mental-health – Page 4 – LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

Overcoming Insomnia, The good news is that insomnia could be treatable:

“CONSULT WITH A MEDICAL DOCTOR”

Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting restorative sleep, even when you have the opportunity to sleep. The good news is that insomnia is often treatable.

Practical strategies

1. Keep a consistent wake up time

Try to get up at roughly the same time every day, including weekends. A consistent wake time might help you regulate your body clock.

2. Don’t force sleep

If you’ve been lying awake for a while, get out of bed and do something quiet and relaxing in dim light. Return to bed when you feel sleepy. This might help your mind reconnect the bed with sleep rather than frustration or worry.

3. Limit stimulants

Avoid or reduce:

NO, Caffeine later in the day
NO, Nicotine
NO, Heavy meals close to bedtime
NO, Excessive alcohol, which may disrupt sleep later in the night

4. Create a wind-down routine

For 30–60 minutes before bed, try calming activities such as:

Reading
Gentle stretching
Relaxation or breathing exercises
Meditation
Listening to quiet music

5. Manage the racing mind

Keep a notepad nearby. Write down worries, tasks, or reminders for tomorrow. This may reduce the feeling that you must keep thinking about them.

6. Be careful with naps

Long or late afternoon naps may or may not make nighttime sleep harder. If you nap, keep it relatively short and earlier in the day.

7. Get daylight and move during the day

Regular physical activity and exposure to natural daylight, especially earlier in the day, may support your circadian rhythm, Consult with a Medical doctor.

One psychological treatment could be

For chronic insomnia, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) could be considered be a treatment option. It may address the thoughts, behaviors, and habits that may perpetuate insomnia,

Consult with a Medical Doctor.

Possibly, CBT-I may include:

Stimulus control
Sleep scheduling/restriction therapy under appropriate guidance
Relaxation training
Cognitive restructuring
Sleep education
Consult with a Medical Doctor

Please, seek professional help

Consider talking with a qualified healthcare professional for insomnia:

Persists for weeks or months
Significantly affects daytime functioning
Causes severe fatigue, mood changes, or concentration problems
May be related to medication, substance use, chronic pain, or another sleep disorder
Consult with a Medical Doctor.

Persistent insomnia may sometimes coexist with conditions such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, anxiety, depression, or circadian rhythm disorders, so identifying the underlying cause matters.

A key principle:

The harder we try to force sleep, the more alert and frustrated we can become. Often, improving sleep involves creating the right conditions and allowing sleep to return naturally. Consult with a Medical doctor.

Shervan K Shahhian

ThetaHealing® is a spiritual and alternative healing practice:

Please contact ThetaHealing® for more information: www.thetahealing.com

ThetaHealing® is a spiritual and alternative healing practice developed by Vianna Stibal in the 1995. It is based on the idea that a practitioner may enter a theta brainwave state, a deeply relaxed, meditative state, and use intention, visualization, and prayer to help identify and change limiting beliefs or promote emotional and “physical healing: Please, Consult with a Medical Doctor.”

The possible, basic idea

Practitioners believe that when the brain is in the theta frequency range roughly 4–8 Hz, a person may have greater access to:

The subconscious mind

Deeply held beliefs

Emotional memories

Intuition

Creativity and imagery

Spiritual experiences

A typical ThetaHealing® session may involve the practitioner guiding the client into relaxation and then exploring beliefs such as:

“I am not good enough.”

“I don’t deserve success.”

“People cannot be trusted.”

The practitioner may then use visualization, focused intention, or prayer to attempt to replace these beliefs with more positive ones.

What does science say?

“Please, Consult with a Medical Doctor.”

This may be an important distinction:

Theta brainwaves are real and may be associated with states such as drowsiness, meditation, relaxation, and some aspects of memory processing.

However, the broader claims that could be made by ThetaHealing®, especially claims of direct physical healing, accessing universal information, or supernatural abilities, may or may not be established by strong scientific evidence, “Please, Consult with a Medical Doctor.”

Some people may nevertheless find the practice subjectively helpful because of factors also found in meditation, hypnosis, guided imagery, expectancy, emotional support, and the therapeutic relationship.

ThetaHealing® vs. Hypnosis

They may look somewhat similar because both may involve relaxation and altered states of attention, but they are conceptually different:

ThetaHealing®

Spiritual/alternative healing system

May often include prayer and spiritual beliefs

Developed as a proprietary modality

Makes broader metaphysical claims

Clinical Hypnosis

Mental Health/Hypno-clinical intervention

May be entirely secular

May have a substantial scientific and Hypno-clinical literature

Typically focuses on attention, suggestion, imagery, and behavior change

Bottom line

ThetaHealing® is best understood as a spiritual, belief change, and meditation based alternative practice may not be an established medical or evidence based psychological treatment. Some individuals report meaningful personal experiences, but extraordinary healing claims should be approached critically and should not replace appropriate medical or mental health care.“Please, Consult with a Medical Doctor.“

Shervan K Shahhian

Please contact ThetaHealing® for more information:

www.thetahealing.com

People who knew us in our youth may never see us for who we are today, but Why?

There could be a powerful psychological reason for this: people may often carry an outdated mental representation of us.

Someone who knew you when you were young may unconsciously continue to see you through the identity you had at that time, or the identity they think you in the past, even when decades have passed and even when decades have of growth have changed you.

Why this happens

1. Their memory freezes a version of you.

When people know us during our formative years, their memories become organized around that period. We may be 50, 60, or 70 today, but to them, we may still feel like the teenager, the young adult, the shy person, the rebellious person, the joker or the person who was not serious back then.

2. They confuse familiarity with knowing.

Knowing someone form a long time ago, doesn’t necessarily mean knowing who they have become. They may know your past better than your present.

3. They have an established a false “schema” for you.

In mental health, a schema may be a mental framework through which we interpret information. Once someone has formed a strong schema, “That’s just who they are”, they tend to notice information that confirms it and overlook evidence that contradicts it.

4. Your growth may be uncomfortable for them.

If you have changed substantially, your development may challenge their own narrative about you. Accepting that you’ve become more confident, knowledgeable, independent, emotionally mature, or accomplished may require them to revise their understanding of the past.

5. They remember your role in the old relationship, years ago.

This is especially important. People don’t only remember you; they remember who they were in relation to you. If you were the younger sibling, playful friend, joker, classmate, or just a quite person, they may unconsciously continue interacting with that version of you.

6. They may not have witnessed your transformation.

Personal development is usually gradual and happens privately. You experienced thousands of small changes, new experiences, failures, insights, relationships, education, losses, accomplishments, and choices. Someone who hasn’t been present for those changes doesn’t have the same evidence you have.

The interesting part

Sometimes strangers may see us more accurately than people who knew us decades ago.

A new person encounters who you are now. They don’t have to reconcile your present identity with an old mental picture.

An old acquaintance may unconsciously think:

“I know who you are.”

A newer person may be more open to:

“Let me discover who you are.”

And that distinction may be profound.

You don’t necessarily need their recognition

One of the psychologically liberating realizations of adulthood is:

You are not obligated to remain psychologically consistent with the person someone remembers from a long time ago.

You may say, internally:

“You knew me then. You don’t necessarily know me now.”

Their memory of your past “may” explain your past?, but it will not define your present.

And sometimes the people who knew us in our youth are actually Refusing To See Our Growth, or they simply don’t have enough current information to update their mental picture of us, or Their jealousy and competitiveness prevent them from seeing how much we have grown.

Shervan K Shahhian

Age Affirming Beliefs (AAB) are healthy ways of thinking that challenge ageism:

Age Affirming Beliefs could be healthy ways of thinking that challenge ageism, self-stereotyping, and the idea that getting older automatically means becoming less capable, valuable, attractive, or relevant.

Great Age Affirming Beliefs

My age is part of my story, not a limitation on my future.
Getting older does not diminish my worth.
I may continue to learn, grow, and change throughout my life.
My experience is an asset, not a burden.
I don’t have to compete with younger people to have value.
There is no expiration date on curiosity, creativity, or personal growth.
I am allowed to discover new interests at any age.
My wisdom may coexist with openness to new ideas.
I may be both experienced and still learning.
My life may not have to look like anyone else’s timeline.
I don’t need to apologize for my age.
Growing older may not be the same thing as becoming irrelevant.
I may redefine what aging means to me.
My appearance may not determine my worth at any age.
I deserve respect regardless of my age.
I may remain socially connected, engaged, and purposeful as I age.
It may never be too late to begin something meaningful.
I may adapt to change without losing who I am.
My past experiences may inform my future without controlling it.
I may appreciate what my younger self accomplished without wishing to become that person again.
I may not have to hide my age to be valued.
Age may bring perspective, depth, resilience, and self-knowledge.
I may take care of my changing needs without seeing those changes as personal failure.
I am more than my age, my appearance, my productivity, or my abilities.
Every stage of life has its own possibilities.
I WILL ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF MY HEALTH, REGARDLESS OF MY AGE!

A particularly powerful one

“I am not aging out of life; I am continuing to live it.”

And perhaps the deepest age-affirming belief:

“My value is inherent. I do not have to remain young to remain worthy.”

These beliefs may be especially useful for countering internalized ageism, when negative cultural messages about aging become part of a person’s own self-image.

Shervan K Shahhian

Internalized Ageism could be when a person absorbs negative stereotypes:

Internalized Ageism could be when a person absorbs negative stereotypes, assumptions, or prejudices about aging and older people and then applies those beliefs to themselves.

In simple terms: society’s negative messages about aging become part of your own self-image.

Common examples

A person may think:

“I’m too old to learn something new.”
“People won’t value me because I’m older.”
“I shouldn’t try to change my appearance anymore.”
“My best years are behind me.”
“I’m becoming useless.”
“Older people aren’t attractive.”
“I shouldn’t need help, I should be able to keep up with younger people.”
“It’s normal for me to be ignored or treated as less important because of my age.”

How it can develop

Internalized ageism may be developed through repeated exposure to:

Media portraying youth as more desirable or valuable
Workplace discrimination
Family or social attitudes toward aging
Cultural emphasis on youth and physical appearance
Repeated jokes or derogatory comments about older people
Experiences of being dismissed or stereotyped because of age

Over time, these external messages may become internal beliefs and self-judgments.

Psychological effects

Internalized ageism may contribute to:

Lower self-esteem and self-worth
Shame about getting older
Anxiety about aging
Body dissatisfaction
Social withdrawal
Reduced confidence and self-efficacy
Feeling less competent or relevant
Avoiding activities because of assumptions about what is “appropriate” for one’s age
Greater vulnerability to depressive thinking

One particularly important mechanism is self-fulfilling prophecy:

if someone believes aging necessarily means cognitive or physical decline, they may stop challenging themselves, become less active, or withdraw socially, potentially reinforcing the very decline they fear.

Internalized ageism vs. ordinary awareness of aging

Being aware that aging may involve genuine physical or cognitive changes isn’t automatically ageism.

The distinction is whether someone turns a realistic limitation into a global negative judgment about their worth or potential.

“I may need more time to learn this than I used to.”, Realistic self-awareness.

“I’m too old to learn this.”, Potential internalized ageism.

A healthier alternative

The goal may not be to deny aging. It’s to develop age affirming beliefs:

“I am aging, but aging does not determine my worth, intelligence, usefulness, attractiveness, or capacity for growth.”

This may connect closely with self-compassion, self-efficacy, age acceptance, and healthy identity development across the lifespan.

Shervan K Shahhian

Internalized Oppression (IO) is a Psychological and Social Process:

Internalized Oppression may be a psychological and social process in which a person absorbs negative stereotypes, beliefs, or attitudes about a group they belong to and begins to apply those beliefs to themselves or others in the same group.

In simple terms:

“The negative message I have heard about people like me becomes a belief I hold about myself.”

How it develops

Internalized oppression may develop when a person is repeatedly exposed to messages through family, culture, institutions, media, peers, or discrimination, that their group is inferior, defective, undesirable, or less worthy.

Over time, those messages may become part of the person’s own self-concept.

Examples

Internalized sexism: A woman believes women are naturally less capable of leadership.
Internalized racism: A person adopts negative stereotypes about their own racial or ethnic group.
Internalized ageism: An older person begins believing, “I’m too old to learn new things.”
Internalized homophobia: A person experiences shame or self-rejection because of negative societal messages about homosexuality.
Internalized classism: Someone from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background believes, “People like me aren’t meant to succeed.”

Psychological effects

Internalized oppression may contribute to:

Self-rejection
Self-loathing
Low self-esteem
Shame and guilt
Negative self-talk
Body dissatisfaction
Depressive or anxious feelings
Imposter syndrome
Perfectionism
Rejecting or distancing oneself from members of one’s own group
Feeling that one’s identity must be hidden or changed to be acceptable

Internalized oppression vs. self-loathing

They overlap, but they aren’t identical.

Self-loathing: “I dislike or hate myself.”

Internalized oppression: “I have absorbed a negative belief about my group, and I now apply that belief to myself.”

For example:

“People from my background aren’t intelligent, so there must be something wrong with me because I’m from that background.”

That illustrates how social prejudice may become personal self-rejection.

An important distinction

Internalized oppression may not be simply having low self-esteem. It specifically involves socially or culturally transmitted devaluation becoming internalized.

A useful psychological sequence is:

External prejudice, repeated exposure, internalization, negative self-belief,

self-rejection/shame:

Possible behavioral consequences

It may also be understood as one pathway through which social oppression becomes psychologically embedded within an individual’s self-concept.

Shervan K Shahhian

Psychological Defenses (PD), or Defense Mechanisms, Are Largely Automatic Mental Processes:

Psychological Defenses (PD), or defense mechanisms could be largely automatic mental processes that help a person manage anxiety, emotional pain, inner conflict, shame, or threatening thoughts and feelings.

They may not be necessarily pathological. Everyone uses them. The important question is how often?, how rigidly?, and how effectively they are used?

Possible psychological defenses

Denial: refusing to accept a painful or threatening reality.
Projection: attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings or impulses to someone else.
Rationalization: creating a seemingly logical explanation for behavior that has another underlying motivation.
Repression: keeping distressing thoughts or feelings outside conscious awareness.
Displacement: redirecting an emotion from its original target to a safer target.
Reaction formation: expressing the opposite of an unacceptable feeling or impulse.
Intellectualization: focusing on facts and analysis to distance oneself from difficult emotions.
Dissociation: experiencing a sense of detachment from one’s thoughts, feelings, memories, identity, or surroundings.
Regression: reverting to earlier patterns of behavior when overwhelmed.
Acting out: expressing emotional distress through behavior rather than words.
Splitting: seeing people or situations in extremes, such as entirely good or entirely bad.
Compensation: emphasizing strengths in one area to offset perceived weaknesses in another.

Healthy vs. less adaptive defenses

Defenses exist on a continuum.

Some may be relatively mature and adaptive:

Mature: Humor • Sublimation • Altruism • Suppression • Anticipation

Less adaptive: Rationalization • Projection • Displacement • Intellectualization

More potentially problematic when persistent:

Denial • Splitting • Acting out • Severe dissociation

For example: sublimation may transform an uncomfortable impulse into something constructive, while chronic denial may prevent someone from recognizing a serious problem.

An important distinction

A psychological defense is not necessarily conscious deception. A person may genuinely experience their interpretation as true because the defense is helping protect them from something emotionally threatening.

In clinical psychology, it may be useful to ask:

“What emotion, conflict, or vulnerability might this defense be protecting the person from?”

That question may provide more insight than simply labeling the defense.

Shervan K Shahhian

Internalized Ableism may be when a disabled person unconsciously absorbs society’s negative beliefs,…

Internalized Ableism may be when a disabled person unconsciously absorbs society’s negative beliefs, stereotypes, or prejudices about disability and begins applying them to themselves.

Instead of recognizing that many challenges come from inaccessible environments or social attitudes, a person may come to believe things like:

“I’m a burden.”

“I should be able to do everything without help.”

“If I need accommodations, I’m weak.”

“My disability makes me less valuable than other people.”

“I have to overwork myself to prove I’m capable.”

These beliefs may develop because of repeated exposure to ableist messages from family, school, work, healthcare, media, or broader culture, not because they are true.

Common signs

Internalized ableism may show up as:

Feeling guilty for asking for accommodations.

Hiding or minimizing a disability.

Comparing yourself to nondisabled standards and feeling like a failure.

Pushing yourself beyond your limits to “keep up.”

Judging yourself (or sometimes other disabled people) for needing support.

Believing independence is always better than interdependence.

Examples

Someone with chronic pain forces themselves to attend every social event because they think canceling would make them “lazy.”

A person who needs a mobility aid avoids using it in public because they’re embarrassed about how others might perceive them.

An autistic person suppresses natural behaviors (sometimes called masking) even when it causes significant exhaustion, because they feel they must appear “normal.”

Moving away from internalized ableism

Changing these beliefs may involve:

Noticing self-critical thoughts and asking where they came from.

Learning about disability from disability led perspectives.

Viewing accommodations as tools for equity rather than special treatment.

Practicing self-compassion and recognizing that needing support is a normal part of being human.

Connecting with disabled communities where disability is accepted rather than stigmatized.

Internalized ableism may not be a personal failing, it could be a response to living in a society where ableist attitudes are common. Becoming aware of it may be the first step toward developing a more accepting and realistic view of yourself and your needs.

Shervan K Shahhian

What you may do if you have been going through Chronic Bullying:

“Please, Seek Psychological and Legal Support.”

If you have been experiencing ongoing or repeated bullying, it is important to please take it seriously. Chronic bullying may affect psychological safety, self-esteem, relationships, concentration, sleep, and overall functioning.

What you may do

1-Recognize that it isn’t your fault.

2-Being repeatedly targeted does not mean you deserve the treatment or caused it.

3-Document what is happening.

4-Keep a factual record of dates, locations, people involved, what happened, witnesses, messages, emails, screenshots, or other evidence.

5-Set boundaries when it is safe.

6-A brief, firm response may be appropriate: “Do not speak to me that way.” Avoid escalating the situation if doing so could put you at greater risk.

7-Tell the authorities and someone trustworthy.

8-Depending on the setting, this could be a supervisor, HR representative, teacher, school administrator, family member, or another person who may intervene.

9-Reduce unnecessary exposure.

10-When possible, change routines, use safer environments, block abusive online accounts, and avoid being isolated with the person responsible.

11-Seek psychological and legal support.

12-A qualified mental health professional may help with the effects of prolonged bullying, including anxiety, shame, hypervigilance, withdrawal, loss of confidence, or trauma related symptoms.

13-Address the psychological aftermath, not just the bullying itself.

Chronic bullying may sometimes lead to learned helplessness, internalized criticism, social withdrawal, emotional dysregulation, or a persistent expectation of being attacked or rejected. These reactions may be treated.

14-If there are threats or physical danger, prioritize safety.

Get away from the immediate situation and contact appropriate emergency or protective resources rather than confronting the aggressor yourself.

15-An important distinction

If you have been expressing chronic bullying toward other people, in other words, you recognize that you have been repeatedly bullying others, the appropriate response is different. It involves taking responsibility, stopping the behavior, repairing harm where appropriate, and examining what is driving the behavior?

Possible, legal and psychological aspects and what to do next?

If you are experiencing chronic/repeated bullying, there are both psychological and legal dimensions. Depending in the country, state, city you live in,, the legal information below is general information, not individualized legal advice. “Please, Consult with a Qualified Lawyer.”

1. Psychological aspects

Chronic bullying may be more than an unpleasant interpersonal conflict. Repeated exposure to humiliation, intimidation, exclusion, threats, or harassment can create a prolonged stress response.

Possible effects may include:

Hypervigilance: constantly watching for the next attack

Anxiety, fear, irritability, or anger

Reduced self-esteem and self-confidence

Shame or self-blame

Social withdrawal and isolation

Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

Sleep disturbance

Depression or loss of motivation

Feeling powerless or trapped

Learned helplessness

Trauma related symptoms in some individuals

Certain Department’s of Education may recognize psychological intimidation, exclusion, rumor spreading, and similar conduct as forms of bullying; cyberbullying may also occur through technology.

Importantly, having psychological symptoms does not by itself establish that a particular person legally caused them. That’s one reason objective documentation is important.

2. Legal aspects: “Please, Consult with a Qualified Lawyer.”

There may not be one universal offense called “chronic bullying?” The legal consequences depend heavily on what was actually done, who did it, where it occurred, and the relationship between the parties.

Conduct that looks like bullying may potentially involve other legal issues, for example: “Please, Consult with a Qualified Lawyer.”

threats or violence

stalking

harassment

discriminatory or sexual harassment

employment discrimination

cyberbullying

assault or other criminal conduct

civil claims

violations of an existing restraining order

For example:

Certain courts may allow a civil harassment restraining order against someone who has harassed, threatened, physically or emotionally harmed, or stalked you, including conduct occurring online. A qualifying order may impose no contact and stay away requirements. “Please, Consult with a Qualified Lawyer.”

A judge may potentially issue temporary protection quickly, while a longer term civil harassment restraining order can last up to five years. “Please, Consult with a Qualified Lawyer.”

If the bullying is occurring at work, however, the legal analysis is more complicated. Workplace bullying may be unlawful merely because it is abusive or cruel; additional facts may matter, such as whether the conduct involves a legally protected characteristic or another prohibited form of conduct. Certain Civil Rights Department’s specifically addresses employment discrimination and harassment under state law. “Please, Consult with a Qualified Lawyer.”

3. What you may do next: “Please, Consult with a Qualified Lawyer.”

First, stop trying to prove the entire situation at once. Establish a factual record.

Example: Create a chronological log:

Date What happened Who was involved Witnesses Evidence Effect

08/26/26 Specific behavior Person(s) Names Email/text/video Missed work, anxiety, etc.

Keep original emails, texts, voicemails, screenshots, photographs, letters, and other records. Don’t alter them.

Example:

1. Separate facts from interpretations.

Write “John doe sent three messages between 9:00–9:15 PM saying X” rather than “John doe was psychologically manipulating me.”

2. Preserve evidence safely.

Don’t rely exclusively on an account or device that another person might control.

3. Avoid retaliation.

Don’t threaten, repeatedly contact, publicly shame, or attempt to “get even” with the person. That will complicate matters considerably.

4. Report through the appropriate channel.

Depending on circumstances, that could be an employer/HR, school administrator, platform, landlord, law enforcement, or another responsible authority.

5. Consider professional psychological support.

A therapist may help you distinguish the actual external behavior from the psychological effects it has produced and work on restoring psychological safety, boundaries, confidence, and functioning.

6. Consider legal consultation if the conduct is persistent or escalating.

An attorney or legal aid organization may determine whether the facts support a specific legal remedy. Certain courts also may provide self-help information for civil harassment restraining orders.

4. If you are considering a restraining order “Please, Consult with a Qualified Lawyer.”

The court may need specific conduct and specific events?

For example:

“Between June 4 and July 29, the respondent contacted me 27 times after I asked them to stop. On July 12, they threatened me by text. On July 20, they followed me from my workplace to my car. I have retained the messages and have two witnesses.”

That is substantially more useful legally than:

“I’ve been psychologically bullied for months.”

Certain court forms specifically ask for details concerning harassment, stalking, threats, or harm and what protection you are requesting.

One important distinction

If by “chronic bullying” you mean something different, such as a person repeatedly bullying you psychologically, socially, online, at work, or through stalking, the appropriate legal strategy may be very different. Please consult with a qualified lawyer for assistance.

Shervan K Shahhian

Trauma and Healing refers to the process of recovering,…

Trauma and Healing refers to the process of recovering from the psychological, emotional, cognitive, and sometimes physical effects of overwhelming or distressing experiences.

What is trauma?

Trauma may occur when an experience overwhelms a person’s ability to cope or creates a lasting sense of threat, helplessness, or loss of safety. Examples may include:

Abuse, neglect, or violence
Serious accidents or medical events
Loss of a loved one
War or displacement
Chronic bullying, harassment, or stalking
Repeated exposure to frightening or unsafe environments
Interpersonal betrayal or abandonment

Not everyone exposed to the same event develops lasting trauma symptoms.

What may trauma affect?

Trauma may influence:

Emotions: fear, anger, shame, guilt, emotional numbness
Thinking: intrusive memories, negative beliefs, difficulty concentrating
Body: hyperarousal, sleep problems, muscle tension, startle responses
Relationships: mistrust, avoidance, difficulty with intimacy
Behavior: withdrawal, compulsive behaviors, substance use, or excessive vigilance
Sense of self: diminished self-worth, helplessness, or feeling disconnected from oneself

What does healing involve?

Trauma healing is generally may not be about forgetting what happened. It is about developing greater safety, integration, flexibility, and control over one’s responses.

A trauma informed healing process may involve:

Safety and stabilization: establishing physical and psychological safety.
Understanding: learning how trauma may affect the mind, body, emotions, and behavior.
Emotional regulation: developing skills for managing overwhelming emotions and physiological arousal.
Processing: carefully working through traumatic memories and meanings when appropriate.
Reconnecting: rebuilding relationships, identity, purpose, and everyday functioning.
Meaning making: developing a sense of meaning or personal growth without minimizing the trauma.

Approaches such as CBT, EMDR, CPT, Prolonged Exposure, DBT skills, mindfulness-based interventions, and other trauma focused therapies May be appropriate depending on the individual and the nature of the trauma.

An important distinction:

Healing does may not necessarily mean that a person never feels distress again. It may mean that the traumatic experience becomes something that happened to them rather than something that continues to control their present life.

Shervan K Shahhian