Trauma Clearing

Trauma clearing is a process where a person can begin to formulate a new interpretation of an event, which was traumatic and caused them to respond in a certain way to the traumatic event. Practicing this new interpretation will elicit a new emotional response that will now replace the old charged reaction. The new response will have a positive outcome when encountering familiar triggers.

There are many forms of therapies that have been applied for the purpose of clearing trauma, specifically childhood trauma. Accordingly, many books have been written on this subject, most of them describing and explaining the importance of clearing the trauma and its psychological and emotional aftermath. Practitioners and researchers from all types of disciplines, probably all in good faith, believe that their method is the best way to undo childhood trauma. Inherent in all of the therapies is the utilization of a method to bring the client to the exact place and time when the trauma occurred, as well as to encourage the surfacing of the recognition and the experience of that past event. But understanding the problem is only part of the solution. The trauma
does not go away, but rather moves to a place of recognition for transformation. The process works from the inside out.

It should be understood that the methods are varied but the goals are generally the same. Some of the therapies can take many months, or even years, of intense work in order to reveal the trauma. Most therapeutic techniques apply methods that can go only as far as the client’s re-experience and awareness of the traumatic event. Time is then spent with the client helping him to become familiar with the details, the story in its totality and the emotions connected to the event. At that point in time, (usually during a regression session), it seems the client feels relieved of the trauma, and both client and therapist believe there has been a clearing, and both are satisfied, thinking the session a
success.

The reason I emphasize this specific series of events is because very few clients really achieve a clearing of the trauma indefinitely. It is my opinion that a few more steps in the process are required at the end of the therapeutic process in order to obtain a satisfactory and permanent change regarding the traumatic event. These changes will reflect a new outcome, a new meaning and a new interpretation of the event, via the inner child’s perspective.

It is easy to clinically evoke and re-introduce the pain and the emotions of the past—however, to absolutely conclude the traumatic event, two things must happen. First, the event itself must be viewed from a new perspective and essentially reframed.

Second, the client and his hurt “inner child” need to communicate and agree on the same new view. An opportunity will therefore occur for the trauma to be owned, and then to be dissipated and released.

Bonding the child with her adult self is important for the purpose of acknowledgment, support, and mutual confidence in the understanding of the event. This must be done in the atmosphere of unconditional love for the inner child.

For some reason, a definitive conclusion to trauma clearing seems to be beyond the ability of many clinicians and therapists. They cannot seem to master such a therapeutic resolution for it. This may be due to the fact that they themselves do not have their own emotional clarity and unity within. Certainly, no therapist or teacher can take you to a place where he or she has never been.