Learning How to Heal From Trauma
Trauma leaves a mark, and it can come from anywhere. Some of us spend our whole lives trying to solve the riddle of a traumatic childhood, a high school bully, or a toxic workplace. Even when we’ve put those memories behind us, they have a way of dragging us out of the present and back to a muddy past. It might be helpful to think of trauma as wounds that need to heal or ghosts that need to be laid to rest. No matter how you see it, it’s important to know that healing from trauma isn’t only possible; it’s a skill. Accordingly, it’s one you can learn, practice, and carry with you on your journey.
Be Open to Learning
One of your first steps in healing from trauma is studying it to understand what it is and how it affects us. Our bodies are built to handle trauma through self-defense mechanisms and our stress response. Like burning your hand on a stove or getting your fingers pinched in a door, trauma comes with pain, and our bodies learn to avoid that pain via our fight-or-flight instinct.
Trauma lives in our bodies and minds. It’s a sensitive spot that sets off alarm bells and doesn’t like to be touched. It can be triggered by a tone of voice, a smell, or a similarity in how someone touches you. Your body remembers and tries to protect you. Believe it or not, this is natural. It’s part of being human. These experiences may have changed you, but they don’t mean you’re broken.
Be Vulnerable
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to trauma, and what’s traumatic for one person might not even register for another. We’re taught early on to toughen up, push through our pain, and keep moving—like a shark or a bullet train speeding out of control. But does that sound like a recipe for healing or disaster?
Instead of pushing that pain down or pretending it doesn’t exist, it’s time to engage with it. So, we have to examine those experiences without judgment. We’re not comparing traumas with others but looking inward into ourselves. We must look those ghosts in the eye before exorcizing them.
Practice Self-Kindness
We all deserve kindness, empathy, and respect, but many of us struggle to show ourselves that courtesy. We’ve all got an inner warrior telling us we should be stronger and push through things. We need that—but sometimes, we also need a softer touch.
Practicing self-kindness means taking care of yourself and permitting yourself to be imperfect:
Engage in encouraging, positive self-talk.
Treat yourself to something special every now and then.
Acknowledge your limits, and ask for help.
Give your body the rest, food, and care it needs.
Practicing self-kindness also means cultivating a network of safe, supportive people in your life. Sometimes the people we love come with an edge. That’s okay, but we need to acknowledge that and recognize it so that we can keep ourselves from getting hurt.
Practice Mindfulness
While mindfulness techniques may not heal your trauma, they will help you control its impact on your life. These techniques and skills help keep you grounded in the present when something triggers a traumatic memory. Some examples of mindfulness practice include:
Focus on your five senses: sight, smell, touch, hearing, or even taste.
Practice mindful breathing. Slow, intentional, and deep breaths to calm your body.
Make a time-out plan. Have somewhere to go to hit the pause button and reset.
Counseling & Therapy
If you’re struggling to heal from past trauma, consider reaching out today for a free consultation about trauma therapy. I’d love to learn more about what challenges you are facing and help you learn the skills and techniques that can help you overcome them.