I feel worthless. My anxiety is out of control. I’m constantly snapping at the kids because I’m so irritable. I can’t stop thinking about it. I have to pay attention to everything, or else I get nervous. I don’t see the point in living. I have constant headaches and I feel sick all the time. I sabotage all of my relationships. I just want to be alone. I have outbursts of emotion and I don’t know where they come from.
If you relate to one or more of the statements above, you may have experienced some form of trauma in your life. Trauma is characterized as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. The effects of trauma can be life changing. Most of us will experience some type of trauma in our lives. Our trauma may be caused by a single catastrophic event such as a car accident, an unexpected medical event, death of a loved one or an assault. But trauma can also be caused by a series of wounds that happen over time. Examples of these less-obvious types of trauma are unmet needs as a child, being bullied, or a series of betrayals in trusted relationships. In other words, trauma doesn’t have to be just one, single major life event to have a significant impact on your life. If you are struggling with one or more of the above statements, there is a possibility you may have experienced trauma.
Many people experience trauma and are able to overcome the after-effects on their own. However, many trauma survivors find themselves re-experiencing the event and having emotional flashbacks. Some individuals find themselves battling intrusive thoughts and have become accustomed to unrelenting anxieties around people, places and events that remind them of what happened. Sadly, that anxiety may cause them to isolate and avoid things which were once enjoyable. Others may have developed an internalized sense of worthlessness, irritability, hypervigilance or even physical symptoms caused by the unprocessed trauma. The impact of trauma can affect every area of someone’s life including relationships, personal stability, professional abilities, and even physical health.
So when does it become necessary to seek professional help?
When dealing specifically with trauma, it is especially important to seek additional help because of how the aftereffects of trauma are stored in the body. The stress and unreleased energy stemming from the fight or flight mechanisms in our brains, if left unprocessed, can wreak havoc on body, mind and spirit. In other words, the effects of trauma can literally change the brain and prevent the survivor from truly experiencing a life of joy, freedom and peace.
At LiveFree Counseling we are passionate about helping people live a life free of the effects of trauma. In addition to talk therapy and EMDR, our practice now offers music therapy as an option for individuals looking to deal with unresolved trauma. Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to help individuals reach certain goals related to overcoming the effects of trauma.
Trauma is often difficult to talk about. At times it feels overwhelmingly painful and there are often not words to describe what is happening within the trauma survivor’s thoughts, feelings and bodily reactions. Music becomes the language of self-expression that bridges the gap between a client feeling stuck in trauma and living a life of freedom. Music therapy offers tools to manage and reduce anxiety, provides non-verbal modes to express emotions, and facilitates life-affirming and reconnecting social interactions, to name just a few of its benefits.
During music therapy sessions at LiveFree Counseling, clients are welcomed in a warm, safe and supportive setting. Music therapy allows clients opportunities to explore and tell their story within the context of a safe, non-threatening, and understanding relationship with our board-certified music therapist. All sessions are individualized according to client needs, preferences and goals. Careful care and consideration are taken to pace sessions appropriately in order to allow clients to feel empowered and in control of their healing process. It can be hard work, but healing from trauma is possible. You don’t have to do it alone. We are here for you and want to walk alongside you in a journey through healing.
To learn more about music therapy, LiveFree Counseling or to schedule a consultation with our board-certified music therapist, please call 720.465.6180 or click here.
