trauma talk houston

HOW DOES TRAUMA WOUND?

Trauma and Its Impact on Victims

HOW DOES TRAUMA WOUND?

Trauma and Its Impact on Victims

TRAUMA: Means Wound

Trauma is defined as: a psychologically wounding experience (physical, sexual, neglect, institutional, intergenerational, disasters) that induce powerlessness, fear (terror), recurrent hopelessness and a constant state of alert.

National Center on Trauma-Informed Care

Trauma is the “affliction of the powerless … the overwhelming of normal human adaptations to life … an experience of intense fear, helplessness, loss of control and threat of annihilation.”

The experience is intensified when the victim is taken by surprise, trapped, pushed to exhaustion, physically injured or violated, exposed to extreme violence or grotesque death.

Judith Herman

TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:

1. Shattering the structure of the self

2. Undermining the belief system in a meaningful and safe world

3. Destroying a relational sense of trust—feeling abandoned by God and man

TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:




Trauma Causes a Disconnect … from Pain

Circuit breaker in the house

Surge protector on your electronics

What Elements Intensify the Trauma?

• Human involvement in the pain• Intent—accident or purposefully done• Element of evil (assault + humiliation +

sadistic enjoyment)• Degree of fear and terror• Degree of bodily harm or threat to life• How—gruesome, horrific or catastrophic

TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:


TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:


• It disconnects self from self …something has to withdraw, numb, get buried or walled off inside.

• When danger … fight … flight … freeze

Trauma Wounds by Shattering the Structure of the SelfTrauma Wounds by Shattering the Structure of the Self

• It disconnects self from self …something has to withdraw, numb, or get buried

• It erodes your positive sense of self


Power used against her damages her sense of dignity, value, self-esteem and respect.She is denied:•Own voice and opinion•Control over her own body•Own effectiveness to avert the bad


When power is used against any person it damages their sense of autonomy.

• Initiative is thwarted.• When initiative is thwarted

helplessness and hopelessness begin to take over.

• A positive sense of self is lost!

Power used against herdivides her from herself!

• 65% of female sex trafficking victims sustain serious physical internal injuries

• 68% of trafficked females meet the clinical criteria for PTSD

• 80% of those trafficked were abused in the home

Risk Factors for Developing PTSD

• Women are twice as likely • Adults under 25• Less than a college education• Childhood traumas• Deprivation, divorce before age 10• Adverse life events: job loss, divorce,

health problems etc.• Lack of social support after event

Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderHas Three Elements

1. Re-experiencing symptoms

2. Avoidant, numbing symptoms

3. Hyperarousal symptoms

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: 1. Re-experiencing Symptoms

• Intrusive recollections• Traumatic nightmares• PTSD flashbacks• Trauma-related triggers evoke

psychological distress or physiological reactions

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:2. Avoidant/Numbing Symptoms

• Avoiding trauma related thoughts & feelings, activities, places & people

• Amnesia for trauma-related memories• Diminished interests• Feeling detached • Restricted range of emotions• Sense of foreshortened future

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:3. Hyperarousal Symptoms• Insomnia• Irritability• Difficulty concentrating• Hypervigilance• Exaggerated startle response

TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:



TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:



A LOOK AT THE BEGINNING:Development of attachment in an infant:

• Trust develops as mother meets baby’s biological & emotional needs.

• Identity is formed through the reflection of self in the mother’s gaze

• Emotional capacity is developed through accurate mirroring by mother of her baby’s feelings

Daniel Shore (neurobiology): Babies learn best in a state of JOY!

What is joy? How do we define it?



“I am happy to see you!”



“I am happy to see you!”

The baby will look at mother’s left eye to discern her true emotions

When there is a disconnectBaby loses security

Joy is gone

Confusion

Needs unmet

Emotional distress

Fear

Progressive withdrawal or constriction

A child must develop the capacity to

Form intimacyTake initiativeForm identitySelf-sootheRegulate bodyTrust Feel safe

Sense controlPersonal powerSense of selfHave hope

And of course, children learn it best while in a state of JOY

A child must develop the capacity to

A child develops But in the abusedthe capacity to: child’s environment:

Form intimacy Perverted relationships

Take initiative Controlled by abuserForm identity Defined

“Slave/Whore”Self-soothe Lack of solaceRegulate body Body is at disposal

of othersTrust Caretakers/people

are untrustworthy

Safety Lack of protectionSense control Situation is terrifying

and unpredictablePersonal power Situation hopelessSense of self Others are cruel,

helpless, uncaringHave hope Abandoned to power without mercy

The child adapts, creates a persona or false self and becomes what the environment necessitates.

All actions (early decisions) are a child’s attempt at a solution to belong, get love, be safe.

2. Trauma undermines the belief system in a meaning-ful, orderly and safe world.

The person’s world is controlled by, limited by, and monitored by their abuser, handler or “owner.”It may have rigid rules or random chaos … but it is rarely safe.

TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:




TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:




3. It destroys a relational sense of trust feeling abandoned by God and man

• Those entrusted with your care and safety are the abusers

• You finally tell and it doesn’t matter

• The authorities are in on it• You feel everyone can see

but no one notices or helps

Her world is different from her friends at school.

Who Are the Abusers? Who are the Traffickers?

• Father, mother, brother, uncle, boyfriend, coach, teacher, peer, someone they meet on the street or online

• Not always organized criminals• Both men and women

of varying ages• Any ethnicity or race

Mexican cartels are paying young men to date young women for the purpose of betraying them and handing them over to traffickers.

Who can ever be trusted?When/how does safety and freedom come?

Who can ever be trusted?When/how does safety and freedom come?And if you pray …and nothing changes?

TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:




TRAUMA WOUNDS BY:




SO HOW DOES TRAUMA WOUND?

By disconnecting the victim fromSELF … OTHERS … GOD


By disconnecting the victim fromSELF … OTHERS … GOD


By disconnecting the victim fromSELF … OTHERS … GOD …

resulting in a variety of disorders




Psychological Impact

• Acute stress disorder• Post traumatic stress disorder• Anxiety disorders• Dissociative disorders• Eating disorders• Self-harming disorders• Sleep disorders


• Anxiety and stress disorder• Attachment disorder• Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder• Conduct disorder• Depression• Developmental disorders• Learning disorders


• Somatic disorders• Substance abuse disorders• Impulse control disorders• Mood disorders• Flashbacks



Next: How to Help Heal—Not Harm



Next: How to Help Heal—Not Harm

HOW HELPERS WOUND THE WOUNDED

The Do’s and Don’ts of Working with Trauma Victims for Lay People

HOW HELPERS WOUND THE WOUNDED

The Do’s and Don’ts of Working with Trauma Victims for Lay People

Trauma Wounds by Disconnecting the Victim fromSELF … OTHERS … GOD …



Put simplyTo heal - help her re-connect withSELF … OTHERS … GOD …


Put simplyTo heal - help her re-connect withSELF … OTHERS … GOD …

Trauma & terror disempowers and disconnects

Recovery empowers and re-connects

Recovery can take place ONLY within the contextof relationships.

It cannot occur in isolation.

HOW DO WELL INTENTIONED HELPERS WOUND?

By separating ourselves from those we are trying to help:•By our dress


By separating ourselves from those we are trying to help:•By our dress•Our choice of words


By separating ourselves from those we are trying to help:•By our dress•Our choice of words•Our opinion of them

HELPERS CAN ALSO RE-WOUND:

• By doing “secondary wounding”


• By doing “secondary wounding”• By taking away their autonomy


• By doing “secondary wounding”• By taking away their autonomy• By replicating the dynamics from

their abuse


• By doing “secondary wounding”• By taking away their autonomy• By replicating the dynamics from

their abuse

Remember the ways they may have been controlled—

Methods of Control

Robbed of identity and personhood:•Identification confiscated•Given a new identity, including a new name•Branded/tattooed•Told what to wear•Must ask permission

SO WHAT DOES SHE NEED?

SO WHAT DOES SHE NEED?

REPARATIVE EXPERIENCESBuilding positive identityand autonomy as was done in the beginning by mother and child.

REBUILD:

• Trust• Identity• Autonomy• Initiative• Competence• Capacity for intimacy• Safe relationshipsEMPOWERMENT

WHAT DO NORMAL PEOPLE DO?

WHAT DO NORMAL PEOPLE DO?

• Counting light bulbs• Discovering preferences• Learning how to play• Seeing self-advocacy

& fair fighting and other stories

Other helpers who help the wounded!

They love, are loyal, uncritical,and their look says “I’m happy to see you!”

= JOY

Learn to do good.Seek justice.Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rightsof widows.

Isaiah 1:17

“He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners … to release the oppressed”

JesusLuke 4:18

trauma talk houston

Documents

trauma wounds

positive sense of self

thereflection of self

state of joy

traumainformed care

sense ofautonomy

shatteringthe structure

damagesher sense of