7 Ways to Ease Emotional Trauma

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Emotional trauma happens for a myriad of reasons. An emotional trauma is any traumatic event that happens in your life that you cannot emotionally regulate. For example, going through a tough life change as a child or a teen can cause you to develop emotional trauma. Seeing your parents get divorced, a grandparent passing away, or a friend moving away can all cause emotional trauma. Some people think emotional trauma only happens to those who are physically or verbally abused; however, most people have some experience with emotional trauma in one form or another.

Emotional trauma can be quick to happen, but take a lifetime to recover from. While it is common to feel disheartened by the trauma we have experienced, we also have to know that there is help out there. We are not alone in our struggles, and God can help us as we navigate the pain of the trauma before us. Whether your trauma is recent or happened many decades ago, it is important to try to ease it as much as you can. Here are a few tips to help you ease emotional trauma and get on the road to healing.
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1. Start Therapy

Emotional trauma cannot be helped without starting therapy. Therapy is often seen as a bad thing within Christian circles, but it is actually a wonderful thing. Getting into therapy with a good therapist can be life-changing and provide you with the support that you need. As someone who has been to therapy, I can share with you that therapy can be a life-changer. I cannot recount how many helpful things I learned in therapy and how much therapy has changed my life for the better.

If you don't know which therapist to see, ask your friends and family for recommendations. If they don't have any, search online to find someone who takes your insurance and has a good reputation. Sometimes it is a good idea to see multiple therapists before deciding to stick with one, as not every therapist is right for everyone. Pray over the matter and ask the Lord to guide you to the therapist who is the right match for you. God is faithful, and He will help you find a great therapist.
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2. Pray to the Lord And Present Your Concerns to Him

The Apostle Paul tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7). With hearts of thanksgiving, we need to go to the Lord with our emotional trauma and ask for His help. The Lord will help us to manage our emotional trauma with the peace that only he can provide.

All we have to do is go to God in prayer, present our requests to Him with a heart of thanksgiving, and His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This is a beautiful truth that we need to hold on to throughout our lives. Our emotional trauma can be healed by turning to the Lord and talking with Him. God cares about every feeling that we have, and He will help us as we work through our emotional trauma. Choose to present your worries to the Lord and allow His peace to cover you (1 Peter 5:7).

Sometimes we might think God doesn't care about our concerns, but He does. He loves us immeasurably, as there is nothing He wouldn't do for us. He loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for our sins (Romans 8:32). Since God loves us this much, we need to approach His throne with a heart of thanksgiving and rest in the assurance that He can help us overcome any wound or trauma. He will cover us with His love and heal our broken hearts (Psalm 147:3).

3. Talk with Loved Ones

Easing emotional trauma will not be an easy road, but it is not a road that we have to travel alone. Instead, we can talk with our loved ones and lean on them for support. Our loved ones truly want what is best for us, and they will help us in any way that they can. If this means being a listening ear to us, then that is what they will do. Let your loved ones know what they can do to help you as you are processing your emotional trauma, and don't be afraid to be honest.

If you want them to be only a listening ear and not to offer advice, tell them this upfront. On the other hand, if you want advice, you can ask them for their thoughts on the matter. Talking with loved ones can do wonders for any problem or concern, including emotional trauma. Sometimes, just getting some bad memories or worries off our chest can make us feel much better. Don't stay silent when you are working through emotional trauma; instead, allow others to help you navigate this journey of healing.

4. Seek Out Support Groups

In addition to going to therapy, talking with God, and talking with loved ones, it can be helpful to seek out support groups. While not all support groups are the same, many can help us with our struggles. Look in your area for any support groups that focus on emotional trauma and see if it is a group you want to be a part of. For most centers, they will offer a women's-only or men’s-only support group; therefore, make sure you take this into consideration.

I say this because some people do not appreciate having both men and women in their support group. If this is how you feel, know that it is completely okay to only want people to be women or men, depending on your own gender. This can be especially true if a woman has gone through abuse or physical trauma. Therefore, if having a co-ed group is something that you are worried about, don't fear any longer. You can request to be a women-only group if you are a woman, or a men-only group if you are a man.

5. Don't Associate Yourself with the Trauma

Sadly, many people lose their entire identity due to their trauma. Rather than having their own identity, they see themself as a result of the trauma. If this is something that you have done, know that you are more than your trauma. You are a beloved child of God (Galatians 3:26). Your identity is found in Christ Jesus, not in the pain and suffering you have encountered in this world.

Even if it might be hard, try to separate the trauma from yourself. You didn't deserve the emotional trauma you went through, and you don't need to connect your sense of worth with the pain you've gone through. Emotional trauma can affect anyone, and it is not your fault that you had to experience this darkness. Turn to the Lord with any difficult feelings and find support in the embrace of His love. Talk with Him about things, how you feel, and find support in the truth that you can always turn to Him. 

6. Rebuild Your Confidence

Emotional trauma can cause a person to lose any sort of confidence they have in themselves. This can either be due to the overall trauma they endured or the abuser who harmed them. I have a friend who suffers from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and he suffers from low self-esteem due to the trauma he endured in a past relationship. This has made him doubt himself, doubt His abilities, and feel as though he is never good enough. When a person goes through emotional trauma, they are going to have to rebuild their confidence, and this is not an easy path.

Rebuilding your confidence will take time. Give yourself grace when you fail because sometimes failing can be part of growth. Keep building your confidence every day, and do things that breathe life into your bones rather than tearing yourself down. God loves you, and He wants you to know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-16). You are His masterpiece, a beloved child in the middle of a dark world (Ephesians 2:10).

7. Establish a Steady Sense of Self

Once one has started to make progress towards the goal of self-confidence, they can begin to establish a steady sense of self. Your sense of self needs to be rooted in Christ. The Bible tells us we have already been given fullness in Christ, which means we are complete (Colossians 2:9-10). Since we are complete in Christ, we lack nothing. This tells us that we are enough, even if our trauma has caused us to believe otherwise.

Remind yourself of what the Bible says rather than what the trauma has made you believe. The aftereffects of emotional trauma can be far-reaching, and it is important that we become aware of them rather than ignoring them. God wants us to know we are His children and to know that we are loved beyond measure (Romans 8:37-39). He also wants us to know that He has great plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). Despite the emotional trauma that you have endured, God will bring beauty back into your life and establish your feet on level ground (Psalm 26:12).

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Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate.