For those of us who have been touched by sexual trauma, the interplay of thoughts and feelings can be as troubling as an unseen wave, disjointed from the time and space of current circumstances, often leading to patterns of ineffective behaviors that pin us down or make us timid in the face of a challenge. This is a theoretical sketch that applies to the practice of recovery, surviving and thriving. We are interested in the elements of the human attitude that revolve around the soul of survivors of abuse. We want to learn more about how thoughts effect emotions which in turn drive our behaviors. In particular, we share a common task of moving alongside the client or friend who is living under the tyranny of anxious reactivity, a pervasive predisposition to see the bulk of life's dynamics as a clear threat to a fragile self, with accompanying debilitating emotions and ineffective behaviors.
Anxious reactivity is generated by thinking errors.
Cognitive distortions shaped by the experience of trauma perpetuate the debilitating emotional response of helplessness, rage, depression, and fear. Our overt social behavior will be limited when generated by a head full of misperceptions and a heart full of pain. Imposing truth on a distorted mindset is difficult work. Experience has taught us that grief can be avoided in a myriad of ways. The helper or interventionist carries the truth to the struggling client, making it safe for detailed disclosure.