Breaking Free: How To Let Go Of Your Trauma
One thing that Dr Sarah Woodhouse wants you to understand about trauma is that it’s completely normal. Most of us think of trauma as an extreme state, triggered by some sort of catastrophic event. However, Woodhouse, a research psychologist and trauma expert, says that studies show that between 70 and 90 per cent of people experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetimes.
“We have come to realise that everyday, commonplace events can be traumatic, especially for children,” says the author of the new book, You’re Not Broken: Break Free From Trauma And Reclaim Your Life.
“Most of the negative patterns we experience – whether it’s physical or psychological, anxiety or even chronic pain – can be traced back to trauma, often in childhood,” she says.
Woodhouse says that our understanding of trauma has come a long way since the 1970s. “When we first began to understand trauma in a meaningful way, the only model we had for it was war veterans with PTSD, cases that were very extreme.
“Since then we have seen – and a lot of this has filtered up from the counsellors on the ground – that trauma exists on a spectrum. Any experience that feels threatening or overwhelming can cause trauma. It’s something we all need to learn about it, and talk to our kids about, because at the moment it’s causing more problems than it needs to. We need to lose the stigma.”
Trauma can manifest in a range of ways that include anxiety, anger or addiction as well as negative thought patterns and other dysfunctional behaviours. You’re Not Broken aims to help readers identify their particular negative patterns and learn how to move on.
“When we first began to understand trauma … the only model we had for it was war veterans with PTSD, cases that were very extreme. Since then we have seen that trauma exists on a spectrum.”
In the book, Woodhouse writes about people who experience post-traumatic growth, who, she say are “people who don’t take the traumatic experience as proof that they’re damaged, but instead take it as proof that they’re survivors … they rise up out of their reactions and patterns and the trauma itself becomes the motivation for growth.”
Treating trauma doesn’t necessarily mean seeking professional help, although that will be the best solution for some people. “You can begin by doing work on yourself at home,” Woodhouse says. “Once you have spotted your patterns, what triggers you, your coping mechanisms, you can work on finding a different response, on trying to reframe some of those beliefs.”
Woodhouse takes an in-depth look at some of the somatic (body), cognitive (mind) and behavioural tools that can help you break free from patterns you might be stuck in. These include everything from intention setting to analysing your triggers and responses; from breathing practices to finding people who will support your journey.
“There are lots of different ways to deal with your trauma, it’s a very personal journey,” she says. “The first step is about awareness, about trying to spot the patterns in your life. Once you’ve done that, you move toward the treatment option that feels good and comfortable for you. It might be trauma-informed yoga, or hypnotherapy, or something else. There’s no one-size-fits-all.”
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Words_ Ute Junker
Photos_ Amy Chung/Pexels