Empathy Based Trauma Care

Trauma is an emotional response to extremely adverse or overwhelming life events. Unfortunately, traumatic life experiences are an ever present part of the world we live in. It is also true that trauma remains misunderstood and stigmatized, so much so that many individuals and families remain reluctant to seek the kind of help and healing necessary for real recovery to take place. Emotionally traumatizing events can include: domestic or family violence, tragic accidents, death or loss, divorce or separation, illnesses or prolonged health issues, assault or dating violence, childhood abuse, neglect or abandonment, and also can include witnessing any extremely emotionally charged events in which the person vicariously experiences the emotionally traumatizing event.

If you find yourself or a loved one in a regular state of denial or disbelief about a shocking experience, difficulty concentrating, or feelings of constant confusion, anger, irritability about minor issues, or moodiness, intense anxiety or feelings of fear, guilt, shame, or blame, withdrawing from others and feelings of sadness or loneliness, as well as finding yourself disconnected or detached from your own feelings; then these could be indicators that emotional trauma is present.

Empathy Based Trauma Care changes the way we view others as well as how we interpret what has happened to them. Genuinely empathic care refrains from asking, “why are you acting this way?” And opts for more holistic thinking processes that ask questions like, “what has happened to you over the course of your life that is causing you to think and feel the way you do?” This kind of postponed judgement for understanding environment allows for the exploration of lifelong experiences that provide reasons commensurate to how someone is responding to their surroundings. It engages others, meeting them where they are at their point of need in order to experientially work together to empower the process of emotional wellness. Thus, creation-design and pastoral models of care creatively facilitate a caring heart approach capable of fostering an empathy based family system of care that is naturally transformational.

For this reason, Your Best Life Now Counseling provides a counseling cafe and community life dream center where everyone can discover an experience that’s strengths based, meets legitimate felt needs, fosters meaningful awareness and understanding capable of addressing the impact of trauma responses and create experimental environments that are safe places for exploring and adapting more meaningful responses. Capable of restoring overall self awareness, enhanced self control, and empowering wellness through soul care and whole person models of care.