Traumatic experiences are universal, with almost 70% of adults in the U.S having experienced a traumatic experience at least once in their lives. Trauma is so common yet its effects are often overlooked because many don’t realize that they are dealing with trauma. In fact, I want you to think about whether you have experienced trauma before or not. For some people vivid experiences may come to mind, but for a lot of us it’s hard to say right? But maybe your parents have experienced a traumatic event, and maybe you’ve experienced your own struggles throughout your upbringing due to your parent’s trauma. If this sounds familiar you’ve likely experienced trauma before too.
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The Hidden Consequences of Generational Trauma
But wait a minute, trauma can be transferred from our parents? Yes, this phenomenon is known as generational trauma, which has multiple studies researching its effect. For example, renowned studies found that children of Holocaust survivors and war veterans were more likely to suffer from issues such as:
- Low self-esteem
- Antisocial behaviors
- Anxiety disorders such as PTSD
But how do these symptoms develop from trauma? After going through traumatic experiences, people feel damaged and unordinary. These people begin to put up walls around their friends and family, isolating themselves. Trauma also causes people to view the world in a negative light, making them more cautious and therefore prone to anxiety and stress, which are the root causes of many mental disorders. People often dismiss their trauma and minimize it, letting it unconsciously worsen and develop into deep-rooted habits that control their lives. Victims of generational trauma are often culprits of this because they don’t realize they are affected by trauma.
The Role of Trauma-Informed Care in Recovery
Then how can we deal with trauma? Treating trauma is a complicated task that is almost impossible to accomplish alone. That’s why therapy is such a great tool that helps encourage communication for those suffering from trauma. This is known as trauma-informed care, which emphasizes understanding how your past experiences have caused mental wounds and making an effort to address those experiences. We want you to feel supported during your recovery, and to demonstrate that, here are the main principles of trauma-informed care that ensure your support:
- Safety – We promote an environment that allows you to feel both physically and mentally safe
- Collaboration and Communication – Let us help you. It’s important to know that healing happens through the formation of strong relationships and talking about your experiences
- Trustworthiness and Transparency – Building trust with our clients is one of our top priorities, and is essential in truly understanding your struggles as well as how we can help you handle them
- Equality – Diversity within communities is important, and everyone has unique experiences that we consider. Despite our diversity, it is important to recognize that we are unified in our struggle, and that we can forge a path to recovery regardless of our differences. Though we may have different experiences, trauma affects us in equally harmful ways, and your experiences will be treated equally as well.
If you believe that you are affected by trauma, or have concerns about the people in your life, contact us to schedule a consultation for trauma therapy now. Together, we can put an end to the cycle of trauma that continues to affect the lives of yourself and your loved ones.
