How to Process Trauma in a Healthy, Effective Way: Our Guide

Let’s take a closer look at causes of trauma to help you understand what it entails, and explore some of the ways you can process trauma in a healthy, effective way.

Living with trauma can be debilitating and its impacts can be far reaching — potentially affecting every aspect of your life, including your emotional, mental and even physical well-being.

Without proper support and care, trauma can affect your ability to carry out daily tasks and may strain your relationships with others, contributing to more severe long term mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety¹.

Trauma can also manifest in a variety of different symptoms, including sleep disturbances, constant lethargy and even unexplained aches or pains. However, because of how it can vary significantly from one person to another, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to processing trauma, and it is therefore important for you to find out what works best for you.

In this post, we take a closer look at the causes of trauma to give you a better understanding of what it entails and explore some of the ways you can process it in a healthy and effective way.

Understanding the Causes and Impacts of Trauma

Trauma can be the result of a multitude of different causes. Consequently, its impacts and symptoms can also vary significantly from one individual to another depending on factors such as:

Nature and severity of the traumatic event
The particular individual’s coping mechanisms
Support the individual has received

While people may develop immediate and intense reactions, others might not notice the effects until months or even years later².

Common Causes of Trauma in Individuals

Some common causes of trauma that might be experienced by many individuals include:

Abuse: Abuse can entail both physical abuse which may take the form of child abuse that results in childhood trauma, as well as emotional abuse which can take the form of bullying that has a long term impact on a person’s sense of safety and self-worth³.

Accidents or Injuries: Accidents and injuries caused by traumatic experiences such as car crashes or workplace accidents can lead to long lasting trauma responses in the affected individual.

Loss or Grief: Severe cases of loss or grief such as the sudden loss of a loved one or the end of a significant relationship can also cause emotional pain and trauma.

Sexual Assault or Harrassment: Individuals who have experienced sexual assault or harrassment may experience profound psychological effects that may persist long after the incident, potentially leading to post-traumatic stress and other mental health conditions like depression⁴.

Symptoms and Signs of Unprocessed Trauma

Some common symptoms and signs that may indicate a person is dealing with unprocessed trauma include:

Emotional Distress: While everyone may experience feelings of fear, sadness or anger from time to time, these feelings might be an indicator of unprocessed trauma if they are persistent, disproportionate and difficult to control. An even stronger indicator would be if these emotions are triggered by seemingly minor events or situations, especially those that subconsciously remind the individual of the traumatic experience⁵.

Avoidant Behaviors: Similarly, individuals who have experienced traumatic events may exhibit avoidant behaviors toward people, places or things that may remind them of the traumatic event. An individual exhibiting such behavior may even be unaware that they are avoiding certain triggers, as avoidance may be a deeply ingrained coping mechanism for them⁶.

Difficulty Sleeping or Concentrating: Individuals who are dealing with unprocessed trauma may also struggle with insomnia and may face difficulty focusing on activities such as work or school⁷.

How to Release Trauma from the Body in a Healthy and Effective Way

Releasing trauma from the body in a healthy and effective way can involve a combination of emotional expression and physical awareness.

Emotional Expression

Emotional expression involves allowing yourself to come to terms with the traumatic experiences you have had and to feel and release the emotions associated with these experiences in a healthy manner that does not cause further harm to yourself or to others. Rather than suppressing or ignoring painful emotions, emotional expression encourages you to acknowledge them with compassion and honesty.

One of the best ways to do so would be to talk to a therapist who is trained in trauma-informed care⁸. A qualified therapist can provide you with a safe space to explore your emotions and process painful memories at a manageable pace. They will also be able to guide you through various evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy and help you develop healthy coping mechanisms for your trauma⁹.

Physical Awareness

At the same time, physical practices such as yoga, stretching and other forms of gentle movement can also play a powerful role in helping to release trauma from the body¹⁰. Trauma often gets stored in the muscles and nervous system, leading to symptoms like chronic tension, discomfort and insomnia.

These physical activities help loosen tight areas, regulate breathing, and calm the body’s stress response, promoting a sense of safety and grounding. Mindful movement also helps individuals reconnect with their bodies in a way that feels empowering and non-threatening, which is especially important for those who may feel disconnected or dissociated as a result of trauma¹¹.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you notice symptoms of trauma in yourself or a loved one, it is advisable to seek professional help as early as possible. This is because prompt and appropriate intervention can significantly improve prognosis, helping to prevent trauma from developing into more severe mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression¹².

Early support can also provide individuals with healthy coping strategies to help them with emotional regulation.

Fortified Souls: Online Counseling in Pennsylvania

Here at Fortified Souls, our team of licensed professional counselors is no stranger to trauma, having helped hundreds of individuals work through their trauma and start on their journey toward healing and recovery. We specialize in providing unique therapeutic solutions that are specifically tailored to the needs of each of our patients.

We offer secure telehealth consultations to individuals throughout the state of Pennsylvania through our HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform and we accept most major insurance plans. Contact us today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation and find out how we can help you lead a healthier, trauma-free life.