Blog #7 (chapters 13&14)

    I appreciated his wisdom and perspective on trauma. People come to counseling for treatment and healing, and I think it is important to remember that we can’t treat trauma and provide clients with a solution like the past never happened. What has been done to these clients cannot be undone. Van Der Kolk explains that what we can provide treatment for is the imprints that trauma has on the body and the soul. Clients don’t have to be enslaved by their trauma. By (1) finding ways to become calm and focused, (2) learning to maintain that calm response to images, thoughts, sounds, or physical sensations that remind them of the past, (3) finding a way to be fully alive and present, and (4) not keeping secrets themselves, they are able to even find freedom over their trauma. I think this perspective is something that needs to be communicated with our clients. Through this process, clients might express frustration because even after going to counseling they might still be experiencing intrusive thoughts. We need to make clear that their trauma cannot be undone and that is out of their control, but something that is in their control is learning to cope and deal with the effects of trauma on their lives. 

Another big concept I pulled out from the reading was that traumatized people recover in the context of relationships. Likely, traumatized people have a pretty distorted view of what healthy relationships are. They need a consistent and positive example to show them how relationships were intended to be. It is our job as counselors but also just as neighbors to provide physically and emotionally safe relationships this includes feeling safe from feelings of guilt, shame, or judgement. I can get overwhelmed with how complex trauma can be, and I get overwhelmed with the daunting task of trying to help these with the right modality and right method of treatment. But, this concept has also given me so must rest and comfort for myself. The most effective thing I can do as a helper is just to provide them with a loving and safe relationship.