Trauma and PTSD

A traumatic event is defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that an individual believes to be threatening to their life, bodily integrity, or sanity, which consequently compromises that individual’s ability to cope. This experience can be a one-time incident or it can persist over time. This results in a general feeling of unease, as if one never feels at peace in the world. You may feel constantly on edge, but can’t quite find an obvious reason as to why you feel this way.

It is a general sense of never feeling safe, even though you’re not exposing yourself to any real dangers. This may lead to isolation due to feeling a general sense of disconnection from others.

The good news is that we can heal from past traumatic wounds. My approach to trauma begins with the understanding that trauma is stored in the body and that using talk therapy alone is simply not sufficient to achieve healing. This means that our work will involve experiential exercises to release the stuck energy that never left your body following the traumatic event or series of events. This may include various regular practices that get us in our bodies, such as yoga, mindfulness, breath work, self-soothing, and adding a healthy structure to our lives.

Shannon Halford