Trauma
We assist people in healing from a variety of past traumas including:
PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrom):
- military combat
- rape
- general assault
- adult survivers of childhood physical and/or sexual abuse
- natural disasters
- severe accidents
- etc.
Other Traumas (little "t" traumas):
- childhood verbal and/or emotional abuse
- neglect
- abandonment
- enmeshment
- parentification
- etc.
Trauma that has not been fully processed by the mind often underly confusing feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, thereby damaging and distorting perception of self, others, and God. Trauma that has been fully processed is characterized by the ability to retreive the traumatic memories and ponder them and talk about them without a strong uncomfortable reaction and without distorted perceptions. In short, the person is in control of the memories and not visa versa.
When most people hear the word "trauma" they usually think of post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) associated with "big T" traumas such as military combat, rape, childhood sexual abuse, traffic accidents, natural disasters, etc. However, negative long-term consequences on peoples' lives can be caused by childhood "small t" trauma such as: neglect, enmeshment, parentification, critical parent, verbal abuse, parental abandonment, etc. Dr. Francine Shapiro, the founder and developer of the psychotherapeutic treatment modality EMDR describes trauma as follows:
"The symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are clearly derived from dysfunctionally stored [stored in the brain] experiences. The nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and high levles of arousal may be viewed as signs of this [emotional] state-dependent storage. Victims clearly feel inappropriate levels of fear and powerlessness and behave accordingly. However, what EMDR has shown us over the past years is that even ubiquitous events, such as childhood humiliations and disappointments, can leave comparable lasting negative effects. Although they may not breed the intrusive imagery of PTSD, the emotions, beliefs, and physical sensations arise in the body and mind, coloring present perceptions and leading to unhappiness and inappropriate behaviors in the present. In simple terms, the past is present. It therefore does not matter whether it is a "big T" traumatic event that precipitates PTSD or the more ubiquitous "small t" events that are rampant throughout childhood. There is a long-lasting negative effect upon self and psyche."
Therefore, "big T" and "small t" trauma often underly various dysfunctional behavior including homosexuality, gender identity confusion, sexual addiction, pornography, and emotional disregulation (depression, anxiety, mood swings, anger magagment problems, and emotional numbness). At Agape Counseling, we help people heal from "big T" and "small t" taumas.
