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SEND US AN EMAILHow do you define trauma?
Trauma is a personal response to a tragedy that occurs due to a traumatic incident such as a death in the family, family separation, divorce, abuse, neglect, injuries, car accidents and failed surgeries. After a traumatic event, shock and denial set in. This is a way of our body and mind alerting us to the devastating incident
How do I know I am experiencing trauma?
Flashbacks of a particular event in question are the most obvious signs you are dealing with trauma.
Symptoms of trauma are:
- Shock, denial, or disbelief.
- Confusion, difficulty concentrating.
- Anger, irritability, mood swings.
- Anxiety and fear.
- Guilt, shame, self-blame.
- Withdrawing from others.
- Feeling sad or hopeless.
How do I deal with trauma in a healthy way?
It's important to have a healthy support structure by identifying with family and friends. Dr Bosman will assist by strengthening your family support structure when acknowledging the negative emotions from the traumatic event.
Dr Bosman utilises Brainspotting and talk therapy to gather more information about the traumatic event. Brainspotting is a relatively modern psychological technique that allows patients to move through their subconscious to access painful memories from the past. The therapist, David Grand, was the first mental health professional to develop Brainspotting by working with trauma survivors. The approach is (largely) very effective for several mental health concerns
Using a pointer, Dr Bosman helps redirect your eyes to tap into negative emotions due to trauma from the event. This is done to locate specific “brain spots" accessed through particular eye positioning that activate traumatic emotions.
What are the risks involved when living with unresolved trauma?
There are severe repercussions involved when trauma is not dealt with. Trauma is instead stored in the body, and as a result, the brain’s functions change. Physical symptoms can therefore manifest from this, and as a result, you may experience nausea and headaches.
How can Dr Bosman help?
Dr Bosman will first encourage you to confront your emotions and help you prioritise self-care. However, the issues need to be dealt with first to avoid unnecessary pressure.
Dealing with trauma involves going through the five stages (Kubler-Ross model) of it: denying the state of trauma, getting angry over the incident, imagining what you could have done to stop the event from happening, getting depressed over the incident and finally, accepting what happened.
Through Brainspotting and other resolution techniques, Dr Bosman will help you come to terms with the traumatic event and accept the situation for what it is. Of course, the recovery process is gradual, so it takes time to heal from trauma, but there is still hope that one day you will be free from this terrible cycle of grief.
FAQ
What is PTSD?
PTSD is the result of direct or indirect exposure to a traumatic event.
Some typical symptoms can include:
- Irritable behaviour and angry outbursts
- Reckless or self-destructive behaviour
- Hypervigilance
- Exaggerated startle response
- Problems with concentration
If I don’t deal with trauma, can I become physically ill?
Unresolved trauma can lead to physical ailments such as heart disease, stroke and hypertension. But apart from the physical symptoms, mental health problems may also arise, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.
What is post-traumatic stress?
PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, is a natural reaction to a dangerous and terrifying situation. PTSD symptoms include flashbacks of the traumatic experience, anxiety and nightmares.
