Hello! Psychologist Veronica V. is in touch. It is believed that the task of a psychologist is to pull a person out of a crisis or help him survive an event. I want to tell you more about how exactly this works. An event after which a person cannot cope independently in psychological language is called “Trauma” - a violation of mental well-being due to stress. Such a traumatic event can be: Violence (physical, sexual or psychological); Accident; Major conflict or loss of a loved one; Terrorist act or war; Fire or natural disaster; Chronic stress. Psychological trauma does not go away on its own; if nothing is done, it leads to even more disorders: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, maladjustment, behavioral changes. Recovery can take a lot of time and effort and is only possible with the support of a psychologist and sometimes a psychiatrist. There are several evidence-based psychotherapies for working with trauma: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): a method that helps change negative thoughts and behaviors associated with traumatic memories. The therapist forces the patient to gradually confront the traumatic memories and then change the negative thoughts. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): A method that uses eye movements, sound or tactile stimuli to relieve stress. This is how EMDR helps process traumatic memories and reduce the emotional and physical symptoms associated with them. Sensorimotor psychotherapy: a method that uses bodily sensations and movements. The method helps patients find physical ways to manage their emotions and behavior. Codependency Therapy: A method that helps people with trauma understand how they can help themselves change their behaviors and thoughts to avoid repeating traumatic situations in the future. Metaphor-based therapy: a method that uses metaphors and imagery. Therapy helps patients visualize traumatic memories and find new ways to interpret and experience them. All of the methods listed have proven effective in treating injuries; the specialist usually does not hide which method he uses, you can also clarify this before the consultation. My sessions lately have been based on the EMDR method. I love the power of this approach, which is achieved through relaxation. EMDR consists of several steps: Assessing trauma history and current symptoms to develop a personalized plan. Getting ready for the main stage. The client learns to relax and find inner support before working with traumatic memories. Basic work: the client focuses on traumatic memories, and I help relieve stress using stimuli. This helps process memories and reduce associated emotional and physical symptoms. We evaluate changes in symptoms and continue work if necessary. It is impossible to say with certainty exactly how many sessions will be required to process the trauma. The duration of therapy depends on the severity of the injury and the individual characteristics of the client. Typically, several sessions are required to produce long-term results. Moreover, therapy quite often not only returns a person to the starting point, but improves the condition compared to “before the injury.” Often after therapy, people reconsider their values ​​and decide to make important life changes. This phenomenon is called post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic growth does not mean that psychological trauma itself is good. On the contrary: people can gain new strength only if they learn to adapt. The key to growth is the ability to see your trauma in a new light and find meaning in the experience. This is another direction in the work of a psychologist, I will definitely tell you about it in my next letters. Has it ever happened to you that your trauma turned into...?