Most traumas are best left in the past. As a survivor, you might go to great lengths to avoid reliving a traumatic experience.
If you think you need professional help but don’t want to relive your trauma, you’ll be glad to know that not every form of therapy or support takes this approach. Some methods simply focus on the effects of trauma, like sleeping problems, anxiety, and trouble forming relationships.
Hypnotherapy is an example of a therapy that doesn’t require you to recount your traumatic experiences. When you work with a therapist like Susannah Saunders from City Hypno, you’ll be able to reframe the way you’ve been viewing the event and separate the trauma from its consequences.
Hypnotherapy is just one of the ways you can process the effects of trauma without having to re-experience it. In this guide, we are sharing seven approaches that could help you deal with the effects of trauma without reliving it.
1. Somatic Therapy
Trauma doesn’t just leave a mark on your memories; it also affects your nervous system. If you notice your shoulders are always tense, your heart is racing, or you’re constantly on high alert, your nervous system may still be affected by your trauma. With somatic therapy, you can become aware of these symptoms, and therapists like Libbie Walsh can help you overcome them.
Many people who try somatic therapy are able to minimise the nervous system effects of the trauma and feel safe and calm in their own bodies. This approach will not just help you let go of past trauma but will also teach your body to cope better in future stressful situations.
2. Mindfulness
The mindfulness technique simply means being present in the moment. A major effect of trauma is the memories it brings about. Many survivors get pulled back into the traumatic moment and subconsciously have to relive it again. This could be triggered by anything from a smell to a word they hear. With mindfulness techniques, you learn how to ground yourself in the present whenever you feel yourself falling into a trauma memory.
One of the techniques you can learn is to notice the things you see, hear, touch, taste, and feel. This helps prevent your memories from overpowering you and keeps you in the present. As you learn more mindfulness techniques, you’ll be able to teach yourself to respond differently to triggers and not be consumed by them.
3. Creative Art Therapies
Many children and young adults find it difficult to express how they feel through words, and that’s why a lot of child therapists prefer using alternative methods like playing games or letting them express themselves through art. There are other forms of creative therapies as well, involving dance, drama, and music.
These approaches help children process big feelings in a way that feels natural. A child might draw what ‘worry’ looks like to them or use music to express emotions they can’t yet name. Child therapists working for companies like The Youth Fairy specialise in solution-focused and creative therapies, helping children and young adults dealing with trauma.
4. Trauma-Informed Yoga
Something many trauma survivors experience is a feeling of numbness or disconnection from their bodies. While yoga might not be your first solution for trauma, you should find that the use of movement and breathing exercises helps you reconnect with your body. A trauma-informed yoga class is a little different from a traditional class because it’s designed to avoid triggering positions or language, so you feel safe in that moment.
Many people who have tried trauma-informed yoga find that it helps them reduce tension and improve their sleep. The aim of this method is to encourage you to feel that your body is a safe space again.
5. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
After experiencing a trauma, it’s common to deal with a lot of negative self-talk that involves self-blame or feeling unsafe at every moment. If you can relate, CBT can help you reframe these negative thoughts without digging up the memory associated with them.
Once you’ve undergone a few CBT sessions, you should notice small changes in the way your subconscious mind supports you instead of breaking you down at every point. This really helps in making your daily life feel less overwhelming.
6. Building Strong Support Systems
As a trauma survivor, you might feel like isolating yourself from others due to feelings of guilt or shame. However, your loved ones are the people you need around you during the healing journey. A good support system shows you that you’re worthy of unconditional love and respect from those in your circle.
Building a strong support system also helps you understand what a safe space could mean for you while giving you an option to share the trauma or talk about its effects. In times when your nervous system is on high alert, knowing there are people around you changes everything.
7. Prioritising Self-Care
If, at this stage of healing, you feel that the last thing you need is more people around you, start by prioritising your needs above everything else. Self-care takes many different forms, but it should involve finding things that help you regulate yourself and keep calm. Your acts of self-care could be regular long walks, journaling, or just saying no to things that might drain you.
Think of self-care as conserving energy, so you’re not running on fumes while trying to process your trauma. Choosing yourself will remind you that you deserve care, even on your hardest days.
Summing Up
When you’re recovering from trauma, you’re not trying to erase what happened to you. You’re simply trying to process it in a way to prevent the effects of the trauma from interfering with your daily life, and that processing shouldn’t involve reliving the trauma over and over again.
In this guide, we mentioned some methods that many people have used to process their trauma without having to relive it again. If your only reason for not seeking help is a fear of re-living your trauma, you should not wait any longer. Find a method that you connect with the most and start your healing journey.
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