Spring Cleaning Getting Out Of the Trauma Trap

By Kenni Walker, LPC, MS, MBA

Many of us are cleaning out our garages, closets, and basements, getting rid of the clutter and buildup of items that are no longer useful to us. We often advise clients to clear out and clean their physical spaces in order to better manage their mental health.

Holding onto clutter and unnecessary items causes our living space to be suffused with debris, making it difficult to move “about the cabin freely.” Mentally, it is difficult for us to create, grow, and make needed changes when our physical space presents itself as a barrier to us.

Just like clutter, past trauma can come in many different forms. It is typically an event or a set of repeated events which occur that is so significant in nature that it causes us to have deep reactions and feelings that are inimical to our emotional wellbeing.

The memory of physical and emotional events can linger for a long time in the back or forefront of our psyche. When the memory resurfaces we may experience shame, guilt, and anger associated with the event itself or, more commonly, as a residual effect. We may find ourselves agitated and angry and not really know the cause of it.

When we get agitated or angry it's important to ask ourselves “What am I really upset about in this situation?” If we are finding it challenging to pinpoint the answer to that question, it could be an emotional or mental trigger that was exacerbated as a result of past trauma.

This is an emotional trauma trap. We feel entrapped in the feelings associated with a past event and it has an effect on how we perceive and react to situations in the present as well as what we anticipate to be our future. These negative feelings cause us to feel anxious and depressed which contribute to our overall mood. It's time to clean your emotional and mental house.

Trauma is not an everyday occurrence. Cease from beating yourself up emotionally with guilt and shame. If you are entrapped by your residual feelings from past trauma seek help from a mental health professional immediately to begin your emotional cleansing. Coming to terms with the events in your past you will find a new perspective, emotional and mental freedom, and optimally a greater sense of peace.