One area of my work I am incredibly passionate about is the amazing transformation process that Hypnotherapy can have with trauma. I had some phenomenally fast results just recently with some complex PTsd and wanted to share with you a little bit of information about trauma, the work I do and the journey of an incredible inspiring guy I have been working with from Reflections.
What is trauma?
Trauma refers to an emotional response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope. Traumatic experiences can vary widely in nature and intensity, and what may be traumatic for one person may not be for another. Trauma can result from single incidents, such as accidents, natural disasters, or acts of violence, or it can stem from prolonged exposure to distressing situations, such as ongoing abuse, neglect, or combat.
Types of trauma:
Acute Trauma: This type of trauma results from a single distressing event, such as a car accident or a physical assault.
Chronic Trauma: Chronic trauma involves exposure to prolonged stressors or traumatic events over an extended period, such as ongoing abuse, domestic violence, or living in a war zone.
Complex Trauma: Complex trauma typically occurs during early childhood and involves exposure to multiple traumatic events, often within the context of interpersonal relationships, such as neglect, abuse, or family violence.
Secondary Trauma: Also known as vicarious trauma or compassion fatigue, secondary trauma occurs when individuals are indirectly exposed to traumatic events through their work or relationships, such as first responders, healthcare professionals, or therapists.
Traumatic experiences can have profound and long-lasting effects on individuals’ physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.
Common symptoms of trauma may include:
Flashbacks or intrusive memories of the traumatic event
Avoidance of reminders or triggers associated with the trauma
Hypervigilance or heightened arousal
Emotional numbing or detachment
Difficulty concentrating or sleeping
Irritability or mood swings
Feelings of guilt, shame, or worthlessness
How can Hypnotherapy help with Trauma?
Hypnotherapy can be a helpful approach in releasing trauma by accessing the subconscious mind and addressing the root causes of traumatic experiences. Here are several ways in which hypnotherapy can assist in trauma release:
Accessing Subconscious Memories: Hypnotherapy allows individuals to access subconscious memories that may be difficult to recall consciously. Traumatic memories are often stored in the subconscious mind, and hypnosis can help bring these memories to the surface in a safe and controlled environment.
Processing Traumatic Memories: Once traumatic memories are accessed, hypnotherapy techniques such as regression therapy can help individuals process and reframe these memories. By revisiting traumatic events in a hypnotic state, individuals can gain new perspectives, release emotional pain, and reduce the intensity of traumatic memories.
Releasing Emotional Blockages: Trauma can result in emotional blockages and negative thought patterns that contribute to ongoing distress. Hypnotherapy can help individuals identify and release these emotional blockages, allowing for greater emotional healing and resilience.
Eliciting Relaxation and Calmness: Hypnotherapy techniques, such as guided imagery and relaxation exercises, can induce a state of deep relaxation and calmness. This relaxed state can help individuals feel safe and secure, making it easier to explore and process traumatic experiences without becoming overwhelmed by emotions.
Empowering Positive Coping Strategies: Through hypnotherapy, individuals can learn and reinforce positive coping strategies for managing trauma-related symptoms. Hypnotic suggestions can be used to cultivate feelings of safety, self-confidence, and empowerment, as well as to develop healthier ways of responding to triggers and stressors.
Building Resilience and Self-Empowerment: Hypnotherapy can help individuals strengthen their sense of self and build resilience in the face of trauma. By tapping into inner resources and strengths, individuals can cultivate a greater sense of self-efficacy and self-empowerment, which are essential for overcoming trauma and moving forward in life.
Jacob’s story (Full permission to share.)
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jacob since coming into Reflections Recovery House in November 23.
Jacob was a drinker, his tipple – whisky. Jacob would sit quietly in my stage 1 groups not saying much and would participate if encouraged. He always looked angry but this was often not the case. Gradually as he started to detox and heal, the light came back on in his eyes. It has been a pleasure to see Jacob get well, go through the 12 steps, gain confidence in himself and thrive.
Recently he shared his life story in group work and I was shocked to hear of his childhood, and the things he had seen in his 26 years. The trauma Jacob has witnessed is up there as truly shocking. I’m not going to mention the details, but it didn’t surprise me when Jacob told me he hasn’t had a proper night of sleep since he was 13. Jacob was suffering from intrusive memories and flashbacks on a daily basis.
We decided that counselling was not the way to go with Jacob, this is something we offer residents at Reflections. Jacob was already re living his past trauma daily, we thought that talking about this would retraumatise him further, so we decided to offer him Hypnotherapy to see if we could release the trauma trapped in his body.
Jacob was up for having a go, having never been hypnotised before, Jacob was unsure of what would happen.
I reassured Jacob we would start off with some symptom control at first which would be very gentle and safe. I wanted to see if this would give Jacob some improvement in his sleeping and to try and decrease the PTsd like symptoms that were happening for him. We also established a safe place in Jacob’s mind so that all work was done from there.
In the first session we saw some slight improvement which lasted for 2 nights but then reverted back to normal with images and flashbacks including sounds as if Jacob was reliving one specific trauma over and over.
In the second session we found the reason why Jacob was reliving the trauma and released it. I’m delighted to share that Jacob got a full night’s sleep for the first time in 13 years. Jacob continues to sleep well, and if he awakens in the night, he is able to settle back of without the flashbacks and intrusive memories. Jacob simply takes himself back to his safe place and settles back into slumber.
In the 3rd session we did some more clearing work and released other trauma that was also bothering Jacob and impeding his recovery.
Jacob tells me he is feeling a lot better, sleeping a lot better and his PTsd like symptoms and no longer at the front of his mind. He can talk about his past and these memories are just like any other memory now, not causing any problems in the present.
Jacob is happy with the work we have done after 3 sessions; the work has been transformational and Jacob is not wanting any counselling either.
Jacob tells me he is in a good place, feeling better than he has in years.
More information:
More information about the therapies I offer can be found either on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/trancechic or my website www.fluent-therapy.com
**I do not claim to cure anyone, I work with clients to try and gain an improvement in the quality of their life, I make no guarantees of a fix or a miracle**
***It’s important to note that hypnotherapy should be conducted by a qualified and experienced hypnotherapist who specializes in trauma treatment. ***
Reach out if you or someone you know is struggling and needs my help.
Fluent-therapy (DipCHH) is a member of the GHR Registration number 8936.
