52. There is Hope and Healing After Trauma and PTSD!
In episode 52, Ron Huxley, LMFT, shares his AMAZING Wisdom, Experience, and thoughts on post-traumatic growth, EMDR, and other Healing Strategies.
He's been helping people heal from life's traumas (and dramas) for over 30 years. I know the word 'trauma' can feel complicated for some of us, and the reality is BIG, and little traumas affect us and those around us in ways we can't even imagine. This conversation is so helpful!
Ron is AMAZING and so full of compassion, wisdom, and grace!
We talk about so many things, but here are some of the highlights of episode 52:
Post Traumatic Growth- a newer concept to me that brings such hope to us all!
EMDR, what is it? How does it work, and who needs it?
What is trauma? And how it gets stored in our body at times.
When dealing with trauma, Ron focuses on three healing strategies:
Calm down the reactive brain and body.
Increase the skills and understanding.
Deepen connections with healthy people.
And sooo much more! My favorite quote from episode 52 is: "The brain wants to move towards health.”—Ron Huxley.
Check out Ron’s amazing resources at TraumaToolbox.com & FamilyHealer.tv
Contact Ron at (805) 709-2023 (Text messages are okay) or email Ron at rehuxley@gmail.com. No matter what you walk through, you are not alone; there is help and hope for you! Be patient with yourself on your journey!
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Listen To Episode 52 Now
I am so excited to share today's guest with you! Ron Huxley LFMT. You guys are going to love him! He's so kind, knowledgable, and oozes compassion and understanding. He's one of those humans that you instantly feel safe around! BTW, that's the sign of a great human and therapist! :)
This episode has so many good nuggets for us. One of the other things I LOVE about Ron is his love and pursuit of Jesus AND his non-shaming of others' approach to inner healing. So many Christians tend to over-simplify healing like there's some simple 5 step formula. Oh, if it were only that simple! Yet, there is so much hope and healing for us all.
Ron mentions as difficult as tragedy, loss, and heartache can be--those moments can also be transformative moments to help us experience a deeper spiritual awareness. Some of us encounter God more intimately through our dark moments.
Ron said, "If you're not getting the healing from traditional talk therapy, it's not because you are doing something wrong or that something is wrong with you." He went on to explain that it's because of how trauma is stored in your body. And other healing modalities can possibly help you tremendously! You are NOT hopeless or helpless! And Jesus is with you on your healing journey!
Sigmund Freud would have called our body our 'subconscious mind'- it keeps a record of wrongs and uses our defense mechanisms to protect us from further danger. The problem occurs when we are not in danger, but those mechanisms are still hyper-vigilant, defending us like war is coming.
So how do we tell our bodies, minds, and Spirits that we are, in fact, safe? Well, it can be a process. But a process so worth going through!
Ron describes how resiliency means bouncing back from trauma and/or PTSD. And how Post-Traumatic Growth says we're not just going to bounce back, but we're going to bounce forward. If that belief doesn't plant hope in us, I'm not sure what can!
We also dive into how helpful EMDR -Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR can be so beneficial for those of us when we can't seem to move through things we have experienced or forward in life. I went through EMDR a couple of years ago, and it helped immensely! I had already found some great healing, but I felt 'stuck' and almost re-traumatized when certain memories or feelings came up.
Going through EMDR freed me from that tyranny that can happen in our brains. It feels magical! But there is no 'hocus pocus' involved, I promise. ;)
When dealing with trauma, Ron focuses on three healing strategies:
Calm down the reactive brain and body.
Increase the skills and understanding.
Deepen connections with healthy people.
All three are so vital in our progress toward inner healing and good mental health.
Check out Ron's websites:
TraumaToolbox.com & FamilyHealer.tv
So glad you are here today, and if there's anything I can do to help you along your healing journey, please reach out at hello@danisumner.com
God bless and much love,
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Need a step-by-step Framework for Spiritual growth in any season? Join The Spiritual Intentions Framework- 12 foundational principles to Spiritual Growth when all else fails -> https://www.danisumner.com/spiritualintentionsframework