Counselling
"Trauma is what's happening inside of us as a result of what happened to us"
- Dr Gabor Mate
Counselling is a place where you can explore and process the impacts of trauma, grief, abuse, betrayal, shame and guilt. Counselling can help you gain clarify, explore options, refine values, develop strategies and increase self-awareness.
It can also assist in developing skills and strategies, self-acceptance, challenge negative beliefs, understand behaviour patterns, address maladaptive patterns, make meaning of emotions and life challenges. You can learn healthy life patterns, setting boundaries, develop interpersonal skills, self-care and develop a secure sense of self.
It will allow you to reframe old stories of self-loathing and mistrust to regain a sense of self and move towards writing a new and brave story of strength, resilience, courage, compassion and self-worth.
Trauma
Trauma refers to an emotional or psychological response to an event or a series of events that are deeply distressing or disturbing. It can overwhelm an individual's ability to cope, leaving lasting effects on their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Trauma can stem from various experiences, such as accidents, natural disasters, violence, abuse, or significant life changes.
There are different types of traumas:
1. Acute trauma: This results from a single distressing event, like an accident or a natural disaster.
2. Chronic trauma: This is caused by repeated and prolonged stressors or adverse experiences, such as ongoing abuse or exposure to violence.
3. Complex trauma: It's a result of prolonged exposure to multiple traumatic events, often in interpersonal relationships, leading to significant and lasting impacts on one's mental and emotional health.
There are different levels of traumas:
Big 'T' and little 't' trauma are terms used to distinguish between different levels or types of traumatic experiences.
· Big 'T' Trauma: This refers to significant, often life-threatening events that have a profound and enduring impact on an individual. These experiences can include things like war, natural disasters, severe accidents, physical or sexual assault, or profound loss. Big 'T' traumas are events that fundamentally challenge a person's sense of safety, security, or well-being. They often result in significant psychological distress and can have long-term effects on mental health.
· Little 't' Trauma: This term refers to events that might not be as extreme or life-threatening as big 'T' traumas but are still distressing and impactful. Little 't' traumas can encompass a range of experiences such as ongoing emotional neglect, chronic stress, bullying, family dysfunction, or witnessing minor accidents. While these events might not be as immediately life-altering as big 'T' traumas, they can still have a cumulative effect on an individual's mental and emotional well-being, particularly when experienced repeatedly or over an extended period.
The effects of trauma can vary widely among individuals and can manifest in different ways, including emotional distress, flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, changes in behavior, and disrupted sleep patterns. Treatment and support, often through therapy and various interventions, aim to help individuals process and cope with the effects of trauma, fostering healing and resilience.
What is EMDR ?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It's a psychotherapy approach that helps individuals process distressing memories and traumatic experiences. It involves a structured eight-phase process where the therapist uses bilateral stimulation (such as side-to-side eye movements, taps, or sounds) to facilitate the brain's natural healing mechanisms.
During EMDR, the therapist helps the individual identify distressing memories, negative beliefs, and physical sensations associated with past traumatic events. Bilateral stimulation is then used while focusing on these memories, allowing the brain to reprocess the traumatic information, reducing its emotional charge, and enabling the person to develop more adaptive coping mechanisms and perspectives.
EMDR is evidence-based and has been effective in treating conditions like PTSD, anxiety, phobias, depression, addiction, pain, grief, and other trauma-related issues.
EMDR has 3-pronged approach and works with past memories, present triggers and future scenarios. By addressing these three components, EMDR aims to comprehensively process and alleviate the effects of past traumatic experiences, their current triggers, and potential future stressors.
This comprehensive approach can help individuals develop more adaptive responses and reduce the impact of past trauma on their present and future lives.
