An event that happened only one time, such as a natural disaster, car accident, or sexual/physical assault. One event can have a profound effect on our ability to cope.
Our relationship with primary caregivers can have a profound effect on our ability to form and maintain friendships and romantic partnerships in adulthood. Based on this primary emotional bond, we form implicit memories (memories stored within our nervous system) that can present as secure, anxious, avoidant, or disorganized styles in our adult relationships.
Ambivalent or anxious preoccupied attachment style is characterized by cravings for closeness, being overly fixated on the other person, difficulties creating and maintaining boundaries, low self-worth highly dependent on your partner's perception of you, feeling anxious when away from your partner, etc.
Avoidant-dismissive attachment style is characterized by being overly independent, needing more space when in a relationship, being uncomfortable with emotions, having tendencies to minimize your partner's feelings or needs, and preferring casual relationships.
Disorganized attachment style is characterized by finding intimate relationships confusing and unsettling, often swinging between emotional extremes of love and hate for a partner.
Going through a breakup and experiencing emotional pain can affect the physical body. It can lead to changes in eating habits, reduced motivation, difficulties sleeping or sleeping too much, lack of energy, anxiety, and depression. Individuals report feelings of sadness, worthlessness, anxiety, anger, guilt, despair, etc.
ACEs include experiences such as physical and emotional abuse, neglect, caregiver mental illness and/or substance use, and household violence. Developmental trauma refers to adverse and repeated traumatic experiences in early childhood, which happen within the child's important relationships. These types of traumas have such a profound effect on individuals' well-being that they may impact generations to come.
Dissociative disorders are frequently associated with previous experiences of trauma and involve experiencing a disconnection between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. Dissociative symptoms may include the experience of detachment, feeling the surrounding is unreal or feeling as if one is outside their body, as well as loss of memory or amnesia.
Emotional abuse involves controlling another person by using emotions to criticize, embarrass, intimidate, shame, blame, or otherwise manipulate their behavior. People who have been emotionally abused often experience feelings of confusion, anxiety, shame, guilt, frequent crying, over-compliance, powerlessness, lack of sense of self, etc. Survivors often internalize verbal abuse from their partner. They may blame themselves for their situation, experience fear, as well as anger and resentment towards themselves, and have extreme feelings of guilt.
Culturally sensitive counseling to Eastern European/Slavic/Balkan cultures.
Interpersonal trauma is a type of trauma that involves harm to a person by another. Occurring in either childhood or adulthood, interpersonal trauma includes emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, physical neglect, and/or sexual abuse. The survivor can be affected on multiple levels, including cognitive (e.g., memory problems, difficulty concentrating, inability to express yourself, self-blame, etc.), emotional (e.g., anger, sadness, anxiety, shame, numbness, feeling overwhelmed, etc.), physical (e.g., fatigue, nausea, muscle tremors, hyperarousal, etc.), behavioral (e.g., avoidant behaviors, high-risk behaviors, sleep, and appetite disturbances, difficulties in relationships, etc.), existential/Spiritual (e.g., despair about humanity, questioning safety, hopelessness, changes in your relationship to faith, etc.)
Intimate Relationships Trauma + Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship. IPV survivors often have immediate needs for safety and resources to improve their ability to cope, establish independence from their abusive partners, and engage in treatment. Survivors often internalize verbal abuse from their partner. They may blame themselves for their situation, experience fear, as well as anger and resentment towards themselves, and have extreme feelings of guilt.
Immigration-related stressors can increase the risk of developing depression, suicidal ideation, and PTSD due to the distress associated with cultural stress, social marginalization, and intergenerational conflicts.
Feelings of sadness, anger, loneliness, and hopelessness are all common emotions that people experience during the grieving process.
Any situation that a person finds traumatic can cause PTSD. Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event(s). PTSD is associated with recurrent distressing memories and intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event(s). It affects individuals on cognitive, emotional, psychological, physiological, behavioral, and spiritual levels. There is persistent avoidance of or efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s). Common emotions associated with PTSD are fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame. Complex PTSD may be caused by experiencing recurring or long-term traumatic events, experiencing trauma at a young age, or being harmed by someone close to you.
Any unwanted sexual contact or behavior. Survivors may experience feelings related to PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and feeling a general lack of safety.
Survivors of human trafficking often have a long history of complex trauma, such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, bullying, exposure to violence, etc. Individuals who have experienced trafficking may exhibit signs of anxiety, emotional numbness, memory loss, and depression. They are at higher risk of developing comorbid diagnoses such as PTSD, substance use, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and dissociative disorder.
The emotional reaction to exposure to traumatic stories and experiences of others through work, and/or witnessing a traumatic event(s). Experiencing vicarious trauma may include becoming overly involved emotionally with the patient, including rescue fantasies, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, and cynicism. For those who have witnessed a traumatic event, there may be feelings of bystander guilt, shame, feelings of self-doubt.
It includes feeling under an uncomfortable amount of pressure if the demands of the job are greater than what an individual can comfortably manage. Other sources of work-related stress include unreasonable demands, micromanaging or lack of support, conflict with co-workers or bosses, constant change, and threats to job security, such as potential redundancy. Symptoms include a drop in work performance, depression, anxiety and sleeping difficulties, cardiovascular problems, leading to high blood pressure, heart disease, and more.
