You May Be Choking on Past Trauma and Don’t Even Know It

I meet with folks who don’t realize the severity of the abuse and trauma to which they were exposed growing up.

They may have tremendous issues with mental health, drug or alcohol abuse and/or serious physical ailments, but nowhere has anyone ever helped them make a connection to those early life experiences.

I am the first to point out those experiences for what they were. It often comes as a surprise.

The thing is, whatever we experience growing up becomes our normal. Like the air we breathe, we are used to it.

I remember getting off the plane years ago in Los Angeles. In fact just flying into the airport there was a ring of pollution giving the impression we were landing in a dirty toilet bowl.

By the time we walked from the plane, got our luggage and found our way to the car rental spot, the air pollution was already causing my throat to feel scratchy and my eyes itchy.

I asked the clerk at the counter how they managed with such pollution.

The clerk looked at me not really understanding the question and said in all seriousness, “What pollution?”

Living in it, they were used to it.

Interestingly, what they also didn’t realize is that they had a shorter life expectancy just for living there. So their lack awareness of the pollution didn’t protect them from its harm.

Abuse and trauma works the same way. You can be so used to it so as not to recognize it. It can still do you harm.

Counseling can bring it to your attention and with that you may have more options to manage its affects better.

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I am Gary Direnfeld and I am a social worker. Check out all my services and then call me if you need help with a personal issue, mental health concern, child behavior or relationship, divorce or separation issue or even help growing your practice. I am available in person and by video conferencing.

Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW

gary@yoursocialworker.com
www.yoursocialworker.com for counseling and support

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Gary Direnfeld is a social worker. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider him an expert in social work, marital and family therapy, child development, parent-child relations and custody and access matters. Gary is the host of the TV reality show, Newlywed, Nearly Dead, former parenting columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and author of Marriage Rescue: Overcoming the ten deadly sins in failing relationships. Gary maintains a private practice in Georgina Ontario, providing a range of services for people in distress. He speaks at conferences and workshops throughout North America. He consults to mental health professionals as well as to mediators and collaborative law professionals about good practice as well as building their practice.