Why am I Feeling this Way?
“I’m just here.”
“I just can’t ever relax.”
“I constantly feel like something bad is going to happen, like this pit in my stomach.”
“I look in the mirror and don’t recognize myself sometimes.”
Being human is hard. We all have times of feeling stuck or not like our selves. When someone says the word “trauma” you may think of one big, life changing event like a terrible car accident or a physical assault. These experiences can be traumatic, but there are many other things that can deeply impact you long term. Bullying, a high stress job, an unpredictable childhood, that thing that happened and changed your outlook on life all could impact how you function now.
Our body and minds are designed to protect us from danger. When faced with times of high stress our bodies jump into action without thinking to make sure we survive the situation. This could look like fighting, trying to get away, or freezing in place. After the difficult event ends our body needs to feel safe in order to rebalance and return to our normal daily life. When we are exposed to one stress after another, live or work in high stress environments, or do not get space to process the event, our body and mind do not have the chance to rebalance. Instead of feeling relieved after the stressful thing is over, you may feel like it is still happening or you cannot fully relax. Patterns that used to protect you might be getting in the way of building the life you want to live today.
Curious about Symptoms of Trauma?
Here are a few things to look for:
stomach aches, headaches, muscle tension, or other physical issues
trouble sleeping or nightmares
feeling disconnected from yourself and others, going numb
zoning out, spacing out, or feeling like you have gaps in your memory
feeling a sense of dread or like something bad is going to happen
recurring, disturbing images or memories of past events that keep popping up
difficulty relaxing, easily startled, feeling jumpy, on edge, or irritable
feeling un-loveable, unworthy, or not trusting yourself
avoiding thoughts, feelings, people, or places that remind you of past events
frequent feelings of fear, shame, guilt, anger that get in the way of your day to day life
Our Favorite Books about Stress & Trauma
My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD & Amelia Nagoski, DMA
At Create Space Therapy we believe thoughts, feelings, and body sensations are all information your body is using to communicate. Stress, emotions, and unresolved trauma can all get stuck in your body. This could show up in many ways like feeling more irritable than usual, tight hip flexors, headaches, grinding your teeth at night, or shoulder tension. Our team will help you to feel more connected to your mind and body instead of feeling like each day is a constant struggle. You want to feel confident in yourself. You want to trust your gut feeling instead of questioning every decision. Our clients begin to feel more like themselves again and feel more connected to others. You deserve to feel present instead of trapped in your thoughts. You deserve to heal.