there’s a lot of misconception about what trauma is.
So I want to clear some things up.
You don’t have to have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to experience trauma.
Trauma is universal – everyone has had a traumatic experience (yes including yourself).
- Do you feel irritated when a certain memory comes up?
- Do you avoid reminders of people, places, or objects?
- Do you struggle to control your emotions in certain situations?
These are signs of trauma.
So to spot your traumas you should answer those 3 questions:
- What memories am I avoiding when they come up?
- What people, places or objects am I avoiding and why?
- In which situations do I have difficulties controlling my emotions? (angry outbursts, uncontrollable crying, etc…)
Don’t be lazy here. Take your time to answer those questions.
Don’t just go over them in your head. Write them down.
Those answers reveal the traumas controlling your life.
Meaning that by answering those questions you’ll have the power to break free from what controls you.
But how does trauma happen?
You are traumatized because the event was too shocking for your body to integrate.
Your body got overwhelmed and wasn’t able to understand what was happening.
So to heal you need to understand and integrate the traumatic experience.
Problem:
Most people avoid their trauma – but this only reinforces your fear.
Face what you avoid and your body learns that the traumatic memories are not dangerous.
Face your trauma to integrate the event into your life’s story.
Once you understand the what, how and why – you heal.
Okay but how do you integrate your traumatic experience?
Here are the 3 Steps to heal your trauma forever:
- Find a person you trust
This person is there to guide you through your experience.
They ask questions, encourage you to go deeper and hold space.
- Talk in as much detail as possible about the traumatic experience
Integrate the traumatic experience into your life’s narrative.
Meaning explain how your life looked like before and after the event.
Then talk about the traumatic event in as much detail as possible.
- Record yourself and come back to listen to it
48 hours later listen to the recording.
This will be painful but necessary to integrate your experience.
The more you understand the more you heal.
That’s it.
Healing your trauma is one of the greatest things you can do for yourself.
It leads to less stress, healthier relationships, and more joy.
Heal your trauma and your future self will thank you.
Any questions left?
Are you struggling with your mental health?
Reply with “Health” and let’s have a chat (free consulting for the first 5 people to reply)
Much love,
Heythem