Lauren Fraser

Guilt and shame are amongst the most common effects of trauma. Many survivors fixate on how they acted during the traumatic experience or that it may have been their fault. People may hate themselves for how they felt - too afraid, too loud, too soft, too slow, or too dependent. These feelings of gu

Trauma affects our ability to trust others. This is why it is extremely difficult for trauma survivors to engage in intimate relationships and make meaningful connections with others. Part of working through trauma, then, is by ensuring that a traumatized person has ample social support. Like all hu

Because of the numbness caused by trauma, some victims may seek experiences that they believe will make them feel alive once more. Dr. van der Kolk's experiences with these victims suggest that they feel 'bored' and empty when they are not under emotional pressure or duress or when they are not enga