Trauma is any type of distressing event or experience that impacts a person's ability to cope. Most people will experience some kind of traumatic event at some point in their lifetime.
Trauma can be the result of:
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Automobile accident
- A serious illness
- Death of a loved one
- Imprisonment
- Job Loss
- Natural Disasters
- Social injustices
Therapy can help when trauma leads to emotional and psychological harm that impacts one's mood, thinking, behavior, and functioning.
Therapy can:
- Provide a safe and predictable place to share experiences and receive support without judgment
- Help people make sense of the trauma
- Teach tools to help manage symptoms such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and flashbacks
- Teach ways to regulate emotions and change ineffective thinking patterns
- Help people integrate the traumatic experience into their life story in a meaningful way
- Build resiliency