Trauma Counselling

What Is Trauma Counselling?

Trauma Counselling is a form of therapy geared towards helping individuals who have experienced traumatic events or situations. A trained professional uses various therapeutic tools and techniques to help clients address the trauma’s emotional, psychological and physiological effects of the trauma. By creating an empathetic and safe space for individuals, the therapist works with them to help process their traumatic memories and develop healthy coping strategies to restore their sense of safety and well-being.

What Are The Symptoms Of Trauma?

The symptoms of trauma can vary from person to person in different degrees of intensity. Some common symptoms associated with trauma are:

1) Re-experiencing the trauma can include flashbacks, nightmares or intrusive thoughts related to the traumatic event.

2) Numbing: Individuals may try to numb the reminders of their trauma by detaching themselves from the feelings. Resorting to unhelpful coping mechanisms such as reliance on alcohol, smoking, substance misuse, keeping excessively busy, and avoiding people or situations are other coping mechanisms.

3) Hypervigilance involves increased alertness and being easily startled, mainly when triggers occur.

4) Adverse changes in thoughts and beliefs: Trauma can lead to the development of negative thoughts and beliefs about oneself or the world. It may also result in shame, guilt or anger. Some people have difficulty concentrating or remembering things.

5) Physical symptoms: Trauma often manifests physically, leading to headaches, gut health problems, chronic pain, or other physical complaints.

6) Emotional distress: Trauma can lead to increased emotional distress, resulting in Anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Depression.

Small Traumas And Big Traumas

Trauma can be experienced by people as big T’s or small t’s, depending on the level of the traumatic experience. A big T is a significant event threatening one’s life or personal safety, such as a natural disaster, abuse, war, death/loss of a loved one, or physical or sexual assault.

A small t is trauma experienced by a person on an individual level and affects their emotional well-being. These can accumulate over time and cause significant distress. Some examples include interpersonal conflict, failure experiences, life transitions, and bullying.

Who Might Benefit From Trauma Counselling?

Trauma counselling can benefit individuals who have gone through any form of trauma and are struggling to cope. Some examples of who can benefit include but are not restricted to are:

1) Survivors of abuse
2) War veterans
3) Survivors of accidents and disasters
4) First responders and healthcare professionals
5) Refugees
6) Those who have survived loss and grief
7) Individuals with complex or childhood trauma

What Can I Do If I Know Someone Suffering From Trauma?

If you know someone who is suffering from trauma, there are several ways you can offer support and help:

1) Be a compassionate listener: Give them a safe and non-judgmental space to share their experiences and emotions. Validate their emotions and offer support and empathy.
2) Educate yourself about trauma: Learn about the effects and common symptoms so that you can better understand what they may be going through.
3) Offer practical support: Help with tasks or responsibilities to relieve some of their stress, provide meals or offer transportation when needed.
4) Encourage professional help: Suggest they seek professional support from a counsellor or therapist. Offer to help them find resources or accompany them to appointments if they find that helpful.
5) Be patient and understanding: Recovery from trauma is not linear and takes time. Healing is a gradual process. Be patient and understanding with your progress, setbacks and fluctuations in emotions.
6) Respect their boundaries. Trauma can make individuals feel vulnerable and sensitive. Respect their boundaries and give them space when they need it.