Trauma is a buzzword these days, but what do people mean when they talk about trauma?
Historically, trauma was only talked about in terms of veterans coming home from war and having “shell shock,” now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The activities they did and images they saw during their time in service changed them and stuck with them long after the battles ended.
This type of trauma is colloquially known as “Big T Trauma.” “Big T Trauma” stems from a big event that happened a finite number of times, such as getting in a massive car wreck, witnessing a murder, being in combat, or being part of a natural disaster or school shooting. Something terrible happened, and it can be told in a story that has a clear beginning, middle, and end. For example, “I was driving, and another car came out of nowhere. My car was totaled, and I broke my leg and a couple of ribs.”
Most people would agree that experiencing this type of situation is “traumatic.” Yet, there is more to this topic. Often, people who talk about traumatic experiences have never been in combat or a catastrophic car wreck, so what are they saying?
What is Trauma?
Either these people are speaking in hyperbole (which is possible!), or they might be talking about “little t trauma.” “Little t trauma,” often called “complex trauma,” stems from several small events that happened over time. There is not one major event to point to, but a lot of little events that are confusing to explain. This type of trauma is often referred to as “invisible wounds” since there are usually no visible markings on the body. The trauma story usually does not have a clear beginning, middle, and end, which makes this type of trauma survivor question if they actually experienced trauma. Examples of “little t trauma” include physical neglect, physical abuse, emotional neglect or abuse, sexual abuse, and witnessing caregivers fighting, to name a few. Usually, this type of trauma includes interpersonal trauma, meaning that another person, not an event like a natural disaster, harmed you. Interpersonal trauma, especially from caregivers, can be especially confusing to make sense of.
Not everyone who was in combat or neglected as a child will be equally as “traumatized.” Some veterans come home and carry on with life, while others have a harder time adjusting to life at home. Trauma responses occur when the individual is having flashbacks or other intrusive thoughts about the event(s) they experienced, they avoid anything that might remind them of it, their mood changes negatively, and they are especially reactive or anxious in life. Essentially, the traumatic situation(s) have a lasting, negative impact on the person in various aspects of life, such as their mood, thoughts, and relationships.
Want to Learn More?
One way to assess if you’ve experienced trauma is to take the ACE questionnaire, which checks for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Trauma can happen at any age, but it is usually most disorienting when it occurs in childhood. If a child had a large number of adverse experiences prior to age 18, they are at greater risk for health and interpersonal issues later in life. Here is a blog article about the ACE questionnaire, including the ACE assessment itself.
Some other resources on this topic:
- https://complextrauma.org/
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Treatment Options
Judith Herman, a psychiatrist who works with trauma survivors, created a trauma treatment model focused on “establishing safety, retelling the story of the traumatic event, and reconnecting with others.”
Our therapists establish safety in a variety of ways, assisting clients in getting control of the narrative of their trauma, and allowing them to reconnect with themselves, others, and the world around them.
Some of our therapists use an attachment-focused lens in their work, allowing clients to dig into their childhoods and process traumatic experiences. Others use Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help clients re-engage with parts of themselves that may have gotten lost in the trauma. At times, trauma leaves us with a lack of words, making traditional talk therapy difficult. This is where EMDR comes in, a treatment method that uses eye movements to engage both sides of the brain. Keep reading for more information about EMDR, and you may find this 10-minute introduction to EMDR video helpful.
If you find yourself nodding along with any of these descriptions of trauma, email our admin team at admin@restorationcounselingatl.com, and they can pair you up with a therapist specialized in this type of work!
EMDR Therapy
Trauma, Grief, Depression, Anxiety Treatment Technique
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress resulting from disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies indicate that by using EMDR therapy, people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that previously took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can, in fact, heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes.
EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using detailed protocols and procedures in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.
Text taken from EMDR Institute, Inc.
EMDR Online Effectiveness:
EMDR is one of the hottest therapy topics in popular culture right now, but the question may still be lingering in your mind: “How can it work virtually?” One of the (very limited number of) great things to come out of the pandemic is that thousands of therapists across the country put this to the test on very short notice, with an astounding yes! What makes EMDR effective in any setting is dual stimulation–meaning, being able to hold the thought of the trauma while simultaneously holding your attention in the room around you via tapping, buzzers, light bar, eye movements, etc. All of these methods can be conducted virtually!
The most important part of receiving online EMDR therapy is having a skilled therapist–someone who can hear the changes in your voice, direct your attention back to the “target,” and help contain your emotions as needed. We have clinicians with the skills and experience to walk with you through EMDR both in person and virtually.
You may read more about EMDR therapy here.
Our EMDR Therapists
These therapists are EMDR Certified.
- Jennifer Stuckert, MA MFT, LPC, ACS, CPCS, NCC, Clinical Director
- Mead Reed, MA, LMFT, LPC
- James E. Francis, Jr., EdD, LPC
The following therapists are currently in EMDR training and are also offering EMDR sessions.
- Kyle Sussenbach, MA MFT, LAMFT
- Nancy Messner, MA, APC
- Hannah Clark, MA, LPC
- Andrea Brandt, MA, MS, NCC, APC
- Micah Mabe, MA, MFT, LPC
We’re here to help, so feel free to contact one of these therapists directly or reach out to our new client coordinator.