Healing and Hypnotherapy Volume - 3, Issue - 7, 1 January 2019 | Page 5

Thursday, 13 December 2018
Resilience to Trauma
Research shows that we can create a resistance to trauma – resilience.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from a traumatic incident, allowing
it to glide off our nervous system leaving it as a memory, without attached
emotional responses. Research also indicates that it may be possible for us
to train ourselves to avoid the emotional response after experiencing a
traumatic event.
Resilience is also about creating mental and physical conditions in which
traumatic overwhelming responses are less likely to happen. Both mental
and physical preparedness is important when we wish to avoid a traumatic
reaction.
Be mentally prepared for the unexpected
When something unexpected and overwhelming happens for which we are
totally unprepared, we usually go into shock, a defence mechanism like: “I
have no idea how to handle this, so I’m not moving until I do know.” In some
situations this is useful, in some not.
After shock many of us pass into disbelief: “This can’t be true.” The function
of this stage remains a mystery, but maybe it is the brain’s reaction to things
not being the way they should – according to our previous knowledge and
perceptions. Once we pass through the disbelief phase we move into the
stage of acceptance “This is actually happening.” followed by action “What
can I do about it?”.
When you are mentally prepared for the unexpected, you are able to pass
faster through these stages. When you know at least some options for
action you will be able to choose one faster. Falling down to the oor when
you hear gun re is often a useful action. Knowing this and being prepared to
do so speeds up your reactions. Knowing how to stop a bleeding or how to
give mouth to mouth resuscitation for somebody who has been saved from
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