Counselling for Birth Trauma

Giving birth is a highly vulnerable time in a person’s life and there are a variety of factors that could lead a person to experience giving birth as traumatic. The birthing parent’s previous experiences with trauma, their perception of control during the birthing process, and the way they feel they are treated by their care providers are all critical in understanding a birth experience perceived as traumatic by the birthing parent.

The most important part to remember is that if you experienced your birth as traumatic, it is OK to want to talk about it and to learn more about how the experience may still be affecting you. In these circumstances, the support, guidance, and assistance of a therapist can be fundamental to healing from trauma and bouncing back with resiliency.

Trauma Symptoms:

According to the four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5.

Avoidance Symptoms:

• Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event; and
• Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt.

Re-experiencing Symptoms:

• Intrusive thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks.

Hyperarousal Symptoms:

• Anger, irritability, and hypervigilance;
• Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm; and
• Sleep disturbances.

Negative Mood and Cognition Symptoms:

• Loss of interest in activities that were once considered enjoyable;
• Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event; and
• Change in habits or behavior since the trauma.

If you would like to talk through your birth experience and how it has effected you, I invite you to contact me today for a free consultation.