive thoughts, intrusive images, and/or physical pain. Self-esteem can be damaged and one’s confidence in making decisions in their life might have been eroded. Fear of certain places, situations, and/or people may be present. Individuals may be triggered by specific smells, noises, or places. Relationships with significant others might have changed, and not necessarily for the better.
Not everyone experiences the same symptoms
It is important to point out that not every person who experiences a traumatic event will experience traumatic symptoms. Individuals who have had a good support system during a traumatic event might fare better than someone who experienced the event alone. Everyone has different coping capabilities. And what one person deems to be a traumatic experience another might consider just an unfortunate occurrence. There are individuals that have learned strategies for getting through difficult or even unbearable situations. Ultimately, all that matters when making that first call or sending that first email to a therapist is that you feel you need some help to move forward in your life. Then the work can begin.
Some ways hypnosis can help with symptoms of trauma
Hypnotherapy is a gentle and impactful way of dealing with some of the traumatic symptoms mentioned above. Let’s look at a few ways it can help:
Hypnosis can help people with relaxation.
It can reduce the intensity of intrusive images and sounds.
Hypnotherapy can help with pain management.
It can soften painful memories.
Hypnosis can assist with relationship repair.
It can help people feel good about themselves again.
Hypnosis…can help people heal
If you’d like to know if hypnosis therapy might be a good fit for you, I’d be happy to discuss this with you.
