Unresolved trauma can manifest in ways of chronic anxiety, flashbacks, or out-of-the-blue irritability with no known cause. It tends to disconnect people from their sense of identity or safety in the world. Our clinicians practice a trauma-integrative model that combines somatic therapy, EMDR, and internal family systems (IFS) to restore balance internally to the client. We believe in innovation, but not at the cost of connection. All clients start with a solid therapeutic relationship as the keystone for deeper work. Outside of sessions, I suggest grounding in rituals, reliable, supportive routines that bring clients back to the here and now. This could involve body-based movement, journaling for reflection, or establishing boundaries in low-stakes contexts. With repeated somatic check-ins and IFS, one client frozen in a freeze response after a traumatic loss was able to reassemble their emotional world. With time, joy returned, relationships re-emerged, and purpose became more defined.
What are the most common signs or symptoms of unresolved trauma? The most common symptom I see in clients is hypervigilance. It's tiring. It shows up as irritability and distractibility. What therapeutic methods have you found most effective in treating trauma? (e.g., EMDR, CBT, somatic therapy, inner child work, etc.) EMDR and TF-Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) are the most tested approaches. There are others that are effective depending on therapist/client fit. Any specific advice for individuals trying to heal from past trauma on their own or between therapy sessions? I recommend grounding and relaxation exercises. One called 5-4-3-2-1 helps you get out of your head and into your sensory experience. Name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you can feel (touch), 2 things you smell, and 1 taste. Another is progressive relaxation or body scan meditation. These exercises support and reenforce many things covered in therapy.
1. Some of the more common signs of unresolved trauma are emotional reactivity or numbness, such as either overacting to a trigger or completely shutting down. Hypervigilance such as a constant sense of being on edge or trouble relaxing even in safe environments. Difficulty trusting others and sometimes keeping people at a distance. Avoidance both avoiding certain places/situations or avoiding difficult emotions. Shame and negative self-talk. 2. I have found inner child work mixed with mindfulness to be the most effective for me in treating trauma in my patients. Going back to the signs and symptoms of trauma, there is a lot of shame associated with trauma and learning how to have compassion for the child or part of you that was wounded can be very impactful. Mindfulness is a tool that can help connect someone to their body again in a non-judgmental way. 3. Yes, outside of therapy sessions it is helpful to practice grounding techniques when you're triggered (whichever you like best, there are so many). To talk to yourself with compassion by recognize the harsh voice, what it's saying and working to replace or reword it. Connect with your body in a gentle way whether that is yoga, walking or stretching. Avoid trying to fix everything at once, it's ok to take breaks and slow down while also listening to yourself and what you need. 4. I had a client who was badly bullied in school and struggled with ADHD but was never given the help he needed and craved. Through inner child work and efforts to turn self-criticism into self-compassion, he became far more equipped to understand where his triggers originated from. He then could use mindfulness tools to calm and ground himself. It is really so great to see.
Hi there, I'm a trauma therapist specializing in EMDR and have been featured in Medium, VeryWell Mind, Her Campus, Authority and Best Life. Here are my thoughts: -the most common signs fall into a couple of different categories 1) avoidance: avoiding reminders of the trauma and memories, 2) intrusion: reminders and memories of the trauma coming in (almost like a pop up when you're online.) 3) hyperarousal: increased startle response, hypervigilance, higher levels of anxiety, irritability, trouble concentrating/sleeping or engaging in risky behavior, 4) negative thoughts and feelings about yourself or the world. -I find EMDR and Somatic therapies to be the most helpful along with Internal Family Systems. -My best advice would be to learn and master tools to regulate your nervous system. This will allow you do the deeper healing work without becoming overwhelmed. -I had a client who struggled with anxiety and people pleasing stemming from childhood trauma. In doing EMDR they were able to recognize that it is now safe to set boundaries with others and they are no longer a child. While they had always "known" this intellectually, they finally believed it.
Hi, my name is Kayla Crane, LMFT and I work with a lot of people with trauma so I figured I would give my comments to hopefully help your readers. I am happy to hop on a call to discuss further. What are the most common signs of unresolved trauma? Its different for everybody but I would say the most common ones are anxiety, relationship struggles, overreacting to small things, or totally shutting down. I think a big clue is when someone will say "I dont know why I feel this way, but it keeps happening" What methods work best for treating trauma? I'm a big fan of EMDR because it helps people reprocess old pain without having to relive it. I also mix in somatic techniques to help folks reconnect with their bodies, and inner child work when we need to heal those deeper emotional wounds. Every client is different, so I like to keep things flexible. Advice for healing on your own or between sessions? Go easy on yourself. Seriously. Healing isn't a straight line. I always suggest grounding practices like breathwork or walking outside, journaling if that feels good, and giving yourself permission to rest. Success Story This morning, a client who's been working through childhood trauma around food shared something small but powerful. She ate breakfast without guilt. It wasn't a battle. It was just a meal. That kind of peace used to feel impossible for her. To most people this may sound small but this was a big deal for her. I was so happy! Hope this helps! Kayla Crane, LMFT kayla@southdenvertherapy.com www.southdenvertherapy.com
The most common signs or symptoms of unresolved trauma include anxiety, emotional numbing, or repeated negative patterns in relationships. Research shows that the most effective therapeutic methods are EMDR, inner child work, and somatic therapy. As a psychotherapist, I often recommend for individuals that are trying to heal from past trauma between therapy sessions to practice mindfulness like meditation, breath work, grounding exercises. Self-compassion practices like journaling can also be very impactful for those trying to heal from past trauma. With the support of a therapist, friends, or family, having a strong support system is essential to your healing journey.
When people think of 'trauma', they think of 'the horrible things that happened to them in the past', but that's a misconception. Those are 'trauma events'. Trauma, however, refers to the unresolved emotional residue that continues to exist inside of you after those trauma events and it's the instinct to avoid the discomfort and pain of processing that emotional residue that leads us into our defense mechanisms and unhealthy coping habits. Understanding this distinction is crucial before attempting to heal from trauma. This helps us avoid the 'trauma hunting' escapade that many therapists send their clients on and it helps avoid the 'overthinking paradox' that comes along with trying to heal from trauma using the intellect, logic and rationality. With that in mind, the most effective approach I've found for healing trauma is in the realm of somatic therapy. It involves connecting with the 'energetic sensations' associated with our emotions (things like the turning feeling in your stomach that comes along with anxiety, the tightness in the chest that comes along with stress and fear, the lump in your throat that comes along with nervousness, etc...) and helping your body move that energy through you. First, you need to learn how to connect with those uncomfortable energetic sensations without resistance or fear and without slipping back into the over-thinking and hyper-analyzing process we're used to. Then you need to help your body move the energy. Things like crying, screaming, shaking and laughing are all helpful in this regard. But even things like singing or exercise can be good. Anything that helps the body release energy. So long as you are actively and fearlessly connected to the uncomfortable energetic sensation that comes along with your emotion while you are performing one of these activities, you can help your body release the unresolved energy it's been holding onto, while building the emotional muscle necessary to tackle bigger and bigger unresolved traumas as you progress and get stronger.