IN HONOR OF TRAUMA

Don’t be mistaken, perhaps nobody is entirely without old trauma. And to whatever degree this trauma may sit in us, it does not fade away automatically. If we repress and deny old trauma, it will go on creating unwanted behaviors in us. Courageous, careful and critical thinking can make that clear and lead to intentional detection, acknowledgment and relief work. Such work does not divert us from living in the present, pragmatism, spirituality or happiness. It improves our living in the present, pragmatism, spirituality or happiness.

Then, why is this logic so often ignored? The main explanation refers to old fear that occurred during the traumatic experience, a realistic fear of pain at that time. In reaction we tried to avoid feeling that pain, and the fear of that pain. This avoidance behavior got hardened, fossilized, and now makes it difficult to acknowledge the old pain and fear and arrive at relief work.

A related obstacle to relieve old pain and fear and diminish unwanted behaviors, is others’ fear for more or less similar old pain and fear in themselves that made them develop avoidance behaviors. They may tend to force their avoidances upon others as well. What needs more maturing, is the acknowledgment of what is avoidance behavior. An indicator of such avoidance may be the degree of discouraging others to detect their possible trauma.

An obstacle of a different kind is the immaturity and mutual exclusiveness of treatment techniques. But cognitive, emotional and somatic elements of trauma are more recognized, whereas the three related types of treatment grow into full-fledged alternatives. What still needs maturing, though, is the organized availability of integrated packages to treat trauma.