In the book, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., we learn that during traumatic events the brain can actually shut down its vocal or audio sections; find his website and book here. When I first read about this discovery, just like what this author discussed, so much of what I had already witnessed in therapy sessions made sense. This is why it is so difficult to talk about traumatic past events. I also realized that this is why it is so important to grow into the place where we can talk about those events. Speaking about those events can give us mastery and control over parts of our lives where we feel that we have no power. Being able to process what happened enables us to establish power over those previous traumatic events, instead of those events exerting power over us.

On the subject of trauma, I’m not just writing as a bystander or witness. I have firsthand experience! Addressing my own trauma, I wrote down as much as I could. I knew that this would help me discuss the injury. Sometimes the memories would be very scary but opening up about them and the effects was important. Equally important is sharing with people who can be trusted, and not people who are toxic or will use the information maliciously. Instincts and gut feelings exist for a reason; we must learn to trust that intuition. Finding and or developing a safe support group is key in this journey. We can’t do this alone.

Trauma can result in troublesome and even debilitating symptoms like triggers, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and avoidance. You can get more information about what these words mean and how they show up here. Seeking trauma help and learning how to better cope with its effects are vital in the healing process. What may begin as anxiety treatment or depression counseling could evolve into trauma treatment as root causes are discovered.