PTSD and Trauma Recovery
“Why did I let this happen?”
Sexual assault, physical assault, accidents, combat, and childhood abuse. Each traumatic experience is unique, but a few common questions emerge – “Why did this happen? Why didn’t I do something to stop it?“
These thoughts can arise regardless of your trauma, whether you were a child, an adult, out with friends, home alone, drinking, or sober.
Trauma sends our minds reeling, shattering our view of the world and ourselves – sending the pieces of our lives flying.
Trauma Changes our Mind and Body
A single traumatic event creates “a life before” and “a life after.” This one event alters the way we see the world, how we view ourselves, and what we feel safe doing.
Similarly, growing up with trauma is about survival. Thriving takes a back seat to safety when our caregivers abuse us or look the other way.
Even when we know people or places are safe, our bodies send danger signals that are powerful and exhausting.
Amanda’s* Trauma.
Amanda remembers watching her father slip deeper into addiction and protecting her siblings as their parents fought.
When Amanda left for college, she was excited to be on her own for the first time and away from her toxic home.
The excitement didn’t last.
Amanda never drank during high school, but she decided to “let go” at a party with friends during her freshman year.
The night got blurry. When Amanda woke up, she knew something had happened that she didn’t want.
She wanted to scream and her mind demanded, “Why did I let this happen?“
Amanda got over it – for a while.
Amanda needed some support, but instead, she received questions. “How much did you drink?” and “Are you sure that’s what happened?”
She felt alone, and the shame became suffocating. She decided to “get over it” and dove into school and work.
Amanda succeeded, at least on the outside. She graduated, excelled in her career, and married a supportive man.
It wasn’t until the birth of her first child, a daughter, that Amanda’s past roared into her present. Shame, fear, and sorrow began to bleed her dry emotionally. Something needed to change.
Amanda joined Healthy Mind Psychology.
Amanda contacted me to address post-partum sadness. She wanted to be the best mother possible and felt like giving therapy a chance.
Over time, Amanda opened up about her childhood and assault. She bravely explored these experiences and how they shaped her view of herself and the world.
Amanda realized that she had absorbed responsibility for her father’s actions and college experience. She processed her pain, identified her values as a mother and wife, and prioritized self-care.
Bit by bit, she put her pieces together.
Amanda reflected that therapy did not erase her traumas, but she learned to make sense of her experience, rekindle her passions, and make herself a priority.
Trauma treatment can change your life.
Amanda’s story is unique but not uncommon. Over 50% of people will experience at least one traumatic event during their life, and almost everyone experiences psychological distress in the wake of trauma. For many, these symptoms remain and may even worsen over time.
Trauma may be common, but it doesn’t have to run your life. Healthy Mind Psychology can help you organize your experience and regain a sense of satisfaction and control in your life.
It’s time to put the pieces together. Contact Healthy Mind Psychology today to set up a free 15-minute phone consultation.
*Name and identifying information changed to protect client confidentiality.