With 65-75,000 thoughts per day running through our minds, it’s impossible to notice every ...
April 18, 2023
Trauma affects self-esteem, personality, worldview, roles within relationships, ability to achieve goals, physical health, and overall quality of life.
Many survivors report the effort required to meet the demands of their day-to-day lives is high while levels of life satisfaction are low, leading to frustration, loneliness and exhaustion.
Without the benefit of more effective and efficient strategies, survivors rely on instincts that ignore the value of emotions and perpetuate survival patterns, resulting in dysfunction that sabotages wellbeing.
For nearly two decades, Mia has helped survivors reclaim their lives without encouraging them to dissect (and relive) painful events.
Mia is recognized as an expert in her field by clients, colleagues, and California courts.
Schedule your free consultation using the purple button hovering at the bottom of your screen.
Mia Vivone
One understanding is that trauma is defined only as an event that results in perceived fear of bodily injury, sexual assault, or loss of life (American Psychiatric Association, [DSM-5], 2013). This definition is too narrow and is unjustly inconsiderate of the many situations and circumstances that produce deep and uncontrollable sensations of doom, loss, uncertainty, and utter powerlessness (e.g., death of a parent, spouse, or child, homelessness, divorce, humiliation, subjugation, parental neglect, and more).
The DSM-5 also does not recognize Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as an 'official' diagnosis. This lack of inclusion leaves those who survive consecutive and gravely disruptive events operating in constant survival states without proper help, resulting in dysfunction and dis-ease on individual, collective, societal, and global levels.
Thanks to our many experts and contributors in today's trauma-informed culture (Van der Holk, Mate', Braden, Lipton, Dispenza, to name just a few), we know that trauma refers to psychological, emotional and biological (including neurological and chemical) changes that occur in response to any event that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope mentally, emotionally, and physically.
"Trauma" refers to events but also to the changes that occur within the mind, emotions, brain, and body of the person experiencing the event. Many of these changes present difficulties with daily living, are persistent and debilitating, decrease quality of life, and cannot be treated only with medication.
- MV
See the next tab for more about the long-term effects of trauma.
Any event that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope is trauma. The changes that occur on psychological (including emotional), neurological and chemical levels affecting perception, thought, emotion, and behavior are also known as trauma. Adopting this two-fold meaning of trauma ensures a broader understanding when considering the long-term effects of trauma.
We can think of trauma as stress. The definitions of stress are innumerable. For this discussion, we will call stress any event or reality that overloads the nervous system. We can think of the changes that occur to the brain, body, mind, and emotions at the time of the event as imprints - schematics that predict future maladaptive responses in perception, mental attitudes and moods, and behaviors. The distortions in perception, thought, and emotion lead to irrational, unhealthy, and even compulsive behaviors that are self-sabotaging.
Some common manifestations of maladaptive trauma (stress) responses include the inability to identify and manage emotions, trouble focusing, addiction, and many physical ailments. One manifestation that is typical is the pervasive difficulties with interpersonal relationships, especially the aspects concerning self-image, the ability to trust and trust the right people, communication, boundaries, and conflict resolution.
In plain terms, what formed at the time of the traumatic event, which was intended to protect and ensure the survival and sanity of the individual, over time, is now disrupting the person's ability to function in times of stress, therefore, destroying the quality of life.
These manifestations are evidence of maladaptations to stress. The sensitivities to stress and the maladaptive responses to stress are the long-term effects of trauma.
Some of the most effective pathways to recovery today do not dissect past events, which cause re-traumatization and exacerbate lower stress tolerances but are present and future-oriented, such as coaching individuals toward the formation and application of more effective and efficient strategies that produce healthier responses and adaptations to stress.
- MV
See the next tab to learn about Trauma Recovery
The basic definition of recovery means to recapture a normal state. You are not abnormal; your responses to stress are maladaptive, meaning they do not do a good job of helping you deal with stress without making things worse in some way. Most importantly, neurons that are fired and wired together during a traumatic event cannot be unwired, so this definition does not lend much to the understanding of trauma recovery.
It may not even fit to say you are recovering from trauma,
but recovering with trauma,
since the effects are not eradicated, but subdued.
A multitude of resources for trauma recovery exist. From traditional psychiatry and therapy models to alternative and holistic methods. In your search for what may work for you, it is important to hold on to these 3 truths:
The results of someone recovering with trauma cannot be accurately measured using time.
Much like the manifestations that are evident when maladaptations to stress run rampant, the results of recovery are also seen in manifestations. These new manifestations include the ability to effectively and efficiently manage emotional states, increased focus and physical energy, improved communication and conflict resolution styles, satisfying interpersonal relationships, and increasingly positive view of self, others, and of the world.
Take a look at these offerings to help you reach your recovery goals
Learn why you react the way that you do and develop effective and efficient coping skills to end self-defeating behaviors and improve every area of your life.
Stop hurting each other to heal yourselves. Learn how to communicate and relate in healthier ways. Heal from toxic connections and prevent the formation of new ones.
Ebooks and Courses Coming Soon!
I've learned more about myself in 3 months with Mia than in 15 years of other methods, including traditional therapy. She specializes in many tools. Her work is powerful.
Bobby A., lyricist, musician, and
advertising firm owner
Mia's knowledge, empathy, and unconditionally-loving demeanor was a game changer for me. She guided me into becoming the best version of myself.
Amanda t., Archeologist and world traveler
Working with Mia, I learned how to break the cycle of toxic relationships. Today, I have the confidence I've always wanted. I know that I'm worthy and that I matter.
Alissa G., Nurse anesthetist and college volleyball coach
Mia helped me identify behavior that blocked me from success. I had no idea this was related to family trauma. I am no longer sabotaging myself.
sanjay s., digital creator and real estate investor
April 18, 2023
With 65-75,000 thoughts per day running through our minds, it’s impossible to notice every ...
March 22, 2023
Trauma has conditioned your system to stay in hyperdrive, causing hypersensitivity and hyper-reactivity to ...
January 7, 2023
50. That is the number I came up with the last time I wrote ...
December 18, 2022
Suicide is so complex that none of us could begin to understand another’s suffering ...
With nearly two decades of expertise in over 50 traumatic topics, Mia’s lived experience and personal recovery enriches a variety of services including trauma recovery coaching, expert testimony, trauma-informed training events, and educational group events. Before embarking on her solo journey, Mia worked as a peer counselor in the mental health field supporting those with psychiatric disorders and compulsive behaviors, such as self-harm and addiction.
Because of her personal history, journey through healing, and sustained recovery, Mia is proficient when it comes to teaching others coping skills to achieve their personal, relationship, and career goals while living with the long-term effects of trauma.
Mia’s guidance has helped hundreds of clients learn coping strategies that can be applied to all types of situations resulting in improved relationships, career performance, and quality of life, in spite of surviving trauma.
Mia uses an effective combination of education, lived experience, and professional experience covering more than 50 topics, to bring an effective approach to living with the long-term effects of trauma. Mia is recognized as an expert in her field by clients, colleagues, and courts.
You must be logged in to post a comment.