Causes and Effects, Symptoms and Treatment Psychological or Emotional Trauma is Much Broader Than Current Definitions of PTSD;

it has many faces. What is psychological or emotional trauma?

The ability to recognize emotional trauma has changed radically over the course of history. Until recently psychological trauma was noted only in men after catastrophic wars. The women's movement in the sixties broadened the definition of emotional trauma to include physically and sexually abused women and children. Now, because of the discoveries made in the nineties - known as the decade of the brain - psychological trauma has further broadened its definition. Recent research has revealed that emotional trauma can result from such common occurrences as an auto accident, the breakup of a significant relationship, a humiliating or deeply disappointing experience, the discovery of a life-threatening illness or disabling condition, or other similar situations. Traumatizing events can take a serious emotional toll on those involved, even if the event did not cause physical damage. Regardless of its source, an emotional trauma contains three common elements: it was unexpected; the person was unprepared; and there was nothing the person could do to prevent it from happening. It is not the event that determines whether something is traumatic to someone, but the individual's experience of the event. And it is not predictable how a given person will react to a particular event. For someone who is used to being in control of emotions and events, it may be surprising - even embarrassing - to discover that something like an accident or job loss can be so debilitating.

What is the difference between stress and emotional or psychological trauma?

Trauma is stress run amuck. Stress dis-regulates our nervous systems - but for only a relatively short period of time. Within a few days or weeks, our nervous systems calm down and we revert to a normal state of equilibrium. This return to normalcy is not the case when we have been traumatized. One way to tell the difference between stress and emotional trauma is by looking at the outcome - how much residual effect an upsetting event is having on our lives, relationships, and overall functioning. Traumatic distress can be distinguished from routine stress by assessing the following: how how how how how quickly upset is triggered frequently upset is triggered intensely threatening the source of upset is long upset lasts long it takes to calm down

If we can communicate our distress to people who care about us and can respond adequately, and if we return to a state of equilibrium following a stressful event, we are in the realm of stress. If we become frozen in a state of active emotional intensity, we are

experiencing an emotional trauma - even though sometimes we may not be consciously aware of the level of distress we are experiencing

What causes psychological trauma?

Psychological trauma can result from events we have long recognized as traumatic, including: natural disasters (earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, etc.) physical assault, including rape, incest, molestation, domestic abuse serious bodily harm serious accidents such as automobile or other high-impact scenarios experiencing or witnessing horrific injury, carnage or fatalities

Other potential sources of psychological trauma are often overlooked including: falls or sports injuries surgery, particularly emergency, and especially in first 3 years of life serious illness, especially when accompanied by very high fever birth trauma hearing about violence to or sudden death of someone close

In addition, traumatic stress in childhood that influences the brain is caused by poor or inadequate relationship with a primary caretaker. Sources of this developmental or relational trauma include the following: forced separation very early in life from primary caregiver; chronic miss-attunement of caregiver to child's attachment signals ("mal-attachment") or reasons such as physical or mental illness, depression or grief. It is acknowledged that early life trauma creates a vulnerability for experiencing future traumatic responses.

How is emotional trauma treated?

Traditional approaches to treating emotional trauma include talk therapies, CognitiveBehavioral Therapy (CBT) - intentionally changing one's thoughts and actions - and systematic desensitization to reduce reactivity to a traumatic stressor. These approaches to healing trauma were developed without brain science information, and therefore have varying degrees of success. Recent developments in the treatment of emotional trauma include new, effective forms of psychotherapy and somatic (body) therapies that were developed with new brain science information in mind. Although often intensely interpersonal, these therapies are also psychological and neurological in their focus and application. This group of therapies relies on innate instinctual resources, rather than medications, to bring about healing. They differ in some ways, but the one thing they have in common is combining talk therapy with a focus on the body. As with any therapy, but especially due to the intensity of the emotions involved, it is important to find a therapist with whom one feels trust and a strong bond. They include:

Eye Movement Desensitization/Reprocessing (EMDR) was developed by psychologist, Francine Shapiro, after she noticed her own stress reactions diminishing when her eyes swept back and forth as she walked through a park. It is conducted by licensed mental health professionals who have taken specific training in this complex approach. It combines elements of a range of therapeutic approaches with eye movements or other forms of rhythmical stimulation, such as hand taps or sounds. Theories as to why EMDR is effective are still evolving. Some speculate that the rapid unique therapeutic element of EMDR - the eye movements or other rhythmical stimulation - might help the brain access and process traumatic material. EMDR has been most effective with single-incident trauma, but its uses continue to evolve in addressing longer histories of emotional or physical trauma, and in balancing other aspects of a person's life. Somatic Psychotherapies The term somatic, coined by Tomas Hanna, means mind/body or more precisely brain/body. The idea is that to change the body, we have to engage the brain and change the brain - not only how we think and feel, but also the neurological connections themselves. The body, its sensations, and direct sensory experience are referenced throughout the therapeutic process. Somatic therapies include: Somatic Experiencing: developed by Peter Levine, this approach evolved in part from observations of how animals literally "shake off" traumatic experiences, allowing the body to process stress chemicals completely until they return to normal levels. The SE therapist may be a licensed professional or unlicensed but with some mental health training. All SE therapists complete an extensive training program, in which they learn to observe the body, facial expressions and gestures carefully and to help the person "thaw" a response that was "frozen" in a traumatic situation (illustration: the person might be observed to make short gestures that almost appear to be a "pushing" motion, but that stop abruptly - the therapist might have the person complete the gesture in full, and notice how the body's tension level changes). Hakomi Method: originated by Ron Kurtz, this system is based on five therapeutic principles - Mindfulness, Organicity, Non-Violence, the Mind-Body Connection, and Unity. It is a body-centered approach for which, in part, the therapist helps the client experiment with small changes in gesture or other movements, to see what differences occur in the processing of emotionally charged content (illustration: the person might be observed to always make a certain gesture or have a certain posture when talking about the attacker the therapist might suggest the gesture or posture be changed to a different one as an experiment, and then to notice the changes in feelings or thoughts). Somatic Psychology: developed by Pat Ogden, this treatment merges somatic therapies, neuroscience, attachment theory, and cognitive approaches, as well Hakomi Method. The approach often uses physical expression to process the energy stored in the body following a trauma, to reset the neurological system into better balance (illustration: the person might be asked to push the attacker away by forcefully pushing against a wall or against a pillow held by the therapist, to allow the body's neurological and musculature systems to reset themselves to a more normal level). AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy): developed by Diana Fosha, New York based psychoanalyst, this approach brings the elements of secure attachment into her work with adults. The talk therapy she practices focuses on the mutual exchange of all deeply-seated emotions, bodily awareness and joyous playful exchange.