Abuse and Trauma
Victims of abuse and trauma usually report a keen ability to replay the event in their mind consciously or involuntarily. For most victims, the event often resides in their being like a skeleton ready to pounce out of an unlocked closet.
Their lives and those closest to them are affected in many ways. Some develop psychological conditions while others are physically or emotionally debilitated by the fear brought about by the abuse or traumatic event, unable to function in their lives without the aid of medication or mind altering substances.
Many individuals alienate themselves because it has become too painful to be around others.They withdraw from others not because they want to but because they are coping with life instead of living life.
This is coping, not living.
Understandably, one’s self esteem and believe in self worth is affected and most find themselves caught in undesirable circumstances over and over again. While victims of abuse and trauma find themselves caught in the wheel of oblivion, survivors of abuse find themselves propelled to avoid the psychological and physiological traps that arose as a result of abuse. Either way, this causes stress on the victim/survivor in their bid for normality.
If you are or know of someone who is a victim of abuse and trauma, be assured that this need not be the only way of life. Survivors can overcome the odds and lead a normal and full life. There are lots of help available to support those who are ready to release the hold abuse has on you or your loved one. Some therapies work better for one individual than the other, so it is important that you find the best therapy suited most to you and your personal circumstances.
Hypnotherapy is one of the many therapies available. It is commonly the chosen therapy for a person who has been so traumatised that the mere thought of the abuse is enough to send them spiraling down the stairway to oblivion. Unlike other forms of talk therapy, one does not need to recall or relive the whole traumatic event. During hypnotherapy, we work mainly to address the emotions surrounding the event that we carry through into the present.
However, working with Pollin goes another step further. The focus is to move the individual beyond victim or survivor mode. To truly be able to live ... one needs to step back into their innate state of peace and well-being. To switch back into the mode of living can be quick and easy when we know what to look out for and how to go about developing it again. Depending on how long the issue has been affecting one's life and the intensity of the effects, a range of techniques will be applied for the best outcome possible.
Case Scenario – Overcoming the effects of rape
Heather sought hypnotherapy as a curiosity. She was raped in her late teens and the situation revolved around a car and power games by the aggressor. A decade had gone by but she was still affected by the memory. She had gone through counselling and psychotherapy for years and was pretty much leading a close to normal life if not for her one remaining symptom – flashbacks. She experienced spontaneous recall of the event usually prompted by a number or sequence of numbers. This made it particularly distressing for her to drive around town. License plates would flash by around her as she drove behind cars causing flashbacks. Seeing the make, model or colour of a car could also jolt her back to relive the distress she felt from that memory. Logically, she was aware that she was now a capable woman but on an unconscious level she found herself at the mercy of an emotional roller coaster. Heather had managed to present a level of composure while she was around people, therefore her self control ensured that others were unaware of the trauma that still haunted her. However, the maintenance of such a front can be very taxing on the personality. All this tired and strained her mentally, emotionally and physically.
When the visual memory lock was changed, she became free of the associations she used to have with cars, numbers and colours. She now leads a happy and fulfilling life with her family free of the trauma of her past. She can still recall the event if she chooses to consciously remember, but the emotions surrounding it is gone. She now sees the event as just something that had happened in her past. She was able to move on even more fully than before.
Be free and Be Yourself
Privacy Policy In accordance with the Privacy Act 1993, all personal details have been omitted or changed to protect client identities and privacy. Names used are not associated with the real persons in anyway. The case scenarios given here are meant as examples of the areas that hypnotherapy can help in and how. The case scenarios are outlined to indicate the extent in which different cases can benefit from therapy in its own way. The examples are only brief to maintain safety for all involved. If any scenario has affected you in any way, please contact Pollin Kamell as per “Contact’ page.
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Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Pollin Kamell, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based on opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship or consultation with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experiences of Pollin Kamell and her community. Pollin Kamell encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in-depth consultation with your qualified health care professional.