May is the official National Trauma Awareness Month. Although National Trauma Awareness Month primarily focuses on physical injuries, there are people who also suffer from psychological trauma after experiencing a physical injury. There have been so many tragedies in our country recently that becoming more aware of trauma on its different levels of impact is essential in our communities.
National Trauma Awareness Month was first created by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. Part of the education process is to get our states and federal lawmakers to provide more funding for trauma research and provide more resources to our communities.
In the EMDR world, we define trauma as anything that happens to you that you can’t process or digest fully. That means that you may have something happen to you that is overwhelming, but it can also be that you witness something directly, or even watching images on television or hearing a news story that may impact you. When we perceive something as threatening the body/mind goes into high gear. It activates a response for the emergency. If not dealt with properly, it can lead to longer term symptoms of not feeling safe in the world, or feeling out of control, or change how you view the world.
The list of how trauma can impact one’s life can show up in many ways. The effects of trauma can include intense emotions that can change rapidly, feeling scared, isolated, irritable, or anxious. You might feel isolated and not feel safe to share what you are feeling out of fear of what others might think about you.
You can also visit our EMDR Learning Center for more information on trauma symptoms:
http://maibergerinstitute.com/what-is-trauma/
What is important with trauma is that you reach out and get help. So if you would like to get involved this May for the National Trauma Awareness Month, the National Trauma Institute has some suggestions on how to get involved:
- Write to Congressional Appropriations Committee members to ask for their support of federal spending for trauma research:
- Send thank you notes to your legislators for their past support for funding for trauma research and ask for their continued support.
- Include recent trauma statistics in patient newsletters and flyers
- Publish safety reminders in local papers
- Publicize Trauma Center locations and facts
As EMDR therapists we need to educate people about trauma and how EMDR can help heal those who are victims of such horrible atrocities. Our skills are invaluable to the community and the more we talk about EMDR, write about EMDR, and educate others about EMDR, we can start helping more people heal and move through traumas to be feel more present and alive.
People are looking for EMDR therapists everyday, and their searches are bringing them to the Maiberger Institute website. In honor of National Trauma Awareness Month, the Maiberger Institute is inviting EMDR therapists to join the EMDR Therapist Directory so that therapists can connect with people who need help with trauma.
Signup using the promo code TRAUMAEMDR before May 30, 2013, and you’ll receive a $25 discount off the registration fee.
Come join our community of healers and let your potential clients find you, so that they can benefit from the healing effects of EMDR.