Trauma is a wound – one that we often hide from ourselves and others.
The subject has been a long-held fascination of mine. I began writing this book on trauma during the pandemic lockdown when many people were questioning their lives and making changes. Many others were overwhelmed. To me at that time, unpacking trauma seemed like an appropriate response to a challenge that faced our world. How do we respond when life feels unbearable? How might we understand own own and others’ sometimes complex responses when life is too much? The book takes us on a 20 – point tour of trauma on body and mind, examining the particular ways that trauma manifests, from fight, flight, freeze, submit, to dissociation, anger, brain hijacking and trust issues. It captures the link between the behaviours we see and the deep-seated trauma many have faced. I believe that understanding complex responses can be empowering and breaking a complex subject down to manageable portions can be relieving. Drawing on the latest brain – and body-based research, the book is full of practical resources to assist. I use stories, poetry and reflective exercises to enable someone struggling with trauma or supporting someone else to move through trauma towards growth and resilience. I will share some of these resources in the presentation.
Who should attend?
The book is aimed at a general audience with user-friendly language. Therapists, counsellors, individuals with lived experience of trauma, those in high stress professions, prison officers, volunteers in rape crisis centres, mental health charity workers, adoption workers, social workers, alcohol and drugs addiction workers, teachers, carers etc, anyone interested in a clear concise summary of the subject.
Benefits of attending
Learn some of trauma’s hidden pathways inside the body and mind. Unpack the book’s 20 ways that trauma manifests and consider compassionate ways to mitigate triggering. Consider trauma’s impact. For example, how trauma fragments – submerging within us powerful parts of us that can eclipse cognitive processing, dominate our ways of being and eclipse quality of life. Consider the impact of these unprocessed and sometime unrecognised trauma parts on others, within families, organisations and societies. We will consider ways to attend to these trauma parts thoughtfully and learn and consider what helps individuals move through being trapped in trauma to move towards greater balance and post traumatic growth. Talking about trauma itself can be triggering. We will take a spacious approach and I would invite participants to take time to regulate around the session and look after ourselves with dollops of self care throughout.
About the author
Philippa Smethurst has been a psychotherapist for 30 years and has a special interest in trauma. She has worked in General Practice and has been a clinical supervisor for several charities. She trained at the Metanoia Institute in Integrative Psychotherapy and has also trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. She has also published several articles, particularly on working with asylum seekers and refugees, and a number of book chapters on the subject of trauma.
Endorsements
‘An important and insightful contribution to the mental health literary landscape.’
Alastair Campbell – writer, communicator, consultant, strategist, mental health campaigner
‘One of the best books on trauma I’ve read in a long time.’
Sir Terry Waite – human rights activist and author