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TRAUMA
WHAT IS TRAUMA?
Trauma could be anything in your life that your body and mind didn't know how to handle. Your reaction to the event is typically more important in therapy than the event itself. Trauma often has the effect of making it difficult to engage in intimate relationships and tends to cloud the lens through which you see your world. Your body and brain get “stuck” at the time the trauma took place, and it can take a lot of time, and sometimes therapy, to help your body learn that the trauma is over and you are safe now. The aftereffects of trauma often include long-term stress reactions that can lead to anxiety and sometimes depression.
HOW CAN A COUNSELOR HELP ME?
A trauma-informed counselor can help you by first being a safe person to listen to your story. After your counselor gets to know you better, they can help with symptoms associated with trauma, such as being uncomfortable in your own body or racing thoughts. A trauma-informed counselor can also help you process your past trauma(s), help you regulate your emotions in the process, and make meaning from difficult situations.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
We won’t dissect your trauma the very first session. A lot of information-gathering will happen up-front, and then as we continue to meet together, we will begin to take pieces of your story and process those. We will move slowly, and we will work together toward healing. Processing can take place using a variety of methods in talk therapy or using sand tray therapy.
WHAT IS EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapeutic approach used to treat trauma and other emotional distress. It involves the client recalling traumatic memories while the therapist guides them through bilateral stimulation, typically eye movements, tapping, or sound. This process helps the brain reprocess the traumatic memories, reducing their emotional intensity and allowing the person to integrate them more adaptively. EMDR is particularly effective for healing trauma because it helps the brain "unstick" from the distressing event, allowing the person to heal and function better in everyday life.
Contact your Jefferson-based trauma therapist, located just outside of Athens, GA.