When we talk about trauma, we often start with a story or a question; “What happened in the war?” “Were you ever abused?” “Will you tell me about that accident or rape?” or “Was there someone in your family who drank excessively?
Trauma, however, is so much more than a story about what happened long ago. The emotions and physical sensations that leave their mark during trauma are not stored as memories, but as disturbing physical reactions in the present.
To regain control you will have to go back to the trauma. Sooner or later you will have to face what happened to you, but only when you are able to feel sufficiently safe while doing so and will not be re-traumatized by it.
The first challenge is to find ways to cope with feeling overwhelmed by past sensations and emotions.
