Orlando Therapist: Understanding Trauma
Orlando Therapist: Understanding Trauma
Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC
If you've experienced trauma, you know that the traumatic experiences can continue to have an impact on your life long after the event has passed. After you've been through trauma the world may seem less safe and more unpredictable. You may struggle to trust others and feel stuck in a cycle of disturbing memories, shame, and isolation.
Understanding Trauma
Trauma is an emotional reaction to a deeply disturbing event that overwhelms our ability to cope. It severely undermines our sense of stability and emotional balance, affecting almost every aspect of our lives, including relationships, health, and sense of self. Trauma causes us to feel helpless and reduces our sense of self and ability to focus, work, go about our everyday lives, and enjoy our relationships.
However, trauma does not have to maintain its hold on you and your life. At Mindful Living Counseling, we offer EMDR therapy in Orlando. Many people have found EMDR to help manage stress and cope with the emotional upheaval that trauma brings about.
However, understanding the various types and impacts of trauma is an essential first step on your healing journey. Recognizing these can help you make sense of your emotions, direct you towards appropriate support, and begin the recovery process.
Types of Trauma
Trauma is commonly divided into three categories:
Acute Trauma: An isolated, unusually distressing, or dangerous event is what causes acute or single trauma. The abruptness and severity of the incident might leave you in a state of shock, overwhelmed with brief but intense emotional responses. Acute trauma includes profoundly disturbing events such as a sexual or physical assault, a severe incident, a natural disaster, etc., and it is closely linked to acute stress disorder (ASD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and addiction.
Chronic Trauma: Chronic trauma, also known as repeated trauma, involves long-term or repeated exposure to highly stressful or traumatic conditions. This trauma can occur due to ongoing domestic violence, suffering long-term severe illness, or living in a war-ravaged region. If you have been exposed to chronic trauma, its cumulative effect can leave deep emotional scars. This can lead to long-term mental health challenges if trauma is not addressed.
Complex Trauma: Complex or permanent trauma happens when a person is exposed to multiple lasting traumatic experiences, such as ongoing physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, being held captive and tortured, being the victim of human trafficking, or living in a volatile environment). The complexities of these experiences can result in severe behavioral and emotional issues, affecting your everyday life, relationships, and overall well-being.
Secondary Trauma
If you were not directly exposed to the trauma but instead absorbed the stress and mental pain through intimate contact with the primary victims, you might develop secondary trauma. For instance, first responders, caregivers, and healthcare professionals may experience secondary trauma as a result of caring for traumatized people.
Developmental Trauma
Developmental trauma stems from exposure to trauma during the critical period of development. It is a type of complex trauma that specifically impacts children whose needs weren't met or who were abused or neglected during this critical time. Persistent neglect, abuse, or instability in a child's immediate surroundings can have a significant effect on their cognitive and social-emotional development. This can lead to long-term difficulties with emotion regulation, well-being, and interpersonal relationships.
Psychological Effects of Trauma
If you have survived or witnessed trauma, you may expect to experience short-term symptoms such as shock and denial. Shock is a common initial reaction to trauma. When the brain senses danger, it sends the body into an immediate fight, flight, or freeze response to protect you. When you feel emotionally overwhelmed, your mind and body may go into a shutdown mode, unable to respond emotionally or rationally.
In addition, you may refuse to recognize that the disturbing event happened; this is a defense mechanism that helps us manage the overwhelming emotions that come with trauma. You may also experience acute stress disorder in response to acute trauma.
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD): Acute stress disorder is a short-term condition that sometimes develops in the first month after an acute traumatic event. You may experience symptoms of PTSD, such as post-traumatic stress and dissociation. ASD symptoms often resolve on their own or after a brief course of therapy or medication. However, if symptoms last more than 30 days, you will most likely be diagnosed with PTSD.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): PTSD involves the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to a traumatic event. Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD, and many people manage to recover from the initial intense reactions. However, some people continue to experience symptoms long after the traumatic incident has passed. PTSD symptoms might show up months or even years after a traumatic event.
Your neurological system may remain in a constant state of high alertness after trauma, causing continuous distress and serious health issues. If you find yourself dealing with anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, emotional and somatic flashbacks, intrusive memories, concentration issues, and impulsive or self-destructive behaviors, you might be experiencing PTSD.
Therapy for Trauma and PTSD
We understand how painful and isolating it may be to confront trauma and free yourself from its hold. Understanding and managing the emotions that develop during a trauma response is crucial to trauma healing. But you don't have to do it alone. Trauma therapy in Orlando, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), provides a safe and supportive space to process and heal from traumatic experiences.
EMDR involves an eight-phase structured process in which the therapist guides you through a series of techniques, such as bilateral stimulation (for example, the therapist might ask you to follow the movement of your finger with your eyes), which is believed to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. This reprocessing decreases the emotional intensity connected to traumatic or distressing memories.
Our therapists at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando will help you recognize your symptoms, learn how to control them, and rebuild your self-esteem and sense of safety.
Interested in How Trauma Therapy Can Help?
If you found something relatable in this blog, please know that you don't have to face it alone. The therapists at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando are always ready to assist you in navigating stress and addressing any other therapy-related concerns you may have. To get started with one of our counselors:
Fill out our New Client Consultation Form
Schedule a consultation call with one of our anxiety therapists.
Begin your healing journey!
Not Ready for Trauma Therapy Orlando?
At Mindful Living Counseling, we have a team of specialized therapists who are always ready to help with trauma. We understand that you may have some questions before making your first phone call, but rest assured that our highly trained experts will equip you with the most effective tools to overcome the anxiety that comes with getting started.
Additional Trauma Therapy Orlando Resources
Understanding the Fawn Response
Understanding the Window of Tolerance
Trauma Therapy: Internal Family Systems
Trauma Therapist: Signs of Childhood Trauma in Adults
Types of Counseling: Trauma Counseling
Orlando Therapist: Understanding Therapy Jargon
EMDR Therapy: Healing the Unspoken
5 Signs You’re Healing from Trauma
Other Therapy Services Offered at Mindful Living Counseling in Orlando
We understand that overcoming trauma can be a significant challenge, and we're here to support you through that journey. We also recognize that you may be facing other obstacles, and we're ready to help with those as well. That's why we offer a wide range of therapy services, including Anxiety Therapy, EMDR Therapy, and Teen Therapy, as well as Guided Meditations. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help you.
About Trauma Therapist: Lauran Hahn
Lauran Hahn, LMHC, is an Orlando-based therapist who specializes in helping clients who are struggling with anxiety and trauma. She also works with individuals to heal from toxic relationships. Lauran is also a Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist, a Certified EMDR Therapist, and an EMDRIA Approved Consultant. It’s Lauran’s goal to help her clients feel calm in their bodies, at peace in their minds, and connected in their relationships.