Hypnotherapy for Trauma
Updated: Sep 10, 2021
Laying in a hospital bed, head pounding, my mind was fixated on all the events that unfolded the past couple of weeks. Is Beckham ok? husband ok? Even the doctors seem confused as to why this is happening to me. Thank God my mom is here. I miss my baby. I am a failure! Will I make it out of this hospital bed alive? Why is this happening? My head hurts so bad. Then I feel that something is happening to my body. I am no longer able to control it. I yell out, “Mom, something is happening” Then, I pop out of my body. I am watching myself have a seizure. Not feeling it but watching it, from above my body. I was floating. I remember feeling a panic to get back inside of my body. I wake up. In the hospital hallway waiting for scans to make sure there was no damage to my brain. Next was the ICU. I was hooked up to a medication that had me unable to use my arms or move around. I was in and out of it and do not remember a whole lot.
As for the things that were going through my mind at that moment before my seizure…… Beckham was my newborn and yes, he was doing great! My husband worried, but was taking care of the kids, life as it still moved on and staying strong for everyone. The doctors were still not sure why I had such weird complications weeks after I delivered a healthy 9-pound boy. My Mom was amazing and by my side the entire time. I missed being able to breastfeed, snuggle and simply stare at my sweet newborn. Yes, I would make it out of that hospital bed alive and why was this happening to me? How did I watch myself from outside of my body? Well, that is a long story, and I began that journey that I am still on to this day.
This was trauma. Trauma had me so fearful that I didn’t want to leave the house or for my loved ones to leave the house.
From here, my biggest journey began. Come along with me.
Tell me. How did you recognize your trauma and What are you doing to heal it?
What is trauma?
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event. Unfortunately, trauma is not a rare occurrence. It comes in all different forms and affects each person uniquely. Sometimes people do not even realize that they have been through a traumatic event. In the times we live in, most people experience a traumatic event in their lives. Some can process the event and move on, while others become stuck in a cycle of constant anxiety and live their days in fight or flight mode.
What are the symptoms of Trauma?
Since trauma affects people in different ways, trauma also shows up differently in people. Trauma can manifest physically or emotionally. Anxiety is a telltale sign of trauma. After a traumatic event, you may become hypervigilant about possible threatening situations.
The following is a list of symptoms to look for:
Anxiety
Bottling up emotions
Change in personality or mood
Depression
Eating patterns change (along with drinking and smoking)
Fatigue
Guilt, Shame, and self-blame
Heartbeat racing
Insomnia
Jumpy and being scared easily
Lack of concentration
Memory Lapse
Nightmares (along with panic attacks and flashbacks)
Obsessive-Compulsive behaviors
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Quiet and introverted
Relationships are suffering
Shock and stress
Tension in muscles
Unusual behaviors (substance abuse or self-harm)
Verbal skills deteriorating
Withdrawn and becoming unsociable
This is not the end of the list. Trauma can show up differently in everyone and a person’s response to a traumatic event may vary.
Responses to trauma can last for weeks to months before people begin to feel normal again. Most people will say that they begin to feel normal in about three months after a traumatic event. If the problems become worse or last longer and one month a person may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a disorder that may develop after someone has experienced a dangerous, shocking, or scary event. When intense physical and emotional responses to the thoughts and reminders of the event last for many weeks or months after the actual event, you may be developing PTSD.
Following are three broad symptoms of PTSD:
Re-living includes nightmares, flashbacks, extreme emotional and physical reactions to a reminder of the event. Some people feel completely numb with no emotional response at all while others may feel an extreme fear of harm. Some symptoms may show up in physical forms such as heart palpitations, head, or stomach aches, chills, and uncontrollable shaking.
Increased Arousal can show up as a lack of concentration, anger outbursts, trouble sleeping, being easily startled or overly alert.
Avoidance can show up as someone pulling away from activities that they normally would enjoy and avoiding, places, thoughts, and feelings related to the trauma. Some may feel detached from others and the world around them.
Suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, drug abuse, and depression are also linked to PTSD.
The sooner a trauma is addressed and brought to attention, the better chance the victim has of fully recovering.
Learning to cope after trauma
It helps to understand that you are not alone, and these thoughts and feelings are normal when dealing with trauma. Although it can be difficult, it is important to acknowledge your thoughts and feelings. Hiding your feelings and pushing them aside can turn into something unhealthier and can even manifest into physical dis-ease.
It is important to talk to someone after a traumatic experience to help release some of the energy surrounding it and to bring awareness to the situation.
Journaling can help give expression to some of the feelings and thoughts you may be having. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-use-journaling-to-cope-with-ptsd-2797594
Many breathing techniques can help when panic and anxiety arise. My favorite one to practice daily is Diaphragmatic Breathing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/learning-diaphragmatic-breathing
There is help available if you or a loved one is suffering from trauma. Take a step in talking with someone you trust.
Hypnotherapy for trauma
Hypnotherapy is talk therapy involving hypnosis which focuses a client’s imagination and subconscious to help bring about positive changes to their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Hypnosis has been used for hundreds of years and is beginning to surface once again and be widely used and successful in treating an endless number of conditions.
Hypnosis can de-condition and re-record the traumatic experiences to change your reaction to an experience. This is highly effective and a great way to help without the use of prescription drugs that have other risks and side effects.
Some helpful hypnosis techniques that can be used for trauma are Aversion therapy, identify triggers, and relaxation, memory regression.
Everyone can benefit from hypnotherapy. It allows us to dive into the issue and enables us to let go of things that we hold onto that no longer serve us.
Most exciting of all, is that hypnosis accesses the infinite wisdom that we have within ourselves and then we can unlock the resources necessary for healing.
Thank you for stopping by
I love you
<3 Jenn