What is trauma? This is a question that is often asked because the lines may be hazy. You may question when an experience becomes a traumatic one. You may question how traumatic experiences are different from non-traumatic ones. You may question if what you have gone through really is trauma.
If you are wondering about trauma, you’ve come to the right place. The Guest House is here to help you deal with the underlying traumas you have experienced, as well as any co-occurring disorders you may be dealing with. Continue reading for more information.
What Is Trauma?
The Guest House defines trauma as any life event, series of life events, or ongoing life events that create a negative impact on your life that changes or distorts your vision of yourself and your place in the world. These experiences can take different forms, occur at any stage of life, and even be experiences that do not seem traumatizing in the moment, but have still impacted you. Here are some common examples of trauma, but please note that there are more events that can be traumatizing beyond this list:
- Abuse or neglect
- Disaster or a sudden event
- Violence or combat
- Loss and grief
- Heartbreak or abandonment
- Illness or injury
- Stress or burnout
The Guest House knows that living through any traumatic experience leaves a permanent mark on a person. We hope that one day this mark can become a sign of your strength and growth. We know, however, that this transformation takes time and support. It’s important to be able to recognize when trauma manifests itself in ways that are potentially harmful, and even more important to know when to ask for help.
Everyone’s Trauma Is Different
The Guest House uses individualized treatment options because we know that everybody’s trauma is different. Even though you may have experienced the same event as your neighbor, the response and impact can be vastly different. We want to help empower you and help you realize that although your life has been impacted by a traumatic event, you can still regain your freedom, peace, and hope.
We also know that you can thrive by interacting with others because this helps you realize that you are not alone. If someone else in a similar situation has begun their healing journey from trauma, you can heal, too. It’s also important to keep in mind that, in recovery, you are not a bad person trying to be good but rather a wounded person that is trying to heal. The Guest House wants to help you heal.
Trauma Work Takes Time and Commitment
Trauma work takes time and commitment. You’re going to have to devote your time and energy to working on your trauma. You’re going to have to be committed to working on your trauma. You may never have had to work at something like this in your life, and that’s okay! As long as you are committed to your work, we are here to help!
The time it takes to heal from trauma is different for everyone. There is no timetable of when you should be healed. We know that trauma is truly a soul wound that is intense, exhausting, and riveting. We also know that healing from trauma is rewarding beyond measure. These deep feelings and the intimacy you have with your trauma can be so intense at times. This is why it takes time and commitment to heal.
Think about your trauma for a moment. If you have experienced some long-term trauma in the past, you may have been dealing with it for years. Trauma takes time because what you had dealt with for five years or so will not be magically fixed in five days. It’s going to take time to heal from these soul wounds. They may feel so deep that you think you may never recover, but you can recover. You can heal from these wounds.
Trauma Work Isn’t About Avoiding the Pain
It’s important to know that trauma work isn’t about avoiding the pain you’ve dealt with. In your recovery from trauma, you’re going to have to walk into it, process it, and feel it. You have probably been avoiding the pain that the trauma brings for so long.
In your recovery, however, you have to feel what you have been avoiding in order to get through and to the other side. You can work through your trauma and live in a beautiful and fulfilling world. You don’t have to live in pain any longer.
You Are Not Alone
Although trauma can feel isolating, you must realize that you are not alone. You may have dealt with unique experiences, but you are not unique to the point where you are alone. Others have lived through similar experiences. They have put in the hard work and learned to heal. You can do this, too.
Although we will not rush you through your trauma work and healing, we also do not allow our clients to use their trauma as an excuse. You must still be willing to put the time and energy into crafting a healthy recovery space for yourself. No one can do this work for you. You must do it on your own, without excuses.
The Guest House is here to help you become the best version of yourself in your recovery. Call us today at (855) 372-1079. We cannot wait to speak with you and help you begin your journey today. Call us now!