What are the basics of trauma and effective trauma-informed care?
What is trauma?
Trauma is any experience that overwhelms the nervous system, which is comprised of the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord) and the peripherical nervous system (the nerves that run throughout our bodies); and, threatens our instinctual need for safety and survival.
We all experience trauma and we all have a natural drive to go through these experiences, resolve them and grow from them. However, when we experience an event or a series of events that are so beyond our level of resilience that our spontaneous ability to learn, grow and adapt to our new circumstances shuts down and our nervous system loses its ability to respond effectively to the experience. We default to our instinctual need for safety and survival and withdraw, we get traumatized by the circumstances and often develop chronic symptoms of anxiety, depression, guilt and shame, relationship difficulties, and, even, addictions as a result of that. That is what is commonly known as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex-PTSD.
What is effective trauma-informed care?
Effective trauma treatment requires a holistic approach to addressing cognitive, emotional, and somatic(physical) symptoms. Traditional talk therapy usually focuses on thoughts and feelings leaving out the somatic/physiological responses to the traumatizing event(s).
Therapists trained in the combined use of EMDR and Somatic Therapy have advanced tools to work with post-traumatic stress. They are able to use somatic interventions with EMDR Therapy to help clients work through traumatic memories without becoming too overwhelmed or shutting down completely. The aim is to work within the “window of tolerance,” which is an optimal zone of nervous system arousal where we are able to respond effectively to our emotional distress without getting re-traumatized in therapy.
If you or someone you know is struggling with trauma, PTSD, or C-PTSD, and wants to learn more about SOMATIC EMDR and trauma-informed individual therapy, contact me today to schedule your free 20-minute phone consultation at: (858) 842-0234 or email me at: miriam@miriamchorfreitas.com
