Traumatic and abusive experiences can have a significant and potentially longstanding impact upon an individual leaving deep unseen wounds. The scars can cause a person to feel very alone, yearning for connection and love but simultaneously fearful of being hurt, betrayed and abandoned again. Although for some people the traumatic experience may have occurred some time ago, the feelings and memories associated with the experience can be triggered in the present causing a person to feel as though they are re-experiencing the traumatic event. For this reason it can be difficult to differentiate feelings and emotions associated with past experiences and those ignited by present circumstances, creating an almost seamless flow between past and the present. This can result in feeling very flooded and overwhelmed.
It is important to have a safe place to process emotions related to abusive and traumatic experiences, and doing so in a manner which does not result in one feeling more flooded and overwhelmed. It is equally important to focus on helping you to increase understanding and awareness of the ways that the past experiences affect you in the present, and providing you with tools to help manage the triggers and the emotional distress. There are many strategies to help manage the triggers and emotional distress, as well as increase focus and attention into present, with the use of mindfulness, grounding and self-soothing techniques.
It is important to have a safe place to process emotions related to abusive and traumatic experiences, and doing so in a manner which does not result in one feeling more flooded and overwhelmed. It is equally important to focus on helping you to increase understanding and awareness of the ways that the past experiences affect you in the present, and providing you with tools to help manage the triggers and the emotional distress. There are many strategies to help manage the triggers and emotional distress, as well as increase focus and attention into present, with the use of mindfulness, grounding and self-soothing techniques.