Trauma counselling

Some people use the word trauma very loosely. They describe any range of upsetting events as trauma. On the other end of the spectrum, some think that only the most extraordinary circumstances can constitute trauma. They believe that producers will be lining up to make a movie about your life if anything so truly remarkable were to happen. As with most things in life, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. 

The definition of trauma can vary depending on the person that you ask, but one aspect is foundational: trauma has a permanent effect. It is not something that simply slips your mind after a few years. A traumatic event permanently changes aspects of your psychology. A traumatic event divides your life into two periods: the time before and the time after. Of course, that is not to say that you can’t overcome a tragedy and move on. It simply means that the trauma made an indelible mark on the course of your life. 

Traumatic events can be one-time or ongoing. This experience might involve physical harm or only mental anguish and is centred around a feeling of helplessness to control or stop the situation. To get a better idea of what defines trauma, let’s look at some common causes of trauma: 

• Physical abuse: Whether it is a one-time attack in the street or ongoing abuse at home, violence undermines a person’s fundamental sense of safety. 

• Sexual abuse: Experiencing rape, sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, sexual harassment, or female genital mutilation creates lasting phycological effects. 

• Emotional abuse: Harassment and bullying is often chronic trauma that worsens with time. This emotional abuse can occur at home, school, online, or in the workplace. 

• Natural disasters: Destructive disasters, especially those that cause fatalities and displacement, can leave those affected feeling intense anxiety and distress after the fact. 

• Refugees: Being forced to flee your home is an agonising loss, which is typically compounded by the chronic stress of time spent living under dangerous conditions prior to leaving. 

• Witnessing violence: From soldiers at war to children watching domestic violence play out in their homes, a person doesn’t need to have an active role in a traumatic event to feel its impact. 

• Sudden death of a loved one: The loss of someone important is one of the worst experiences of anyone’s life and facing a sudden bereavement creates an extraordinarily difficult situation that can be even harder to process. 

• Serious accidents: The abrupt nature of accidents can create a sense of constant danger. This feeling can become overwhelming after a severe accident that has lasting effects. 

• Discrimination: Facing racism, sexism, homophobia, and other types of systemic oppression causes profound emotional distress that can last a lifetime.

• Serious illness: Medical trauma can be caused by an invasive procedure, chronic illness, medical errors, or any range of health problems that feel life-threatening and beyond your control. 

While these are some of the trauma causes that we often see, each case is unique. Every person has a different experience. No traumatic event occurs within a vacuum. Some people experience awful events at a time when they are better equipped to face them. Others may be hit harder by a tragedy if they are already in a vulnerable position and lacking support. 

Rather than creating a list of absolute causes, it is more important to look at the common symptoms of trauma. If you or a loved one has been impacted by a terrible event and are struggling to move past the feelings, it is time to seek help. Whether you are suffering from trauma, depression, anxiety, or grief, we are here to offer you the benefits of trauma counselling to help you cope and get back to feeling like your old self again. 

Facing such dynamic and complex cases of trauma, mental healthcare professionals categorise the different causes of trauma into distinct categories. Let’s look at a few of the common trauma types that we use to better understand the experience.

• Acute trauma: This is a way of describing the trauma caused by a one-time event. This might include the death of a loved one, a sexual assault, or a catastrophic accident. 

• Chronic trauma: Ongoing physical, sexual, or emotional abuse are examples of repeated traumatisation that can create a lasting psychological impact. 

• Complex trauma: Rather than facing a single type of traumatic experience, people coping with complex trauma are facing the effects of more than one traumatic event that has occurred over their lifetime or often simultaneously. 

• Secondary trauma: Witnessing incredible suffering and destruction can cause trauma as well. This is particularly common for those who work in hospitals or law enforcement.

• Adverse Childhood Experiences: Often referred to as ACEs, these childhood traumas are categorised separately as they have a powerful impact on a child’s development and often create different signs of trauma and coping mechanisms. 

Trauma feels like a blow to the centre of your being. The shattering event has an unforgettable impact on your mental state and emotional health.  While each traumatic event is different and all of us have different responses and different points, there are a few signs of trauma that you can look out for, including the following: 

• Extreme feelings of fear
• Chronic anxiety 
• Persistent sadness
• Intrusive thoughts 
• Flashbacks/ sense of reliving the trauma 
• Emotional detachment
• Trouble sleeping
• Trouble concentrating
• Irritability
• Hypervigilance
• Drug or alcohol abuse 
• Persistent nightmares 

As with all mental health issues, it is essential to note that each person experiences and displays symptoms differently. There is no right or wrong response to a traumatic event, and is best to treat trauma with counselling.

Trauma can have a profound impact on all areas of life, including work. If you are struggling with the aftermath of a traumatic event, it’s important to understand that you don’t have to go through it alone. Trauma counselling in Singapore can help you navigate the challenges that come with trauma in the workplace and lead a more fulfilling life. Let’s look at a few symptoms of trauma that you might have noticed during the workday. 

1. Decreased focus and productivity: Trauma can cause individuals to experience symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This can make it difficult to concentrate and be productive on the job.
2. Overwhelming stress: The effects of trauma can also cause individuals to experience increased stress, leading to feelings of anxiety, fear, and irritability. This can make it difficult to work well with others and complete tasks efficiently.
3. Challenges with interpersonal relationships: Individuals who have experienced trauma may also struggle with interpersonal relationships in the workplace, such as communicating effectively with coworkers, managing conflict, and building strong professional relationships.
4. Physical symptoms: Trauma can also cause physical symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, which can make it difficult to perform well on the job.

Whether you experienced trauma recently or during your childhood, it can have a major mark on the many different types of relationships that you have in your life. From parents to children to romantic partners to colleagues, the effects of trauma might show themselves anywhere. Here are a few signs of trauma affecting interpersonal relationships: 

• Trust issues: Trauma is often the result of someone else breaking your trust in a significant way. A domestic abuse survivor might feel they can never put their guard down, even in the most intimate of relationships while someone attacked on the street may feel like every passerby is a threat. 

• Trouble communicating: Trust issues and communications problems exist hand in hand. Feeling like you must keep your distance or protect yourself in some way creates a barrier to intimacy. Lacking a sense of safety can mean that you feel as if you can’t be honest and open. 

• Regulating emotions: Moving between emotional numbness and extreme sensitivity are common reactions to trauma. These fluctuations can make it hard for your friends and family (as well as yourself) to know what to expect from one to the next.  

Trauma therapy is a unique counselling option that focuses on the causes and symptoms of trauma. This kind of therapy is crucial for those who feel unable to cope with a traumatic event, as well as for those who feel the stress of the trauma is affecting their daily life. Each person working with a trauma specialist will create their own path to overcome trauma-related symptoms and treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) if necessary. 

But, what exactly is the difference between regular therapy and trauma therapy? From the perspective of the person in therapy, there is no fundamental difference. Your trauma therapist will still provide a customised experience based on your needs and will take cues from you (without ever pushing you into uncomfortable situations). 

From a high-level perspective, the key difference is that forms of trauma therapy is done under the guidance of a trauma-informed therapist who is familiar with working on similar cases. Because people who have experienced trauma have different needs, it is critical to work with a mental healthcare specialist who is familiar with those unique requirements. 

The options for trauma counselling in Singapore are truly world-class and can have a transformative effect on countless aspects of your life. The way that you feel, your success at work, and the happiness in your relationship can be recast with successful trauma counselling.

People often get stuck in the mindset that nothing can turn back the clock and erase the trauma and so nothing can be done — but nothing could be further from the truth! While the trauma will never disappear, you can change the way that you respond to it. You can learn coping techniques that will allow you to work through the trauma and not have it be an anchor that drags you down and forces you to be stagnant. 

To help you get a better sense of the possibilities that can come from professional help, let’s look at some of the benefits of trauma counselling. 

• Decreased stress: By working with a trained therapist, individuals can develop effective coping strategies for managing stress, leading to a more fulfilling and productive life.

• Physical well-being: Trauma counselling can also help individuals manage physical symptoms related to trauma, such as headaches, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

• Better interpersonal relationships: Trauma counselling can also help individuals improve their interpersonal relationships, including communication skills, conflict resolution, and building strong professional relationships.

• Improved focus and productivity: Trauma and depression counselling can help individuals manage the symptoms of trauma, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD, allowing them to concentrate and be productive on the job.

With the help of a trained and experienced therapist, individuals can work through their challenges and develop a deeper understanding of their thoughts and behaviors. Through personalized and confidential sessions, individuals can gain insights into their experiences and learn effective strategies for managing stress and improving mental wellness. This can include techniques for managing anxiety and depression, building resilience, and developing a positive self-image.

In addition, trauma counselling can also help individuals heal from their experiences and improve their relationships with others. This can include learning how to communicate effectively, developing positive coping strategies, and building a supportive network of friends and family.