Fall is officially in the air! As the leaves change and the morning air turns colder, a lot of routine changes naturally happen this time of year as well. Life could be getting busier with sports or school activities, or it could be slowing down from the hustle of summer. Either way, change is here and it is important to talk about. In general, change can be hard for everyone. It can be especially hard for those who have experienced or survived trauma.
Trauma can be anything that your body sees as danger. For someone who has experienced complex trauma such as many of the families that we work with, change can trigger our body’s trauma response. This is known as the Fight, Flight, or Freeze response. This can look like over reaction to a small change but for many there bodies do not feel safe. It will take some self awareness and discovery to get to a place where you can address these reactions to change. Trauma informed therapy can be very helpful and if you would like to be connected to some therapists in your area, please reach out to your Navigator! Here is a very interesting article from Robyn Brickle a psychotherapist that goes into much more detail about this topic and gives some wonderful tips for healing and moving forward.
Three trips she talks about to help your body recognize safety are
- Recognize the external- Look around you and take note of where you are. Notice your surroundings such as smells, objects, feelings, etc.
- Anchor yourself- find ways to be present in your body such as breathing techniques, meditation, use of sense such as essential oils.
- Recognize the internal – realize your internal strength and the power you have inside of you to move forward.
Moving forward through trauma can be very difficult, especially in times of change. We hope this blog gives you some ideas of how to move forward in a positive way. One thing we know for sure, the families we work with have been through so much but are also some of the strongest, resilient, and wise families out there. We are always here if you need help.
