What Is Trauma, Really? A DC Trauma Therapist’s Take on Debunking Harmful Myths
As a clinician practicing trauma therapy in DC, I hear many myths about trauma and healing from trauma. The impact of these harmful myths have kept some individuals from seeking in-person or online trauma therapy altogether. Misinformation that in turn becomes myths about trauma can be to the detriment of many individuals, and their potential healing journeys. They might stigmatize, invalidate, and keep people from accessing the help that they need.
The word “trauma” is often closely associated with discussions around mental healthcare, but it has also become a buzzword in everyday life. Trauma refers to emotional, psychological, and physical impacts of a deeply distressing event. A singular or ongoing traumatic event can have lasting impacts on a person’s mental and physical wellbeing. With this definition in mind, let’s break down some harmful myths about trauma!
Myth #1: Trauma is only caused by extreme events
People often think about trauma as the result of a singular, physically catastrophic event, such as a car crash. However, people experience trauma and the effects of trauma from everyday events that might be or have been ongoing, emotional, or stressful, not just physical in nature. In reality, chronic and emotionally-based experiences like bullying, emotional abuse, and ongoing stress, especially as a child, can be classified as traumatic. As a trauma therapist at The Sterling Group, which specializes in therapy for young adults, we believe it is important to recognize and validate a variety of events. These events may be ongoing and chronic, and they can also include a variety of childhood experiences such as bullying, neglect, and emotional abuse. Casting this wider net on trauma allows space for healing and bringing awareness to clients who might have felt silenced about the impact of their experiences.
Myth #2: Trauma is something you “just get over”
Because difficult mental health experiences are often “invisible,” as opposed to physical health issues that you might see a primary care doctor for, trauma responses often get a resounding call of “just get over it”. However, willpower alone will not heal the lasting effects of acute or chronic traumatic experiences. It is a myth that someone who has experienced trauma can “just get over it”.
Trauma cannot be “fixed” and it cannot just be forgotten. In reality, healing from trauma is a long-term process that often requires the support of loved ones, community, and mental health professionals, such as a trauma therapist at The Sterling Group. The repercussions and effects of a traumatic experience or a chronic traumatic experience might be something a person heals from continuously through intentional mindful self-compassion, mental health support, and continued personal growth. This myth is harmful, as neglecting getting help for trauma can lead to an exacerbation of symptoms. Each individual’s healing journey looks different, it is as varied as people are, and seeking professional mental healthcare to address trauma can help someone begin the healing process.
There are many evidence-based therapeutic techniques for healing from trauma. A common type of therapy used for addressing and healing from trauma, offered at The Sterling Group, is EMDR therapy. EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a type of therapy that uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, sounds, and tactile methods, to activate our body’s natural healing system, allowing us to process and then integrate traumatic memories into adaptive memory networks. EMDR helps individuals turn negative beliefs about themselves that have developed out of a trauma, into adaptive, empowered beliefs. You can read more about EMDR and how to get started with trauma therapy at The Sterling Group here! There is no one “best” trauma therapy for young adults. However, with offerings like EMDR and Internal Family Systems therapy, TSG’s therapists are practicing at the forefront of evidence-based trauma therapies in the field today.
Myth #3: Trauma only affects the mind
When we think of trauma and mental healthcare, we often only think about the brain. However, the effects of trauma can be experienced in our body (somatically), as well as mentally and emotionally. In order to truly address and heal from trauma, we need to understand how trauma affects someone holistically. As a trauma therapist, I often hear about distressing physical experiences from my clients that they cannot explain: fatigue, headaches, or chronic pain, to name a few. Trauma and the experience of trauma triggers can manifest in the body in a variety of ways and through unique symptoms. In order to heal from trauma, trauma therapists often use somatic interventions to help the body heal holistically. In trauma therapy, when addressing trauma symptoms and treatment you might use interventions such as a body scan, where you take mental inventory of each part of your body, breathwork, or movement exercises to begin the healing process.
Myth #4: Trauma recovery is linear
There is no set timeline for healing from trauma, and therefore it is never too late to seek therapy to address the symptoms of trauma you have experienced. Oftentimes, when seeking therapy and beginning the healing journey, you might think that it will be smooth sailing from the start. You might expect to see immediate “progress” or a decrease in symptoms. However, in reality, trauma recovery and healing is nonlinear. You might experience a period of growth and learning, followed by experiencing a trigger that causes you to have to readdress something from your past. You might feel up one week, and then down the next, everyday stressors also can affect your mood and the healing process. It is normal for there to be ups and downs along the way of your healing journey. To navigate and support yourself, you can seek assistance from the certified therapists at The Sterling Group. TSG offers in-person sessions and online trauma therapy to support individuals.. There is no right or wrong way to or timeline for healing, and it is an isolating, harmful myth that healing has a linear trajectory.
Myth #5: Trauma is something that happens in the past and doesn’t affect the present
Although an acute or chronic traumatic experience might have happened in the past, the effects of trauma do not always stay in the past. In short, our past impacts our present. Trauma can have long-term effects on our present mental health, emotional wellness, and physical well-being. Your therapist can help you identify the triggers that bring the past into the present, affecting your daily life. As you shed light on the triggers that are bringing the past into your present, your therapist can help you develop adaptive coping and self-care skills so you can mindfully and compassionately move through difficult and triggering situations
In conclusion…
Seeking mental healthcare and help for trauma is a sign of strength, not weakness. Someone’s experiences, both psychologically and physically, as a result from acute or chronic trauma, are valid and should be addressed. At The Sterling Group, we offer the best trauma therapy for young adults, including online trauma therapy and therapy for depression and anxiety to help individuals regain control over their healing. Our practice includes trauma therapy such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Trauma-focused CBT, and trauma-informed talk therapy, to help you take the first step on your healing journey. We also offer group therapy, such as our parent loss grief group, to help you process trauma with the support of community.
Ready to bust trauma myths and get started on your healing journey?
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About the author:
Hannah Cohen is an associate therapist at The Sterling Group, specializing in working with young adults navigating the stresses of young adulthood. I help my clients address anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, substance use, and identity development - all aspects of life that come with being a young adult. I love working with those from neurodiverse backgrounds, and understanding that therapy – just like people! – comes in many forms and is not one-size-fits-all. As a part of the queer community, I especially enjoy working with LGBTQ+-identifying folks to address their unique identity, social, and relational needs!
