Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy is not an isolated form of therapy but rather part of every psychotherapy. An experience is regarded as traumatic if a form of violence, threat or restriction of freedom has taken place, accompanied by feelings of helplessness and being overwhelmed, high levels of stress and simultaneously being unable to act. Our nervous system reacts with an originally adaptive assimilation, which is the involuntary avoidance of stimuli that may be similar to or in reminder of the traumatic situation. As part of this natural process, often aspects of the experience with its corresponding feelings, sensations or unexpressed emotions are hidden or suppressed from memory. From the subconscious level however, they keep influencing our belief systems and behavior.

An unresolved trauma may appear as a form of rigidity, a reduced perception of ones own body and emotions, restlessness, shame and guilt feelings, a disconnectedness with oneself on the psychological level – with one’s own needs and ideas, spontaneity and creative ability. Fears, depression, addictions, disordered sleep and other psychosomatic symptoms may arise in consequence. Traumatisations adopted from previous generations or collective trauma may lead to the same symptoms or inner reactions as personally experienced ones.

It is not necessary within the therapeutic context to re-experience the trauma in order to resolve it. I work with modern therapeutic techniques like constellational work and hypnosis, within the systemic and hypnotherapeutic approach. That way, prelingual memories in the form of physical sensations or reactions from prenatal or very early childhood periods, narcotic states etc. can also be integrated. I am happy to answer further questions via phone or email.