Healing from Trauma

What is Trauma?

Trauma is the wounding generated by an overwhelming experience in which we felt unsupported, lonely, and powerless. Just about every person on the planet carries at least some trauma. 

When we are not aware of our traumas, these wounds tend to create chronic anxiety, depression, worry, panic, perpetual feeling of helplessness and powerlessness, as well as deep shame and guilt. 

How Somatic Therapy Helps Heal Trauma

Somatic therapy is very helpful in the healing of trauma wounds. Using somatic methods to access the body’s inherent wisdom and intelligence allows us to work through emotional and relational pain and emerge more whole, more open and empowered, more deeply grounded in who we are.  

The Impact of Trauma on Us

Whether due to emotional or physical abuse, neglect, rape, gaslighting, trauma wounds can have a big impact on our lives.

Experiences of severe (or light but continuous) trauma can steal our sense of self, our healthy self-worth and dignity, as well as our sense of knowing what we want in life. 

Chronic stress, fear, self-doubt, shame, and guilt are among the most common symptoms of trauma. A whole lot of people think their post-traumatic symptoms are simply a part of life. 

Life Beyond Dependency 

A very direct result of early traumatic experiences is codependency in relationships on one extreme and thinking “I don’t need anyone!” on the other extreme. 

Unhealthy dependency can also express itself in addictions whether to drugs or alcohol or to sex, to social media, to shopping, to overthinking, to worrying, to perfectionism, even to dissociated spiritual practices.  

If your needs as a child were neglected by your parents or caregivers, you’re going to settle for crumbs anytime someone shows you a little bit of attention and love. And you’re going to put up with their disrespectful and hurtful behaviors out of fear of not losing them.

As you begin to take care of your wounding and heal, as you begin to honour your truths and express yourself in your relationships, you can find your power and outgrow unhealthy dependency. 

Healthy Relationships

Most people tend to struggle with their close relationships more than in any other area of their lives. This is at least partially due to trauma wounds we are not aware of. 

When we are not (blindly) driven by our traumas, we can show up in more empowered ways in our relationships. We can challenge and confront unhealthy behaviors of others from a place of vulnerability and courage and we can repair more easily after we’ve hurt someone.

What is Intergenerational Trauma? 

The field of trauma is full of discoveries about how a newborn inherits genetic material from the parents as well as embedded survival responses and strategies. 

These discoveries are completely in line with ancient traditions who talk about exactly the same process of inheritance using different words. 

We are products of not only one family, but entire family lines and generations going all the way back to the first humans. 

The descendants of those who lived through wars still penny pinch (even when they are wealthy!) after many generations because they are still impacted by the survival panic of their ancestors. 

Through osmosis, generation after generation, we inherit the perspectives and emotional reactions of one another until someone in the family commits to healing. If you are this someone in your family, you’ve come to the right place! 

Belonging, Connection, and Peace

Trauma wounds alienate us from our bodies, from the planet, from our community and family, even from our own countries and lands. Trauma disconnects us from our core, from our sense of self, from our roots. 

As we heal and begin to soften, we get in touch with what’s been frozen in us due to traumatic events. We find our place in the world, we connect with belonging, self-worth, and courage. 

We find peace. 

For more on trauma work, check out my page here.