Part 1- Meet Tara. A married mom of 4 and caregiver by nature who works in the healthcare field. With her unusually perky and positive disposition, it’s hard to imagine that her life was once consumed by severe trauma, as both a child and as an adult. From years of abuse and neglect to grief and codependency, her circumstances ultimately led to the manifestation of fibromyalgia, weight fluctuations, and a deep need for emotional healing.
When we witness the results of unresolved extreme trauma, we often see coping styles that appear one of two ways. We commonly see a pattern of self destruction leading to a downward spiral. Another popular reaction to trauma is isolation, leading to a fear of engagement with the outside world. But Tara responded very differently. In this episode she introduces us to a manner of coping that often flies under the radar, making the need for resolution less obvious to those around her. And that manner is something I refer to as masking. In her case, she dove headfirst into a life of productivity, ambition, and caretaking that involved everyone except herself. The fact that Tara would have the capacity to remain so upbeat & positive in the face of this much tragedy is admirable. But the unresolved pain and trauma she kept hidden behind her smile is nothing short of heartbreaking.
In this episode Tara walks us through some of her experiences. She describes the thought process that kept her moving forward despite a lifetime of setbacks, and what led to her finally deciding to accept the care that she needed to heal. LMFT Kateri Ross joins the conversation to help shed light on the topic of Trauma: the different ways we cope, how and why it can be so misunderstood, and if it can actually manifest in the body when it goes untreated.
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