Trauma & CRM Therapy

​

Symptoms, addictions, relationship problems, behavioral challenges are the presenting problems that bring people to therapy and doctor’s offices. These are considered defense responses that follow the profoundly difficult emotions that are too much to experience. Terror, grief, rage, shame, pain, and disgust are the feelings that we try to avoid feeling throughout our life. Our mind buries these feelings. Our defense responses, or symptoms, not only protect us from feeling this intolerable pain, but in the CRM therapy process give us information about the true cause or root issue resulting from the truth of our life.

​

The truth of our life is:
- What happened (to us)
- What didn’t happen that should have happened
- Conflicts and paradoxical feelings about needing/loving/trusting people that hurt us
- How our life has been influenced by these things

​

These truths create emotional pain, fear or threat that can be intolerable or unbearable. Because our nervous system cannot allow us to feel that pain fully and completely, our brains make sure that we have ways to avoid those painful feelings and we call these defense responses. They are actually the symptoms mentioned above that bring us to therapy and are driven by the need to fight, flight, freeze, hide, avoid, submit or dissociate from those experiences and the pain that goes with them. In the CRM process, we are guiding the client to access within themselves the resources of their mind, body and spirit that makes feeling painful feelings possible. When we can feel the most painful things completely, and step into the pain fully, the need for our defense responses (symptoms, addictions, etc.) are no longer needed. Our nervous system does not need to avoid, fight, hide or bury the things that have influenced how we have operated and related to ourselves and to others.

​

Breathing, connection to our history with nature, our instinctual ability to connect and attach to ourselves or others, and the ability to really feel a connection to our physical body allows us to feel safe enough to truly feel deeply to release that pain and terror. For the times when the fear keeps us from being able to develop these resources, the CRM therapist will guide you through these obstacles. CRM clears out the sludge and debris that keeps us from re-membering who we really are, the us that is not defined from our pain and history.

(*Copyright CRM LLC 2017)

​

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a long-term medical diagnosis that is the result of experiencing trauma or a series of traumatic events. It’s important to note that not everyone who experienced trauma will develop PTSD. PTSD is chronic, meaning it can last long after the event occurred. 

​

Common Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Poor emotional control

• Irritability

• Anger

• Flashbacks

• Sleep disturbances including nightmares

• Experiencing unwanted negative thoughts

• Hypervigilance or always being on guard

• Anxiety

• Withdrawal or social isolation

• Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy

• Feeling numb 

• Feeling detached from your body or your surroundings

• Dissociation

• Risky or self-destructive behaviors like drinking too much, eating disorders, substance abuse, and codependency

​

Complex Trauma or C-PTSD

Complex trauma is the result of being exposed to long-term trauma. Frequently, individuals who have complex trauma felt like there was no way out or no hope that things will get better. Often, complex trauma stems from childhood abuse, neglect, attachment disruption, etc., but it isn't always limited to childhood issues. It can also come from being in combat, long-term relationships where domestic violence is present, or from enduring human trafficking. 

Symptoms of Complex PTSD or C-PTSD look very similar to the ones listed above. But the symptoms can be more intense and cause long-term difficulties in your life. 

​

​

Dissociation or Dissociative Identity Disorder

Becky has specialized training in helping individuals  (both adults and children/adolescents) who experience multiple forms of dissociation, including OSDD and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Dissociation is best understood as a coping skill. It is a form of compartmentalization that occurs. It can offer a separation between a person’s thoughts, memory, emotions, body, perception of self and others, behaviors, and sense of self. 

After experiencing trauma and/or PTSD, the mind can dissociate as a means of protecting itself against thoughts and emotions that would have been too difficult to process. 

Dissociative Identity Disorder was formerly called multiple personality disorder. This diagnosis unfortunately has not been represented well in the media, making it difficult for others to seek support for dissociation. DID is a way that a person has adapted to ongoing trauma and offers the ability to function in the day-to-day as best as is possible.

​

Dissociative Identity Disorder is characterized by:

• The presence of two or more distinct identities or personalities,

• memory loss or gaps in memory

• significant distress that negatively impacts quality of life.