The Two Types of Distress That Cause Anxiety, Depression, Ptsd and Cptsd
HEALING IS POSSIBLE: TRANSFORMING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION & PTSD
Trauma is a word that has become more commonly used in emotional and psychological conversations with a steep rise in people seeking support to feel good about life. Trauma is just a clinical word for ‘distress’.
Don’t ask me why am I anxious, or what’s wrong with me… Ask me “What Happened to me? The reason for everything is in my story.”
The impact of ‘what happened’ to us is undervalued and often ignored. The medical industry focuses mainly on the presenting symptoms, diagnosing and labelling, then treating those symptoms. Symptoms are not conditions.
Distressing experiences come in different forms and affect how we experience life, our thoughts, emotions, relationships, behaviours and who we are. Developmental Trauma and Acute Trauma often lead to Anxiety, Depression, PTSD and CPTSD - and these are my area of expertise and focus.
ACUTE VS. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMA
Acute trauma results from a single distressing event or short term distressing experience—like a period of bullying at school with specific harrowing events, an accident, a frightening experience, or even a natural disaster. These experiences trigger our body's fight-or-flight response, sometimes leaving lasting effects.. People who suffer from acute trauma may develop PTSD, and experience things like intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, panic attacks, anxiety and emotional numbness.
On the other hand, developmental trauma can happen at a young age, prior to conscious memory, and throughout childhood, where ‘normal’ is unsafe. to adversity during childhood, such as neglect, emotional abuse, or unstable caregiving. Unlike acute trauma, developmental trauma occurs in formative years when the brain is still developing.
This type of trauma is more likely to result in Complex PTSD (CPTSD), where individuals struggle with emotional regulation, self-esteem, and interpersonal relationships.
THE LINK TO ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Both developmental and acute trauma rewire our brain and nervous system’s response to stress. The amygdala, responsible for detecting threats, becomes hyperactive, while the prefrontal cortex, which regulates emotions, lessens in function. The combination of these changes creates a heightened state of vigilance, anxiety, and difficulty managing emotions.
It is common for people with developmental trauma to experience ongoing feelings of unworthiness, trust issues, and persistent anxiety.
Adults who endured childhood neglect or emotional invalidation often develop deep-rooted self-doubt and may struggle to form healthy relationships. People who have suffered acute trauma may experience avoidance behaviors, dissociation, or emotional shutdown as a means of coping. Neither is empowering.
The past may shape us, but it does not have to control us.
PATHWAYS TO HEALING
No matter what you’ve been through, our brain and nervous system is extremely adaptable and can be reprogrammed, and reset. Understanding the type of trauma you’ve experienced can help with selecting appropriate processes and therapies for reclaiming power over the past. Here are some effective therapies that I have found incredible for changing the way life feels and putting the past where it belongs, respectfully over.
Healing is not about forgetting—it’s about reclaiming your power over what once hurt you.
1) TRTP - The Richards Trauma Process
– A structured, three-step process designed to resolve trauma at a deep subconscious level. TRTP works by shifting the individual from a state of fight-or-flight into a position of empowerment, effectively neutralising past traumatic experiences. PTSD can be resolved and the nervous system restored to calm.
2) EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques
– Also known as tapping, EFT involves gently tapping specific meridian points on the body while activating thoughts, sensations or emotions. This technique helps release unconscious anchors and emotional triggers, reducing anxiety and distress.
The uses for EFT are extensive and can cover everything from hoarding, weight loss, anxiety, phobias, triggers and more.
Midlife challenges don’t mean the end; they’re the beginning of something new.
BREAK THE CYCLE: YOUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE YOUR FUTURE
3) RCT - Root Cause Therapy
– This modality helps people address the subconscious beliefs formed during traumatic experiences. Through guided introspection and regression, RCT allows people to process and release deep-seated emotional pain. To give an example, a person who developed self-worth issues due to emotional neglect might discover and heal the core event responsible for their negative self-image and install new truths that allow the past to be resolved.
4) EP - Embodied Processing
– A somatic therapy highly effective for developmental trauma, especially when specific memories of events are not present. EP focuses on reconnecting the individual with their body, helping them process trauma stored in the nervous system. This assists with any number of issues and does not require any conscious or unconscious memories and thus is perfect for chronic anxiety without a clear traumatic memory.
5) IFS - Internal Family Systems
– A therapeutic approach that helps individuals identify and heal different "parts" of themselves that hold trauma and emotional pain. IFS works by fostering self-awareness and self-compassion, enabling individuals to understand and integrate wounded parts of their psyche. The fascinating part of this process is the discovery that we all have different parts of us we have created to manage different things in our lives. It can be quite eye-opening and healing.
Every wound has the potential to become wisdom if we choose to heal.
RECLAIM YOUR POWER: SAY ‘NO MORE’ AND CHOOSE LIFE
All the ‘stuff’ that we have been through, along with all the ‘stuff’ our parents and grandparents and bloodlines have been through, is carried with us. Consciously or unconsciously. Most of us will at some point reach a day when we say ‘No more’ - it ends today, and I choose LIFE.
A rich, deep, powerful life that is worthy of me… because that’s what I was born for!
Your trauma does not define you—your healing does.
If you’re ready to move from anxious to calm, from depressed to relieved or just reset your body so you can finally relax and feel at peace, reach out to me - info@mylocalhypnosis.com.au or 0452 247 047.
You can connect with me, Naomi Stockman, in the
Yeah The Girls 40+ Facebook group.
Together, we’ll find strategies that work for you and help you rediscover the calm, clarity, and joy you deserve.
