Living life will experience trauma. Experiencing a terrifying event where you thought you were going to die, is not that uncommon. Most people will recover from a traumatic experience as their bodies recover through homeostasis, our body’s maintaining its internal balance.
With the new knowledge available to us as a result of recent advances in neuroscience and neuroimaging, we know trauma is experienced in the body. Many times the mind separates from the body and the response of the nervous system is overwhelm.
Over half the population in this country have reported having had a life threatening experience as an adult. A small percentage do develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, criteria being persistent symptoms for greater than one month. Many trauma experts are dropping the “D” and now referring to PTS, as a body response and not a disorder. The problem is now due to the imprints left behind in the hormonal and sensory systems. Our bodies want to heal. When the nervous system is experiencing a life threatening situation that a person can not run away from or fight back, the nervous system may go into overwhelm.
At times we may need to be intentional about recovering, the rest and digest of homeostasis, our bodies internal balance. Acute Traumatic Stress is when symptoms persist for a few weeks to a month after the traumatic event. The sooner a person recovers from Acute Traumatic Stress, the less risk of developing Post Traumatic Stress.
Trauma Sensitive practices are known to support our bodies trauma recovery. Being trauma informed is being aware of how common unintegrated trauma is. With this awareness, noticing when the body is moving toward reacting. Many situations could be re-triggering a trauma eruption, but not known or understood cognitively. Rather than this making no sense, consider “sense” making. Listen with attunement to the body’s messages and movement and sensations.
This cannot be done alone. Trauma causes isolation. Trauma healing happens in relationships and nervous system connection, co-synchronization of the nervous system. Connections in relationship within a safe space supports recovering from trauma. Trauma Recovery Coaching offers that safe space. Being with on the journey of the body’s knowing how to heal, supporting the body’s internal balance, co-creating a coherent, balanced nervous system.
