Working through past traumas

[Taedareth]

We all have experiences or relationships that we'd like to work through and get past. Talk therapy is the popular thing, whether 1-on-1 or in a group. Some people find it helpful, others not as much. I'm sure a lot depends on finding the right counselor.

But is there another way to work through your issues? Please share anything that's been helpful for you. Art? Journaling? Gardening?! I'd like to hear your ideas, thanks :)

[WanderingJuniper]

Music. Sorry to be vague but music specifically playing has helped.

[JoEllen]

I was put in art therapy for a very long time, and it helped a lot. :yes

[RiverRock]

Two years ago I went through a 27 week program called Freedom Sessions. It had a video series and workbooks. We were in small groups, but we shared as little or as much as we were comfortable with sharing. Near the end of the program we did need to find one person to confide everything in, but we were able to choose this person. It has been compared to Celebrate Recovery, but more intense.

[deena]

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing so ignore me if it's unrelated. My traumas had nothing to do with relationships. They were all situational: child birth, childhood discipline, etc... I deal with them by facing them head on. Recreating the events in all the horror (ie, three natural childbirths following one horrendous medical one). There's therapists that do this for people with phobias like needles, bugs, heights. Starting with showing them pictures then touching them or going to a tall building. I've had a lot of success with facing them.

[saturnfire16]

Meditation, visualization and journaling all help me. I also find that when I eat a high raw diet, the emotions flow easier. Whereas eating more cooked food/grains/sugar, it's easier to just bottle things up and ignore them and/or have a hard time working through them even when I try.

---------- Post added at 11:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:18 PM ----------

I also like Celebrate Recovery when I went several years back.

[Taedareth]

Deena, how can you use that method to grieve/forgive/move past traumatic childhood experiences? :think

[deena]

Deena, how can you use that method to grieve/forgive/move past traumatic childhood experiences? :think

I'll PM you. It depends on what it is.

[homesteadmama]

I've not done it, but have you ever heard of EFT? Or Emotional Freedom Technique? I think it's also called "tapping". I've heard many people have felt freedom from past traumas using this method. There are practitioners who can guide you through the process. Also lots of YouTube videos if you wanted to self-teach.

[Taedareth]

Oh I have heard of that. But I've also read that studies found that the effects usually wear off within 8 months. I tried a tapping exercise once, didn't notice any difference, and then felt silly :giggle

[deena]

:giggle

[RiverRock]

I printed off pages about tapping exercises, but only tried them once. I also felt silly. I think the approach Deena wrote about is called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)...or at least sounds similar.