Trauma, both big and small, has a profound impact on our lives. It shapes our perceptions, behaviors, and reactions, often embedding unconscious patterns within us that drive our responses to certain triggers. Understanding and processing these experiences is essential for true healing and integration. Here’s how we can begin this transformative journey.
Recognizing When You Are Triggered
Noticing your triggers is a skill that can take time and practice to develop. Often, our initial reactions happen so quickly that we don’t realize we’ve been triggered until after the fact. A powerful way to cultivate this awareness is by intentionally pausing to reflect before reacting. When you notice yourself becoming overly upset or emotional, take a moment to pause. This pause creates space to reflect on your reaction and identify whether it’s tied to unresolved trauma or unconscious programming. Over time, this practice helps you become more attuned to your triggers and reduces automatic responses.
The first step in processing trauma is noticing when you are being or have been triggered. Triggers often manifest as strong emotional reactions—anger, fear, sadness, or even numbness—that seem disproportionate to the situation. These reactions are clues that something deeper is at play.
Ask yourself:
- Am I reacting more strongly than this situation warrants?
- Does this remind me of a past experience?
- What emotions are surfacing, and why?
When we recognize that we are reacting due to unconscious programming connected to unresolved trauma, we can begin to shift from reacting automatically to responding consciously.
Understanding Unconscious Programming
Unresolved trauma often creates unconscious patterns within our psyche. These patterns are the ego’s way of “keeping us safe,” designed to protect us from experiencing similar pain. However, these same patterns often perpetuate suffering by keeping us stuck in cycles of reactivity and avoidance. For example, a person who experienced rejection as a child might avoid deep relationships to “protect” themselves from potential abandonment, unknowingly isolating themselves and creating a different kind of pain.
By recognizing these unconscious programs, we can see our triggers as opportunities for growth. Instead of viewing a trigger as a setback, we can reframe it as a signal that an old wound is ready to be addressed. Like most people, I greatly dislike being triggered but now view it as a positive experience because it shows me an area that needs healing. It’s like a neon sign saying “Look here! Here is a wound that is ready to be cleaned and bandaged up! You are ready to heal- look!”
Investigating the Root Cause
Once you recognize a trigger, it’s time to investigate the root cause. Ask yourself:
- What am I feeling in this moment?
- When was the first time I ever felt this way?
- What was happening in my life at that time?
Tracing your feelings back to their origin helps you uncover the core wound. This process requires patience and introspection but is vital for healing. The goal is to bring the unconscious into conscious awareness.
Sitting with the Feeling
Healing requires experiencing the original wound in its fullness. This may sound counterintuitive, but it is essential. Allow yourself to sit with the emotions tied to the trauma—grief, fear, anger, or shame—without judgment. By fully experiencing these emotions, you allow them to move through you, releasing the energetic hold they have over you.
In this process, you can visualize your past self and offer support from your current perspective. Imagine sitting beside your younger self, holding space for their pain, letting them know you understand, and offering the reassurance they needed at that time. Be the person they needed but did not have. Tell them that you are there to protect them, that you love them and want to help them heal. This compassionate act can be profoundly healing.
Integrating and Healing
Once you’ve fully processed the emotions tied to the trauma, integration begins. Integration is the process of incorporating the lessons from the experience into your life, releasing the patterns that no longer serve you. The miraculous part of this journey is that once a trauma has been processed, its grip on your behavior and emotional state diminishes significantly. What once triggered you may no longer hold the same power.
After processing and integrating trauma, you might notice a profound shift. Let’s circle back to our previous example of the person avoiding relationships. Now that this person has dug down and figured out why they were avoiding relationships (childhood rejection trauma) and sat with those feelings allowing whatever feelings bubble up, they begin integrating the experience. Instead of withdrawing from relationships, they begin to develop the confidence to form meaningful connections. They recognize their worth and the value of vulnerability, understanding that while relationships come with risks, they also offer profound opportunities for growth, love, and companionship. This newfound openness allows them to embrace relationships without fear dominating their decisions.
The Science and Spirit of Trauma Healing
Science tells us that trauma is stored in the body and brain. The amygdala, responsible for processing emotions, and the hippocampus, which regulates memories, are deeply affected by traumatic experiences. Somatic practices like breathwork, mindfulness, or movement can help release trauma stored in the body. Valo Expeditions will soon be offering vibroacoustic healing sessions, where you receive both energy and vibrational healing. Meanwhile, reflective practices like journaling, a QHHT session or therapy can help untangle the mental and emotional aspects.
From a spiritual perspective, trauma can be seen as a teacher. It shows us where we are wounded and provides an opportunity for growth and expansion. The process of healing trauma is not just about letting go but about reclaiming the parts of ourselves that were lost or fragmented. By doing so, we step into a more integrated, whole version of ourselves.
Moving Forward
Processing trauma is a courageous and deeply personal journey. By recognizing triggers, uncovering unconscious patterns, investigating root causes, and fully experiencing the emotions tied to trauma, we can begin to heal. As we do, we free ourselves from the cycles of suffering, reclaiming our power and our peace.
Remember, healing takes time, and it’s okay to seek support. Whether through a trusted therapist, a spiritual guide, or self-exploration, know that every step you take towards processing your trauma is a step towards greater freedom and joy.
