"Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real."
Cormac McCarthy
Welcome to the Month of Love and Healing from Trauma edition of Let's Heal Together.
It's fitting to be writing this on Valentine's Day. I've often struggled with the commercial aspect of this day and how triggering it can be for those who are single or in challenging relationships.
Despite that, it feels like an appropriate day to reflect on navigating love, trauma, and recovery.
Love, trauma, and recovery are interconnected aspects of our lives that shape who we are and how we navigate relationships.
In this blog, we will explore the journey of healing, finding love, and embracing recovery after experiencing trauma.
Whether you have personally experienced trauma or know someone who has, this newsletter aims to provide insights, support, and guidance on how to navigate these complex areas of life.
Understanding Trauma
The first step in overcoming trauma is understanding what trauma is and its impact on our lives.
Types of Trauma
Trauma can be classified into different categories:
Acute Trauma: This results from a single traumatic event, such as a car accident or assault.
Chronic Trauma: This occurs when an individual experiences prolonged and repeated traumatic events, such as ongoing abuse or living in a war zone.
Developmental Trauma: This type of trauma happens during critical stages of development, often in childhood, and can have long-lasting effects on a person's emotional and social well-being. This also includes the trauma of neglect or not receiving the kind of care that was needed at the given stage of life.
Impact of Trauma:
Trauma can have profound effects on individuals, both physically and psychologically.
Some common reactions to trauma include:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This is a mental health condition that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, and hyperarousal.
Anxiety and Depression: Trauma can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders and depression, leading to intense feelings of fear, sadness, and hopelessness.
Disrupted Relationships: Trauma can affect an individual's ability to trust, form healthy attachments, and maintain stable relationships.
Physical Health Issues: Chronic stress resulting from trauma can lead to physical health problems, such as cardiovascular issues, immune system dysfunction, and chronic pain.-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This is a mental health condition that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, and hyperarousal.
Anxiety and Depression: Trauma can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders and depression, leading to intense feelings of fear, sadness, and hopelessness.
Disrupted Relationships: Trauma can affect an individual's ability to trust, form healthy attachments, and maintain stable relationships.
Physical Health Issues: Chronic stress resulting from trauma can lead to physical health problems, such as cardiovascular issues, immune system dysfunction, and chronic pain.
Healing and Recovery
Recovery from trauma can take time and is unique to each person. Below are some of the tools I find most useful:
Seeking Professional Help: Engaging in therapy, such as trauma-focused therapy or EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), can help individuals process and heal from the effects of trauma.
Over the past 2 years, I've had some great results using EMDR with clients with clients recovering from PTSD and other traumas. If you would like to know more, please discuss this in our next session or send me an email
Self-Care: Practicing self-care activities, such as exercise, meditation, journaling, and engaging in hobbies, can support healing and emotional well-being.
Building Support Systems: Surrounding oneself with a strong support network of understanding and empathetic individuals can provide validation, comfort, and encouragement. 12 step groups can be helpful for those with addiction issues as many addicted individuals use drugs, alcohol, and destructive behaviour in an attempt to medicate their trauma.
Developing Coping Strategies: Learning healthy coping mechanisms, such as deep breathing, grounding techniques, and mindfulness, can help manage trauma-related symptoms.
Navigating Love
After experiencing trauma, navigating love can feel overwhelming and challenging. Trauma can impact our ability to trust, form attachments, and communicate effectively in relationships.
By exploring strategies for building healthy boundaries, fostering trust, and practicing self-love, we can create a solid foundation for healthy and fulfilling relationships.
My strongest suggestion here is that you don't rush love. In the early stages of recovery we can still be vulnerable to unhealthy relationships, so take your time and focus on your health and growth.
Post-traumatic growth (PTG)
Post-traumatic growth (PTG) describes positive psychological changes that can occur after a traumatic event or a significant life challenge. It suggests that we can experience personal growth, increased resilience, and positive transformations as a result of our struggles.
I find this very heartening as it offers hope for those who have lived traumatic lives and may believe that recovery is out of their reach.
Navigating love, overcoming trauma, and embracing recovery requires time, patience, and self-compassion. By understanding the psychological impact of trauma, being open to external support, and embracing healing, we can cultivate healthy relationships and create a fulfilling life.
It's important to remember, you are not alone on this journey, and there is hope for a brighter future. Together, let's navigate love, overcome trauma, and embrace recovery.
If you want to continue doing this healing work, I have several self-paced courses below and on my website. Additionally, if you want to work on your past relationship dynamics try my, Relationship Workshop, check out my self-paced course below.
Wishing you a month full of self-love, self-compassion and self-acceptance,
Lots of hugs until next time.
Faith xoxo