The therapeutic encounter with the trauma

Trauma is an extreme and overwhelming mental experience that leaves its mark on a person for years. It is a deep emotional wound, created as a result of an event or a series of difficult and unbearable events, which usually occurred at a young age. The trauma constitutes a break in the basic sense of security and trust of the individual in himself and in the world. It impairs the ability to process and give meaning to the experience, and often leads to persistent symptoms and functional difficulties.

One of the central characteristics of the trauma is the way in which it continues to resonate within the soul of the survivor, even many years after its occurrence. The memories of the trauma remain vivid, powerful and unprocessed, and threaten to overwhelm the person again and again. Sometimes they appear as intrusive flashbacks, as terrifying nightmares or as exaggerated reactions to stimuli that remind of the original event. In other cases, the trauma is encoded in the body and in physical sensations, and is expressed through a variety of physical and mental symptoms.

According to psychoanalyst and theorist Kathy Carruth, trauma is always “the story of a screaming wound, which turns to us in an attempt to tell us about a reality or truth that is not accessible in any other way.” That is, the very difficulty of the soul to contain and experience the trauma in real time, turns it into a kind of hidden secret, which asks and demands to be revealed, to be heard and revealed. The sad and moving voice that emanates from the wound is the one that testifies to the depth of the pain, but also to the critical need for recognition and testimony.

The complex emotional world of trauma survivors

The therapeutic meeting with people who have experienced trauma reveals an inner world full of suffering, terror and confusion. The patients carry within them experiences of loss, injury, betrayal and abandonment, which undermined the foundations on which they built their world. They feel deep feelings of loneliness, emptiness and helplessness, and find it hard to believe that anyone could ever truly understand their pain. Parts of their souls remain “frozen” and cut off, while others are vibrant with feelings of guilt, anger and resentment.

Often, the main protective mechanism of trauma survivors is dissociation – a disconnection between different parts of the experience, which allows the unbearable memories to be kept out of awareness. Thus, a person may function and behave seemingly normally, while within him resides disconnected, denied or repressed areas of deep mental pain. However, this mechanism takes a toll, and leads to a lack of integration and a sense of brokenness within the self and in the experience of life.

At the same time as disconnecting and avoiding, survivors of trauma also have a strong longing for a healing connection, for an object that can contain the depth of the suffering and give it an answer. Paradoxically, the fear and the need to run away from the pain, mix with the desire to surrender to it, to get closer to the wounded and crumbling parts within the self. This struggle between avoidance and contact produces complex patterns of transference and countertransference in therapy and poses unique challenges to the therapeutic session.

Trauma treatment – a journey to horror and compassion

The treatment of people with trauma requires a combination of professional knowledge and humanity, of flexibility and firm standing in the face of emotional storms. The therapist is required to be present and connected, to listen to the pain story without withdrawing or shying away. It must provide a safe and inclusive space, which allows the patient to explore his most difficult experiences, while at the same time regulating and balancing the high level of anxiety and arousal.

Through listening, inclusion and dedication to the process, the therapist seeks to create for the patient a corrective experience of the past trauma. His stable and empathic presence constitutes a kind of “holding environment”, amidst the inner chaos and confusion. It allows the patient to experience himself more integratively, to collect the broken parts of the self and breathe life into them. Within the safe space of treatment, the patient can remember what he forgot, mourn what he lost, and let go of the heavy guilt and anger he carried over the years.

At the same time, the journey into the intricacies of trauma is not simple, neither for the patient nor for the therapist. He exposes both of them to difficult sights, to painful realities, to the dangerous consequences of the past on the present. Sometimes the therapist may feel lost, helpless and confused in the face of deep human suffering. He may become infected with the difficult feelings, develop physical and mental symptoms, and experience doubts about his ability to help. In order to face these challenges, clear boundaries, support and guidance are required, and above all, a deep commitment to the patient and the therapeutic process.

The quest for finding meaning and growth

How do you move on after trauma? How do you convert the pain into a driving force and hope? These questions are at the heart of the therapeutic journey, and they do not have easy or quick answers. In many ways, recovery from trauma is a lifelong process, and requires hard work on the part of both the patient and the therapist.

An important part of the path to recovery is giving meaning to the traumatic experience, and restoring it to the wider context of the person’s life and story. The patient needs assistance and support to reorganize his personal narrative so that the trauma no longer defines him or dictates his life. Through reconstructing the events, processing the emotions involved and drawing constructive lessons, the trauma gradually turns from a destructive factor into a source of growth, strength and resilience.

This process often involves finding a positive meaning, purpose, or value within the suffering and pain. This can be expressed in a willingness to help others who have gone through similar experiences, in a commitment to social change, or in a deeper understanding of oneself and the world. It is not necessarily a message of “everything happens for the best”, but rather the discovery of the human ability to rise above the circumstances, and turn even the biggest wounds into an obstacle to change.

A look to the future

In conclusion, the treatment of trauma is a complex and challenging journey, which requires both the therapist and the patient to deal with enormous forces of destruction and pain. It is an encounter with human frailty and vulnerability, with the darkest shadows in the soul – but also with the strength and beauty within. Despite the great difficulty, clinical experience and theoretical thinking show that it is possible to heal from trauma, and to restore to myself wholeness and the ability to live a full and meaningful life.

The key to recovery lies first and foremost in the therapeutic relationship – a deep human connection based on trust, caring and unconditional acceptance. Through this connection, the patient can rediscover faith in his ability to connect, experience security and inclusion, and acquire tools to deal with the pain. The journey requires patience, compassion and…