The A.V. Department - November 2023

 Welcome to November!

For the A.V. Department this month, I want to spend a little time talking about trauma. I have family members who are in the military, I have friends who work in the police forces, and I have friends who are correctional officers. In fact, I worked providing mental health services in a correctional environment for more than 10 years. I have seen and felt the impacts of operational stress and some of my favourite people in the world have been impacted by operational stress injuries. I've also worked with clients who have experienced significant traumas in both childhood and adulthood. Big-T Traumas, like a specific traumatic event, and small-t traumas from the chronic stress of living in unsafe circumstances. I've also seen the impacts of intergenerational trauma, through the eyes of Indigenous women doing the hard work of being cycle-breakers.

Trauma comes in many forms and its impact on us can vary from person to person. But whether you're experiencing PTSD or not, I think it's helpful for everyone to understand how it is that these types of experiences can affect our mental health so profoundly. Understanding helps us to validate our own experiences and reduce feelings of stigma, which often get in the way of a person reaching out for needed support. The second reason I think that understanding is important for everyone has to do with the health impacts of early life adverse experiences.

People often think of trauma in terms of mental health and that's certainly reasonable; however, what is less well known is the impact early experiences of trauma can have on our long-term health, quality of life, and longevity. That's another reason why getting support is so important; left unaddressed, the lingering effects of trauma can have a substantial impact on our health, even years later.

So, I'm sharing this video in hopes of increasing awareness about how trauma can change the way our nervous system responds to every-day experiences. It's from a YouTube channel called The Trauma Foundation; they have a number of easy to understand, evidence-based, videos about trauma and trauma care.

Have a look and let me know in the comments what you think!

If you believe you or a loved one would benefit from talking to someone about trauma or adverse experiences, I encourage you to reach out to a mental health provider who is licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. If you live in Alberta, Canada, where I am licensed, you are welcome to book an appointment with me on my website - Calder Mental Health Services.

Take care and I'll see you next week with the November edition of The Reference Library!

Petrina