Online Trauma Counseling

A Better Way: The Book

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Eleanor Brown Counseling

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A Better Way: The Podcast

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A Better Way: The Book / Eleanor Brown Counseling / A Better Way: The Podcast /

Do you have flashbacks, nightmares, or thoughts that are so disturbing sleep just won’t come? Do you find yourself exhausted because you can’t seem to sleep, leaving you wondering if you will ever find peace? Do certain memories cause you to panic? Do you feel cutoff from your feelings? From your own body? If any of these questions ring true for you, you may have a history of psychological or emotional trauma.

Psychological and emotional trauma is the result of extremely stressful events that destroy your sense of security and safety, leaving you feeling helpless in a dangerous world. Struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away is often a consequence of psychological or emotional trauma. Trauma can also leave you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people.

Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and isolated can result in trauma, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective circumstances that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized.

When you have a history of psychological or emotional trauma, you may find yourself with sleep problems stemming from racing thoughts, nightmares, and/or flashbacks. You may find that you are on such high alert that you easily become upset, aggressive, startled, or distracted. Time and again you go to great lengths just to avoid a person, place, or thing that brings memories of the trauma to mind. Being safe or understood feels like foreign concepts that are for other people, not you. You want to be able to express how you feel and yet you feel numb and cutoff.

Living with Trauma

Psychological or emotional trauma can be caused by:

One-time stress events, such as an accident, injury, or a violent attack, especially if it was unexpected or happened in childhood.

Ongoing, persistent stress events, such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood, battling a life-threatening illness or suffering traumatic events that occur repeatedly, such as, domestic violence, sexual abuse, or bullying.

Coping with the trauma of a natural or manmade disaster, such as the collective trauma of COVID-19 or …, can present unique challenges—even if you weren’t directly impacted. For example, being regularly bombarded by images and commentaries on social media and news sources can overwhelm your nervous system and create traumatic stress. Whatever the cause of your trauma, and whether it happened years ago or yesterday, you can make healing changes and move on with your life.

We all react to trauma in different ways, experiencing a wide range of physical and emotional reactions. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to think, feel, or respond, so don’t judge your own reactions or those of other people. Your responses are NORMAL reactions to ABNORMAL events.It's important to know that feeling anxious is a normal part of the human experience. You are not alone in this. Everyone goes through challenging life situations like job loss, conflicts with others, divorce, or unexpected changes. These situations can cause stress, fear, and frustration, all of which can easily trigger anxious feelings.

  • Psychological or emotional symptoms:

  • Shock, denial, or disbelief

  • Confusion, difficulty concentrating

  • Anger, irritability, mood swings

  • Anxiety and fear

  • Guilt, shame, self-blame

  • Withdrawing from others

  • Feeling sad or hopeless

  • Feeling disconnected or numb

  • Physical symptoms:

  • Insomnia or nightmares

  • Flashbacks

  • Fatigue

  • Being startled easily

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Racing heartbeat

  • Edginess and agitation

  • Aches and pains

  • Muscle tension

Psychologial & Physical Symptoms of Trauma:

Recovering from trauma can be a difficult and complex process, and the length of time it takes to heal can vary from person to person. While some individuals may begin to feel better after a few days or weeks, others may take months or even years to process the traumatic event and move forward. It is important to remember that healing is a journey, and there is no "right" way or timeline for this process. Online therapy can help.

You may be wondering when it is time to seek therapy for your trauma. If you find that your symptoms are not improving or are getting worse, and you feel stuck or unable to move forward, it may be helpful to seek professional help. Sometimes, our nervous system can become "stuck" in psychological shock, making it difficult to process our emotions and make sense of what happened. This can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can significantly impact our daily lives.

In therapy, we can work together to process your trauma in a safe and supportive environment. I will provide you with tools and strategies to manage your symptoms and help you find a sense of peace and healing. With time and patience, you can learn to move forward from your trauma and reclaim your life.

Remember, you do not have to go through this alone. If you are struggling with the aftermath of a traumatic event, please reach out for help. I am here to support you on your journey toward healing.

  • “Healing trauma involves tears. The tears release our pain. The tears are part of our recovery. My friend, please let your tears flow.”

    ― Dana Arcuri