Trauma refers to an emotional or psychological response to an event or series of events that are distressing or disturbing, often exceeding an individual’s ability to cope. Traumatic experiences can be diverse and may include situations such as accidents, natural disasters, physical or sexual assault, combat, or the sudden loss of a loved one. Trauma can have a profound impact on an individual’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being, leading to a range of symptoms and challenges.
Safe disengagement means leaving or detaching in a way that does not provoke escalation. It is quiet, strategic, and protective — not dramatic or confrontational. 🧭 First: Shift the Goal The goal is safety, not clarity.You do not need: Seeking those often increases danger. 🔇 1. Reduce Emotional Access (Before Physical Distance) This is sometimes called “grey rock” — becoming uninteresting… Read More What Safe Disengagement Actually Looks Like
1. Trauma-Focused Therapy 2. Medical and Neuropsychological Support 3. Psychosocial Support 🔒 Safety Planning After Strangulation Safety planning is essential — survivors are at high risk of escalation or repeat abuse. Immediate Safety Steps Ongoing Risk Reduction Professional Coordination ⚠️ Key Takeaways
Here’s a clear, evidence-based overview of what research shows about non-fatal strangulation — including how common it is, how it affects survivors physically and psychologically, and what we know about how it impacts the person doing the strangulation (to the extent research addresses that). This is grounded in scientific literature and public health data. 📊 Statistics & Prevalence Non-fatal strangulation (NFS) is recognised… Read More Statistics & Prevalence
Talking about strangulation in therapy is not just “talking about a memory.”For many survivors, describing the sensations, fear, and loss of control can reactivate the trauma itself. This is not resistance.It is how the nervous system remembers danger. Why Describing It Feels Overwhelming Strangulation is a primal threat to survival. When it happened, the brain and body… Read More Talking About Strangulation in Therapy: Why It’s So Hard — and How EMDR Can Help
The Short Answer Why Strangulation Is Different Strangulation isn’t an impulsive shove or shouted argument. It is: Research consistently shows that non-fatal strangulation is one of the strongest predictors of future severe violence and homicide. Once someone has crossed that line, the risk profile changes permanently. Is It the Situation or the Person? It is the person.… Read More Strangulation is not about the situation.It is about the person who chooses to use it.
Therapy is for truth.Law is for proof.Public statements are for boundaries. You do not owe full truth to every arena. 1. What to keep THERAPEUTIC ONLY These are essential for healing but usually not necessary or wise to share publicly or legally. Keep in therapy: 📌 Why: ✔️ You can show the messages to your psychologist❌ You don’t need to turn your pain into… Read More The core principle
Plain truth Harassing a person who is known (or should reasonably be known) to have PTSD and is escaping or recovering from domestic violence is not “just harassment”.It is an aggravating form of psychological abuse. It compounds trauma and recreates the dynamics of coercive control. Why this is treated more seriously 1. Foreseeable harm When someone: …then continued harassment is… Read More Harassing someone with PTSD who is already dealing with domestic violence
Entitlement isn’t confidence gone wrong — it’s powerlessness wrapped in dominance strategies. Here’s what’s happening under the hood, clinically and neurologically. 1. Core wound: unstable self-worth (developmental layer) Early experiences of: can leave the brain with a fragile self-model: “I’m not inherently secure or valued.” This lives largely in implicit memory (right hemisphere, limbic system), not conscious thought. So the… Read More Entitlement isn’t confidence gone wrong
Trauma is not just psychological—it physically changes the brain and body. Key Brain Structures Involved Structure Role in Trauma Amygdala Detects threats; hyperactive in trauma → fear, hypervigilance, emotional reactivity Hippocampus Contextualizes memories; trauma can reduce volume → fragmented, intrusive memories Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) Executive function, emotional regulation; trauma → impaired top-down control Anterior Cingulate Cortex… Read More The Neurophysiology of Trauma
At its core, trauma‑informed care (TIC) means understanding how trauma affects a person’s brain, body, behaviour, and relationships — and using that understanding to shape how support is offered. Instead of asking: “What’s wrong with you?”A trauma‑informed approach asks:“What happened to you, and how can we help you feel safe?” This shift changes how people are seen,… Read More What Is Trauma‑Informed Care?
Linda C J Turner | Trauma Therapist & Emotional Healing Specialist 