Three Choices of Trauma: Repeat, Repress, or Repair
Trauma leaves deep marks on your soul, mind, and body. It can alter how you see the world, relate to others, and perceive yourself. When faced with trauma, you have three fundamental choices: to repeat it, repress it, or repair it. Each path leads to a different outcome in your life. Understanding these choices empowers you to move towards healing and restoration.
1. Repeat: The Cycle of Re-Traumatization
Repeating trauma is a cycle you may unknowingly fall into. When unresolved pain and patterns from past trauma resurface in your current life, they can create similar situations. For example, if you experienced neglect in childhood, you might unconsciously choose relationships that mirror that neglect. This repetition isn’t about choosing to suffer; it’s your brain’s attempt to resolve the trauma by revisiting familiar scenarios.
However, repeating trauma often leads to further harm, reinforcing the negative beliefs and behaviors born from the initial experience. The cycle can continue unless you make a conscious choice to break it. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward choosing a different path.
2. Repress: The Illusion of Control
Repression involves burying or ignoring the traumatic experience. This defense mechanism may seem like a viable solution when the pain feels too overwhelming to face. By pushing the trauma deep into your unconscious, you might feel as though you’ve regained control over your life.
But repression is not a true solution. The trauma remains, often manifesting in anxiety, depression, physical symptoms, or difficulties in relationships. What’s repressed doesn’t simply disappear; it festers beneath the surface, influencing your emotions and behaviors in ways you might not even realize. Over time, the burden of carrying hidden trauma can become increasingly heavy, affecting your overall well-being.
3. Repair: The Path to Healing
Repairing trauma is the most challenging yet rewarding choice. It involves acknowledging your pain, understanding its impact, and actively working to heal. This process often requires the support of a therapist or a healing community, where your trauma can be safely explored and addressed.
The repair process includes several steps:
Recognition: Acknowledge the trauma and its effects on your life.
Expression: Allow yourself to feel and express the emotions tied to the trauma.
Processing: Work through memories and emotions to understand them in a new light.
Integration: Incorporate healing into your life, developing new, healthier patterns of behavior and thinking.
Repairing trauma isn’t about forgetting or erasing the past. It’s about transforming your pain into a source of strength and wisdom. This path leads to true healing, where trauma no longer controls your life but becomes a chapter in your story—a story where you emerge as a person of resilience and hope.
Choose Healing with Boulder EMDR Therapy: Repairing Trauma for Lasting Change
The choices you make in response to trauma define your healing journey. While repeating and repressing may seem easier in the short term, they often lead to prolonged suffering. Choosing to repair, though difficult, offers the possibility of true transformation and restoration.
As you reflect on your experiences, consider which path you’re currently on. If you find yourself stuck in repetition or repression, know that it’s never too late to choose repair. With the right support and resources, healing is not only possible but also within your reach. Through repair, you can reclaim your life, find peace, and move forward with renewed strength and purpose.
If you're in Boulder, CO, and seeking an EMDR therapist to guide you on this journey of repair and transformation, I’m here to help. Reach out to me today to take the first step toward reclaiming your life through Boulder EMDR Intensives, and begin your path to lasting healing.
