The Session: The Impact of Trauma on the Brain and on Relationships

The Session with Tom Russell

We don't say it enough! Your input on episode topics is VERY welcome! This episode was suggested by Autumn, and we are really grateful!

The Session The Impact of Trauma (Suggested by Autumn)

Psalm 91:4–6

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

The problem is negative memories become seared in our amygdala by the fear, shock, and trauma we experienced and unless recognized and faced will constantly be triggered, shaping who we are today.

The Amygdala:

· Is responsible for the perception of emotions such as anger, fear, and sadness, as well as the controlling of aggression.

· The amygdala helps to store memories of events and emotions so that an individual may be able to recognize similar events in the future.

The national Institute of health:

· Shows Studies in humans have confirmed the key role of the amygdala in fear conditioning as well as in various forms of psychopathological behavior

National Institutes of Health (NIH) (...

The amygdala is responsible for

· the perception of emotions such as anger, fear, and sadness, as well as the controlling of aggression.

· The amygdala helps to store memories of events and emotions so that an individual may be able to recognize similar events in the future.One popular perspective suggests that the amygdala is involved with evaluating things in the environment to determine their importance—whether their value is …

The Impact of Trauma on Relationships

David Hodel “Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs, and, in an attempt to control these processes, they often become experts at ignoring their gut feelings and in numbing awareness of what is played out inside. They learn to hide from themselves.”

· The life-long impacts of trauma are vast.

· Trauma can affect the body, the mind, the memory, and the emotions.

· It can affect the way someone sees the world and how she views God.

· It can also affect her relationships. This perhaps is one of the biggest areas to suffer when someone has traumatic experiences, especially when the trauma is abuse.

Helps:

Practicing the Presence

Brother Lawrence encouraged us to practice the presence of Christ. After reading his book, I decided to practice thinking Jesus was with me. Basically, I pretended He sat across from me and I spoke as if He really was there. Over time, fresh neuronal pathways grew, creating healthy dendrites and strong leafy trees.

As healthy trees grew in my brain, Jesus was no longer a distant figure. My brain recognized He was real and my faith grew. Soon, I believed He listened to me, cared about me, and valuing me, heard my prayers and saw my tears. As healthy neuronal pathways were strengthened, I gained courage to live in the present.

It is amazing when we choose to be intentional in our relationship with Jesus. Rather than believing in an imaginary figure who seems too good to be true, as we practice the presence of Christ and choose to enter His presence and acknowledge His value, we will experience a whole new level of relationship with Jesus. We walk with Him and develop intimacy with Him where we are seen, known, and loved.

Finding

To reach Tom Russell, go to https://www.heritagechristiancounselingofmansfield.com.