Whole Self Counseling
Courage to be our Whole Selves

Distressing Life Event

When you can’t “get over it.”

TRAUMA and Distress

Stress and suffering are part of the human experience. However, we sometimes experience events that continue to impact our lives long after. These are the events that we can’t stop thinking about, that produce unwanted reactions in the present and seem like they’ll never leave us. This is more than just stress. These events are sometimes referred to as trauma. Trauma is any very bad, sad or scary event that changes how we see ourselves, others, and our world. Traumas can be universal; these are events that everyone would recognize as a trauma. Traumas can also be personal and may apply only to an experience that you have had. 

Common Traumatic or distressing life events:

trauma, distressing, therapy, grand rapids counseling, ptsd.jpg

  • Grief or loss of a loved one

  • The ending of a significant relationship

  • Personal injury, illness, or accident 

  • Care giving for a loved one

  • Sexual or physical assault

  • Discrimination and systematic racism

  • Bullying or harsh words

  • Significant loss (of a person, job, house, pet, or anything important)

  • Miscarriage

  • Infertility

  • Spiritual trauma

  • Faith deconstruction

  • Intimate Partner Violence

  • Abandonment

  • Witnessing a death

  • Many other experiences that are unique to the individual

Common symptoms of traumatic stress:

  • Sudden changes in mood or reactions

  • Higher anxiety or fear

  • Depression and tearfulness

  • Increased irritation or anger

  • Intrusive thoughts about the event

  • Intense feelings of guilt, shame, or embarrassment

  • Nightmares or anxiety dreams

  • Trouble concentrating

  • Replaying events over and over or trying to find the “right” solution

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Feeling disconnected or numb

  • Withdrawal or isolation

  • Physical symptoms such as body pains, stomach aches, or headaches

  • Avoidance

Treatment for Distressing Life Events

If there are events in your life that you just can’t seem to move past, these events likely have some traumatic elements to them. While counseling can’t change what happened, it can often alleviate symptoms, reduce reactivity, and move you toward fuller functioning. Treatments like Brainspotting, and CBT are used to help your brain and body better understand and integrate these experiences, while also building resilience and meaning making. 

If you are interested in gaining freedom from your distressing life events, contact Whole Self Counseling GR today to schedule an appointment.