{"id":53224,"date":"2025-03-23T21:39:43","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T21:39:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/traumatismes-pourquoi-certaines-blessures-du-passe-sont-si-complexes-a-soigner\/"},"modified":"2025-12-01T16:39:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T16:39:18","slug":"why-some-wounds-from-the-past-are-so-difficult-to-heal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/why-some-wounds-from-the-past-are-so-difficult-to-heal\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Some Wounds from the Past Are So Difficult to Heal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Why is it that one person can quickly recover from a car accident, while another experiences a panic attack at the mere thought of driving again? \u201cTrauma isn\u2019t the event itself\u2014it\u2019s how we perceive it, the feeling of helplessness, and the fear of dying,\u201d explains H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Latrille, psychologist and Director of Clinical Services<\/span><\/a> at La Travers\u00e9e. When traumatic experiences happen early in life\u2014especially in cases of sexual violence\u2014they tend to leave deeper scars. Here\u2019s why.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Single-incident trauma: Recovering after a one-time event<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A sudden event that threatens someone\u2019s physical or emotional integrity can become traumatic and trigger symptoms of post-traumatic stress. These might include flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of reminders, hypervigilance, and intense emotional distress.
There are several effective therapies, but for recent and isolated events, approaches based on storytelling and exposure are often prioritized. \u201cTrauma is an experience of senselessness that hasn\u2019t been processed by the brain,\u201d says H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Latrille. \u201cHelping someone put their experience into words allows them to make sense of what happened and start to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Complex trauma: When harm is repeated and long-lasting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the name suggests, complex trauma is more complicated to treat. Survivors of sexual violence may have endured prolonged and repeated abuse during childhood, often at the hands of someone close who broke their trust. \u201cThese experiences shape development,\u201d explains Latrille. \u201cThe child\u2019s brain doesn\u2019t focus on play or exploring the world\u2014it\u2019s focused on survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A careful and patient approach<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Complex trauma often becomes embedded in a person\u2019s very identity. It\u2019s not just something that happened\u2014it\u2019s part of their lived experience.
Research supports a phased, three-step treatment model to help survivors regain control:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Establishing safety and stabilization.<\/strong> This begins with building a relationship of trust\u2014essential for someone who has been deeply hurt in the past. The next steps involve helping the person become more aware of their current reality, recognize danger, and develop strategies to stay safe. \u201cSomeone who experienced abuse throughout childhood may have a very high tolerance for violence, putting them at risk of revictimization,\u201d notes Latrille. This phase also focuses on emotional self-regulation. For many, this first stage is the longest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Processing traumatic memories.<\/strong> Integration of traumatic experiences happens slowly, at the person\u2019s own pace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Rebuilding life.<\/strong> This final stage focuses on helping the person reconnect with their sense of self and develop the social skills needed for healthy, meaningful, and lasting relationships.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s never too late<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Healing has no age limit. With support from the multidisciplinary team at La Travers\u00e9e, some survivors of childhood sexual violence have come forward more than 70 years after the abuse occurred. \u201cIt\u2019s never too late to heal and reclaim a fulfilling life,\u201d says H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Latrille.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Are you living with the effects of sexual trauma? Or do you know someone who might need help?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Call us at 450-465-5263<\/strong> or email services@latraversee.qc.ca<\/strong> to access free, confidential, and compassionate professional support. No matter your age or gender identity, La Travers\u00e9e is here for you.<\/strong>If you live outside the Mont\u00e9r\u00e9gie region, visit sexualviolencehelpline.ca<\/span><\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>for psychosocial guidance and to find support resources in your area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Why is it that one person can quickly recover from a car accident, while another experiences a panic attack at the mere thought of driving again? \u201cTrauma isn\u2019t the event itself\u2014it\u2019s how we perceive it, the feeling of helplessness, and the fear of dying,\u201d explains H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Latrille, psychologist and Director of Clinical Services at La […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":53222,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53224"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53224\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54879,"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53224\/revisions\/54879"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.latraversee.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}