Trauma

Peace and Healing After Suffering Trauma

On the eve of His death, Jesus told His disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NIV). There is no end to the difficulties that people face in this life, and the disciple of Jesus isn’t spared from these hardships. When we experience distressing events, it can lead to trauma, which can undermine one’s well-being. There is help available to address trauma in its various forms.

Making Sense of Trauma

The term ‘trauma’ refers to the emotional response a person has when they experience a disturbing or distressing event. This event is often overwhelming and difficult to cope with, leading to the person feeling helpless, in shock, and unable to make sense of what they’ve gone through. Trauma undermines a person’s emotional well-being, and it can disrupt every aspect of their life.

Many different kinds of events can lead to trauma. However, going through these experiences doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be traumatized. Often, other factors are involved in whether a distressing situation results in trauma, including whether you have an adequate support system to help you process the experience and have the coping skills to sustain you.

Some of the events that can cause trauma include physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological abuse. Experiences of neglect, witnessing violence, being caught up in a traffic collision, or a natural disaster like a flood or earthquake can also be traumatic. Experiencing sudden loss of a loved one can also be traumatizing, and experiencing life-threatening health conditions or medical trauma, such as a chronic illness or a difficult childbirth experience.

Other experiences that could result in trauma include being exposed to war or a conflict zone, being kidnapped, or going through an act of terrorism. Being bullied or harassed, whether in a school, professional, or home setting, can also potentially result in trauma.

The Effects of Trauma

When you experience traumatic events, they can affect you in several ways. Some of the more common effects of trauma include the following:

• Cognitive effects Trauma may cause individuals to have difficulty concentrating, experience confusion, have memory lapses, or dwell on and have persistent negative thoughts and beliefs. You may also have flashbacks in which you relive the traumatic experience.
• Emotional effects Trauma can result in having trouble regulating one’s emotions, emotional outbursts, and experiencing feelings such as fear, anger, sadness, and anxiety. You might also feel numb, afraid, and hopeless. These typical emotional responses can be overwhelming and persistent.
• Physical signs and symptoms Trauma can manifest physically, resulting in symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, sweating, being ‘jumpy’, struggle to rest adequately due to disturbed sleep patterns, a racing heart, and an increased susceptibility to illness.
• Behavioral changes Experiencing trauma can change a person’s behavior, including making them more socially withdrawn, engaging in risky behaviors as a coping mechanism, and avoiding scenarios, places, people, or situations that are reminiscent of the circumstances in which the trauma took place.
• Spiritual impact Experiencing trauma can result in questioning the goodness of the Lord, feeling far from the Lord, and not being able to engage in spiritual practices like prayer, reading Scripture, or being with the church.

Trauma can disrupt your life, upending the existing patterns in your life. There is help available to address trauma, and that includes seeking trauma therapy.

Peace and Healing After Suffering Trauma

If you’ve experienced a traumatic event and it results in trauma, there are options available to reclaim your peace and find healing. If you’re looking for trauma therapy in Mansfield, Texas, you can find help from the Christian counselors at Mansfield Christian Counseling. Christian counseling can offer you treatment options that address you as a whole person – body, mind, and spirit.

Talk therapy is an effective way to treat trauma. A counselor or therapist with experience in handling clients with trauma can make use of therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to reframe negative thought patterns while developing healthier coping mechanisms. Another therapy called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) uses bilateral stimulation to help process traumatic events.

Through various means, such as creative therapy, which uses music, art, or writing to express difficult emotions, you can come to terms with the traumatic event and learn to cope better in everyday life. These therapies, along with prayer, wise reflection, meditation on Scripture, and taking basic steps like self-care, can help turn the tide and help you navigate the trauma well.

Going through trauma can be a deeply isolating experience. You are not alone. Reach out to the counselors at Mansfield Christian Counseling. With their help and support, you can come to understand the trauma you’ve experienced, and you’ll be better equipped to cope with your trauma as you find a renewed sense of peace and hope.