Trauma can be experienced from any age, including toddlers and well into late adulthood. Not every individual responds to trauma the exact same way but there are typical responses that show up across the board.
Trauma can cause physiological changes to the brain and the body. There are memories, called flashbacks, that people with trauma witness in their dreams, while at home, driving around town, or even while eating dinner.
The good news is that trauma can be approached and coped with in healthy manners. Clinical Mental Health Counselors and Psychologists with training in trauma response are equipped to help individuals that have experienced trauma to heal from the changes the trauma has caused on the mind and body.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), EMDR, Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), mindfulness training, Exposure Therapy, and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) are a few of the many evidence-based techniques that mental health providers use to help individuals heal from trauma.
Trauma does not define the individual, and processing trauma requires a safe environment. As long as the individual is willing to put in effort, the process is possible. Trauma is not a choice, but healing from the trauma is.
If you or someone you know has experienced trauma and wants help, contact a mental health provider.
-AG-S.
