We Talked About Freeze… Now Let’s Talk About Fawn
The fawn response can be summed up, for the most part, with people pleasing. When fight, flight and freeze responses won’t keep us safe, we try to keep the threat happy or make ourselves likeable. We often learn this response in relationships as children, trying to keep an adult or peers satisfied with us so they won’t belittle us, hurt us or brush off our feelings.
The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adulthood
Trauma is an emotional reaction to a significant event that can happen once with intensity, a series of significant events that may have varied intensity and be ongoing, or a combination of both. Trauma affects our interconnected systems physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually.
First Responders Need Support Too
We often look at physical health and mental health as different, but they are not. If you break your arm, you go to the doctor and eventually heal. If you suffer from PTSD, depression, anxiety, or any other mental health issue, you may suffer in silence, have feelings of shame or guilt, and not seek help due to fear and/or the stigma.
What is EMDR for Trauma? How Can It Help Me?
EMDR for trauma is a type of psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of trauma or adversities such as issues of abuse, bullying, domestic violence, grief, abandonment, and attachment wounds.
You’ve Heard of Fight or Flight… But What About Freeze?
Fight, Flight, and Freeze are the three responses that are biological instincts to protect us when our lives are in danger. However, what we find sometimes is that we experience fight, flight, or freeze even when there is not a threat to our lives.