It could be suggested that no one in life is immune from traumatic events. Whether it’s a natural disaster, which we are hearing about more frequently on the news – floods, wildfires, cyclones and droughts, or a man-made trauma – warfare, gender-based violence, rioting and lawlessness, crime, family conflict, road accidents, bullying, racism, sexism and xenophobia, or due to factors seemingly outside of our control – chronic illness, a pandemic, unemployment and poverty, there are so many situations that can lead to post traumatic stress disorder. The definition of PTSD is a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress occurring as a result of injury or severe psychological shock, typically involving disturbance of sleep and constant vivid recall of the experience, with dulled responses to others and to the outside world (Google Search).
Whilst not underplaying the severity of trauma that many people have been exposed to, I would suggest that as a human race, we are all carrying trauma within us, and living with the symptoms of trauma. Many of these traumatic events date back to early childhood and are largely buried within the deep subconscious mind as suppressed memories. Others have experienced trauma later in life, whether at home, at school, in the workplace, or whilst commuting or travelling or socializing. As South Africans and foreign visitors to our country well know, trauma and violence is ever present.
Hence the massive worldwide growth in psychological services for the treatment of trauma, amongst other things. Many psychologists working with their clients know they are dealing with underlying trauma, with the aim being to assist clients to better understand and heal from the effects of trauma at a physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual level. Inevitably, trauma largely effects the way we all conduct our daily lives. When you have burnt your hand badly on a stove, you are not going to approach any stove in the same way you did before. Trauma destroys our sense of safety and damages our ability to trust other people, and ourselves. It is a massive cause of hopelessness and helplessness, the two disempowering states that result in anxiety and depression. It breaks our sense of community, especially when the trauma is perpetrated against us or our loved ones by others.
The work of a clinical, counselling, or educational psychologist, as well as registered trauma counsellors and other health professionals, is to restore the sense of community that has been broken. Ultimately, practitioners want to help the so called ‘victim’ of trauma to become the ‘victor’ through trauma, learning how to better understand themselves physically, emotionally, cognitively and spiritually, and to be equipped to manage their healing process towards ultimate wholeness. This is called self-mastery, and one of the finest examples can be found in the heroic story of Alison Botha, and her book “I HAVE LIFE.” I encourage you to take hold of your life again by not allowing unspoken and unaddressed trauma to rob you more than it already has. Help is at hand, so find a soul teacher. Someone you can trust to journey with you through your pain towards ultimate liberation. You have life! I am available so give me a call, psychologist in Fourways.