Trauma is an overwhelming experience. We can be traumatized by an accident, a fall, an operation, a severe sickness, abuse, sexual and verbal violence or by witnessing others being traumatized. It can also be triggered by the sudden loss, by natural disasters, political persecution and war.
When our soul is wounded on such a deep level it can cut us off from our connection to ourselves, to others, to nature and to our spiritual sources. The consequences of this kind of trauma can be very powerful. The energy which our body generates in this state of alarm is often incompletely dissolved after the incident is over. Our bodies hold on to the memory and keep reacting to a threat from the past, a threat which no longer exists.
The traumatized person often shows symptoms that are confusing or threatening to himself and maybe also to others. These symptoms are difficult to understand and can range from hyperarousal, hyperactivity, outbursts of anger, hypoarousal, detachment, rigidity, fear, panic attacks, depression, sleeping disorders, chronic pain and more.
The individual consequences that follow a trauma can be treated as part of a therapy using various methods. Somatic Experience and EMDR have been proven to be particularly effective in treating trauma.
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
“Somatic Experiencing” understands that a trauma is not only stored mentally, i.e. in memory, but also in the body. With this gentle method, the wisdom of the body and its ability to self-regulate is strengthened and activated. This is done by gradually discharging and freeing the nervous system from this held energy or trauma. With the release of the trauma comes a feeling of confidence, security and the ability to relax, thereby reawakening a confident attitude towards life.
EMDR®
“Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing”
EMDR is another method of trauma treatment. Here, among other things, a technique of guided eye movement is used to allow traumatic experiences to be processed. Using EMDR it is possible to free oneself from stressful images and body sensations, oppressive emotions and restrictive conscious or unconscious convictions, allowing us to live a fuller and more carefree life. At the same time, new, enriching insights can be integrated into everyday living.