Written By Redbird Therapy
What Is Trauma?
Trauma refers to the lasting emotional responses that arise after distressing or life-threatening events that impact an individual’s ability to cope. It’s not just what happens to us, it’s how our bodies and minds carry the weight of what we couldn’t process at the time.
There is often a common misconception that trauma only results from a single, acute, distressing event such as a war, a car accident, or a natural disaster. While that’s certainly true at times, we also know that trauma can be a slow and cumulative experience.
Research has also named the former, singular, majorly traumatic event as “big T” trauma and events that feel upsetting but are not as distressing as “little t” trauma. It’s important to note that the individual experiencing the traumatic event is the one who defines if something was traumatic to them and how big or little the impact was.
How Does Trauma Show Up?
Take a moment to think back to a time when something felt threatening, and notice any shifts within your body. Perhaps then, or now, your heart is pounding, your breath shallow, or there’s a sudden urge to escape or shut down.
These are natural in-built, automatic responses, commonly known as – Fight, Flight, Freeze, Feigned Death or Fawn responses. They aren’t signs of weakness, but an indication that your body is trying to protect you.
What Is The Polyvagal Theory?
Very simply put, Polyvagal Theory helps explain from a scientific and somatic (relating to the body) lens, how we respond to stressors and traumatic events. Developed by Stephen Porges, it explains how a certain branch of our nervous system responds to threats through the vagus nerve, often shifting between three main states.
The first state is that of Social Engagement, when we are calm, collected, and can socially engage with others. The second state is the Fight or Flight response, when we are on high alert, guarded, and our bodies are ready to kick into action mode. Lastly, we might also enter the Shutdown or Freeze state when we feel numb, trapped, fatigued, or disconnected from others.
When we experience traumatic events, our bodies can get stuck in the second or third states described above, resulting in prolonged experiences of stress and anxiety much after the event has passed.
To learn more about Polyvagal Theory, check out our educational video here:
How Can Polyvagal Theory Help With Healing From Trauma?
Given that Polyvagal Theory acknowledges that trauma and healing reside not just in our minds, but also in our body and nervous system, it offers us tools to soothe our bodies. We can then begin to shift how our nervous systems respond to distressing events, so that we can go from being shut down or activated, into a state of feeling calm, regulated, and connected.
Through therapy, you can begin to learn more about your bodies’ alarm signals to distress and explore strategies to soothe and regulate ourselves in connection with a safe other. Additionally, your therapist can support you with learning about ways to activate the vagus nerve through practices like breathing, humming, moving, and singing etc., to support your nervous system with adapting and recovering.
At Redbird Therapy Centre, we are foundationally a trauma-treatment clinic. We recognise the role and impact that trauma plays on our lives, and our clinicians are skilled at offering a variety of trauma-informed and trauma-focused treatments. If you or a loved one are looking for support to cope with experiences of trauma, reach out to one of our clinicians to book an initial consultation.
