What is Trauma?
Trauma occurs when you have witnessed or experienced deeply distressing events and your mind and body struggle to cope. The events might completely overwhelm you at the time, leaving you in a state of shock. This is the body's way of coping, by allowing the mind to shut down and focus on the most important functions. Your mind gets you through the initial period, and it is often only afterwards that the gravity of what has happened can start to be processed.
Trauma can have a lasting impact on a person’s mental, emotional, and even physical well-being. While traditional therapies can be highly effective, hypnotherapy offers a unique approach to processing and healing trauma at a subconscious level.
Types of Trauma
Trauma can be categorised into three types:
- Acute trauma – Caused by a single event, such as an accident, assault, or natural disaster.
- Chronic trauma – Results from repeated or prolonged exposure to distressing events, such as childhood abuse or domestic violence.
- Complex trauma – Stemming from multiple traumatic events, often involving interpersonal relationships and long-term emotional harm.
Imagine a huge storm, with thunder, lightning, a hurricane... the damage left by the storm would take some time to assess. It can be the same with traumatic events.
By the way, what constitutes traumatic is different for different people. Of course, there are things that all human beings are afraid of. However, events which would be categorised as traumatic by some people, would not be by others.
What constitutes a traumatic event, depends on the snapshot taken by the mind at the time. Trauma is the effect which is left on a person after the event.
In some circumstances, we can have a shared trauma, like a loss in the family, or a distressing event shared across a community. Other times, trauma is deeply personal, and can make people feel very isolated in their pain.
How Does Trauma Occur?
Trauma occurs when an event overwhelms a person’s ability to cope, triggering a fight, flight, or freeze response. During a traumatic experience, the brain activates survival mechanisms, releasing stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones help the body react quickly but can leave a lasting imprint if the trauma is not processed properly.
The brain’s amygdala (which controls fear responses) becomes hyperactive, while the prefrontal cortex (responsible for rational thinking) may become impaired. This imbalance makes it difficult for the brain to distinguish between past and present threats, causing trauma survivors to relive their experiences through flashbacks, nightmares, or emotional triggers.
Treatment for Trauma
Recovering from trauma requires addressing both the emotional and physiological effects of the experience. Common treatments include:
- Talking Therapy - This helps individuals reframe negative thought patterns
- EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) uses guided eye movements to help process traumatic memories.
- Medication – Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed by your doctor to help you manage symptoms.
- Somatic Therapy – Body-focused therapies help release trauma stored in the body through techniques like breathwork, yoga, tai chi, movement or massage.
- Hypnotherapy – A subconscious-focused approach that helps reprocess trauma in a safe and controlled way.
How Hypnotherapy Can Treat Trauma
Hypnotherapy works by guiding you into a deeply relaxed state where the subconscious mind becomes more receptive to healing. This allows for the safe exploration of traumatic memories and the reprogramming of negative thought patterns.
1. Reframing Traumatic Memories
Hypnotherapy helps individuals detach from the emotional intensity of traumatic experiences. By revisiting past events in a controlled way, a person can change their perspective, reducing fear and distress associated with the memory.
2. Reducing Triggers and Flashbacks
Through suggestion therapy, a hypnotherapist can help you create new mental associations with past trauma. This can reduce the intensity of triggers and prevent automatic stress responses.
3. Regulating the Nervous System
Hypnosis promotes deep relaxation, activating the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for rest and recovery). This helps lower stress hormones and creates a sense of safety, which is essential for healing.
4. Building Emotional Resilience
By using guided imagery and positive reinforcement, hypnotherapy strengthens self-esteem and emotional stability, empowering trauma survivors to regain control over their lives.
5. Processing Suppressed Emotions
Many people who have experienced trauma suppress painful emotions to avoid getting upset. Hypnotherapy provides a safe space to process and release these emotions, helping you move forward without being weighed down by unresolved trauma.
What Clients are Saying
I experienced deep trauma early on and spent most of my life trying to run away from it. I contacted Zeenat when I couldn't run away anymore and wanted to understand more about myself. The journey unravelled before me, with Zeenat holding the space for me. I felt safe and I was able to talk about things I had buried long ago. The hypnotherapy treatment has allowed me to forgive myself for mistakes and to let go of old resentments which were making me ill. Now my relationships are more honest and I can finally be myself. I am not seeking approval because I love and approve of myself. I am free.
Trauma can feel overwhelming, but healing is possible. Hypnotherapy offers a powerful, gentle, and effective way to process traumatic experiences and rewire the brain for recovery.
You can book a complimentary consultation here.
