Ready, Set, Heal!

The healing of trauma cannot be done merely through conversation and analysis. The healing happens in another way.

If you’ve been through emotional trauma, you know that traumatic memories sap your energy and happiness, just as a weed saps the nourishment of its soil, while giving nothing back. No flower, no fruit, nor vegetable. If we do nothing but talk about the problem, it’s like ripping the top of a weed or chopping it with a lawn mower or weed whacker. It doesn’t get to the root.

If you’ve ever weeded a lawn or garden, you know that merely pulling the top off the weed is a waste of time. As long as the root stays in place, the weed grows back. The solution is to remove it at the root. 

Let’s say that healing is a useful way of talking about what the trauma survivor needs. Evidence-based trauma therapy always aims to provide lasting healing, by addressing the root of the problem, while also treating its symptoms.

For the sake of discussion we can also compare the healing of damaged emotions to the healing of a broken bone or a wound. 

Under the right conditions and using correct methods, a broken bone will set, heal and be fully usable. A would will heal leaving no mark. The body heals itself. It’s designed to do that.

Now, could that also be true of the brain and the mind, and its ability to heal damaged emotions?

In trauma therapy we believe that to be true. Given the right environment of safety and compassion, combined with knowledge of self-management skills, the brain and mind will find their way to healing.

Now here’s something strange. If you asked a qualified, well-trained trauma therapist how this happens, you may be surprised to hear “We don’t know.” That is, we don’t know exactly how the brain and the mind do the healing. That is because deep healing occurs on a level below the level of conscious thought.

The Good News: We do know that several approaches are proven effective in helping people recover from the effects of traumatic experiences.

Now let’s look at the conditions that will maximize the chances for healing and recovery.

First, the client must acknowledge that a current problem is related to a traumatic experience or set of experiences.

Then, the client must accept the fact that facing the trauma, rather than avoiding or denying it, is essential.

Next, the person needs to be ready to do the healing by facing the trauma, once he believes it is safe to do so.

Distorted beliefs nearly always plague people who have been traumatized. Thus’, one must be open to challenging self-defeating beliefs about oneself, about life, about the world and about people. 

Finally, commitment to completing the course of therapy is essential. 

I have received the comprehensive certified training in EMDR therapy, and have been using it to help clients heal from trauma since 2018. If you would like to know more, go to www.emdr.com and / or go to the EMDR page on my website. If you’d like a brief consultation at no cost, please call 219-309-3928. It would be an honor to be of service.

For more thoughts, click Trauma Therapy

Thanks for reading!