Bridge to Transformation
Trauma Informed Care
Trauma is much more common that we wish to believe. Over 80% of adults have had traumatic experiences. These can include car accidents, natural disasters, war, violence (even witnessing it), being harmed by others, being robbed, bullying, discrimination and oppression, sexual abuse, loss, death, divorce (you or your parents), and much more. When we experience trauma, we are overwhelmed and cannot fully process what happened. Part of us lives in that moment and we carry those wounds around with us. Trauma impacts our ability to function in at work or school, to engage in fun activities, to sleep, and to be ourselves. We react to life both with what is going on now and what happened in the past. You can heal from trauma and put it in the past.
At Bridge to Transformation, we use several approaches to trauma. These include building coping strategies, music therapy, Progressive Counting, and meditation. When we are traumatized, we are faced with experiences that are beyond our ability to cope. Our brains come up with creative ways to cope, which later have been labeled as trauma symptoms. These ways of coping work in the moment but over time, they become less effective and more problematic. By building new coping strategies, we are able to deal with the stresses of life as well as the stresses of our past. As we solidify these new skills, we can let go of the old ones that no longer serve us.
Music therapy is the use of music to help you attain your wellness goals. Music can be used as a coping strategy, as a way to change your mood, and as a way to express our feelings and thoughts. The creative process (making music, visual art, dance/movement , written word, drama) allows us to take our traumatic experiences and turn them into art which allows the experiences to transform within us, processing the trauma and loss in a way that words cannot.
Progressive Counting is a psychotherapy approach that helps you to process your trauma or loss memories through memory reconsolidating. Progressive counting is similar to EMDR and has similar positive outcomes. Most people report an easing or ending of symptoms like anxiety, depression, guilt, anger, and post-traumatic reactions. It's considered to be as effective as other leading trauma treatments. This approach can be incorporated into weekly sessions or folks can schedule intensive therapy,