What is Trauma?
Trauma is part of every life and ranges in intensity from small and mildly limiting to profound and life-changing. A psychological trauma arises from a mental burden caused by an event or repeated events. Traumatic experiences can overwhelm the normal stress-processing system and lead to lasting emotional or psychological challenges. Whether large or small, trauma always binds life energy!
Trauma arises when one or more situations were too much, too fast or too sudden to process neurologically and emotionally, or to respond to appropriately. Trauma can result from accidents, experiences of violence, neglect, poverty, war, traumatised parents, social problems, ignorance and misfortune. We human beings are capable of living with and managing many problems. But when something is overwhelming, we have acute protective mechanisms (flee, appease, fight, dissociate) to survive in the first instance. If all goes well and we return to a resourced state in time, a discharge follows (e.g. trembling, crying, comfort from others, enough time). The experience can then be processed.
If the traumatic experience is very intense, repeats itself, or there is no adequate space for processing, the body — and with it the psyche — can become stuck. In this case it can become the basis for a wide variety of mental and emotional problems. These include addictions, anxieties, aggression, depression, panic, but also chronic pain or relationship difficulties triggered by attachment trauma. To overcome a trauma and live a healthy life it is important to seek help. Research on the subject suggests strongly that it is essential and decisive to heal trauma not alone, but within the context of an interpersonal relationship.
Wikipedia on trauma (psychology).
What is Trauma Therapy?
Trauma therapies are specialised forms of therapy that focus on the processing and integration of trauma. In my practice in Hamburg I work on the basis of Somatic Experiencing (SE)®. Therapy can be individually adapted to meet your needs. We cannot change the past, but we can change how we feel about it in the present. During therapy you are supported in processing your distressing memories and emotions. This can help improve the way you handle stressful situations. Trauma therapy can enable you to develop new communication and problem-solving skills.
Trauma and Childhood
The particular nature of childhood is our dependency on our environment and our attachment figures. In infancy and toddlerhood — and already in the womb — our survival depends entirely on whether our parents or caregivers look after us, protect us, and are able to understand and respond to our needs. This creates a very specific basis for traumatic situations. For example, being left alone is life-threatening to a baby; relational rupture is an immediate danger for a small child. Experiences such as hospital stays, illness or overwhelmed parents, emotional and physical violence in childhood can therefore leave deeper and more lasting wounds. These traumas often require more time and care, but are particularly rewarding for the rest of life when they are healed and integrated.
What Does Trauma Therapy Involve?
During therapy, people are supported in processing their distressing memories and emotions. What matters is how you are in the present moment, with the history you have lived. This can help to ease anxiety and depression and simplify the way you handle stressful situations. In my practice the conversation — while attending to immediate physical responses — is at the centre. You too learn to perceive and understand your physical and neurological reactions, for example an elevated heart rate, tunnel vision, restless legs and so on. Gradually it becomes possible to find new paths and to meet yourself with greater kindness and the world with greater honesty.
Addiction and Trauma Therapy
The connection between trauma and addiction lies in the fact that people who have experienced traumatic events have an elevated risk of addictive behaviour. Trauma can lead to emotional pain and psychological suffering, which those affected may attempt to manage through substance use. Addiction can then serve as a form of self-medication, temporarily relieving the symptoms associated with trauma. It is important to understand this connection and to include trauma-informed approaches in the treatment of addiction.
Trauma Therapy in Hamburg
In summary, trauma-therapeutic work is a valuable treatment for all people, since small and large traumas are part of every biography. If you are suffering from the effects of traumatic experiences, or if you simply notice that you are repeatedly under great stress and don’t know why, working with Somatic Experiencing and other trauma-sensitive therapeutic approaches can help you.
Trauma therapy offers a held and supportive environment in which you, as someone affected, can process your experiences. You come to know yourself better, expand your emotional possibilities and gradually regain strength and control. This is the foundation for a self-determined life.
If you live in Hamburg or the surrounding area, please feel free to contact me. Online appointments for trauma therapy are also possible if preferred.
