When an individual experiences high levels of stress, anxiety, or fear without any escape window, a stress response known as trauma is frozen in their subconscious. There can be an unnatural reaction to various experiences that are not directly related to the traumatic event but are indirectly linked. For many people, this unnatural reaction can impede their normal way of life and growth by hindering them from expressing a healthy response to situations in life.
The first step towards trauma counseling is to recognize the need for it. This can be done by actively identifying trauma symptoms and observing patterns of such symptoms:
- Re-experiencing: It is one of the most common symptoms of trauma. This entails the individual reliving his traumatic event clearly and involuntarily through flashbacks, nightmares, or distressing images.
- Avoidance: Suffering individuals often try to avoid being reminded of their traumatic experiences. This can be done by avoiding the people or places connected to that memory, as well as conversations that can trigger it.
- Hyperactivity: People suffering from trauma eventually find it hard to relax and put themselves at ease. In an attempt to be aware of any potential threat to themselves, their minds are more often than not in a state of hyperarousal. This can also often lead to irritability, difficulty maintaining concentration, and sleeping issues.
- Change in beliefs: Optimistic or otherwise neutral people might adopt a pessimistic outlook because of their negative subjective experience. They will harbor a loss of trust towards other people and the world in general, which can ultimately lead to them losing their sense of purpose and meaning.
How does trauma counseling help?
Trauma counseling provides the individual with a safe space where they are allowed to process their fears and emotions healthily. They ensure the individual feels heard, safe, and held as delicately as possible. A trained therapist is the most appropriate person to offer proper grounding techniques and can offer valuable awareness exercises. Below are some examples of how trauma responses can be effectively regulated:
- Reduce symptoms: The symptoms such as reliving memories, anxiety, and avoidance can be regulated through Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or Eye Movement Desensitization and reprocessing, which are specifically designed to help the individual with such symptoms and allow them to function better in their daily lives.
- Restore faith in others: The lost belief in other people leads the individual to isolate themselves from the social world, which hinders their overall development. Counseling helps them regain that sense of safety and control over their lives and build deep trust with others.
- Address negative beliefs: Trauma makes people think lowly of themselves or blame themselves for what happened to them; counseling also regulates these feelings of guilt, shame, and worthlessness. It does so by offering validation, challenging and reframing those negative beliefs, and fostering a more optimistic and realistic self-perception.
- Human relationships: The relationships between family and friends are also negatively impacted for an individual who has roots in trauma; this can be recognized with the help of counseling and enable them to improve their communication and intimacy.
- Breaking the trauma cycle: It is very common for traumatized individuals to inflict pain on others as a response to their pain. This further causes the coming generations to internalize negative emotions. Counseling helps by making the individual recognize that they are not trapped in their trauma and that there is a better future.
Types of Trauma Therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): It is one of the most common forms of trauma therapy and aims to examine thoughts and actions in an attempt to gain a sense of control over them. This method entails the patient telling the therapist about their trauma and why they believe it happened. This challenging of beliefs is one of the key factors in moving on from the trauma.
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy: Unlike CBT, this method is more focused on the details of the traumatic event and then on the instances in the individual's daily life that trigger traumatic responses in them.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: This process also involves talk therapy; however, the highlight of EMDR is the use of bilateral stimulation, which is rapid eye movements or buzzing tappers. This method aims to alter how traumatic memories are collected in the individual’s brain and further replace those negative emotions with positive ones.
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy: The trauma therapist may follow trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy when dealing with kids and adolescents. In this form, the youngsters are taught about the ins and outs of trauma, how it affects and operates, and how they can save themselves from its negative impacts. The parents of the children are also encouraged to join in the sessions, and medications are also prescribed in conjunction with the therapy for an overall positive impact on the child.
In summary, trauma counseling services are of the utmost importance for individuals seeking healing and recovery. These services provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals to address and process their traumatic experiences. Healix Hospitals in Hyderabad is highly regarded for their expertise in trauma treatment and compassionate care. If you or someone you know is in need of trauma counseling, Healix Hospitals is the ideal choice to embark on the journey of healing and recovery.
Disclaimer: The content on this blog is not intended to promote any specific medical products or treatments. Any mention of specific products or services is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an endorsement. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.
Also Read : Comprehensive Orthopedic Procedures In Hyderabad - Healix Hospitals