Trauma has a way of sticking around even after the event has passed. It’s like an unwanted house guest who won’t take the hint to leave.

After a trauma happens, you may start to get a little concerned that you’ll never feel like you again. No matter how desperately you want or try to have things go back to the way before the trauma occurred, it’s proving to be more difficult than you had imagined.

While things won’t return to normal overnight, there are steps that you can take to work towards getting back there.

Here are 7 healthy ways to process trauma.

1. Start Journaling

A trauma can cause you to have a lot of pent-up thoughts and emotions. Journaling is a great way to release those thoughts and feelings instead of holding them in. Not only is journaling a great practice for being more mindful and living in the present moment, but it can also be a great tool to look back on later to help you even more. You will be able to learn more about yourself, any potential triggers, and coping mechanisms that worked or didn’t work for you.

2. Practice Self-Care

There’s no better time to show up for yourself than when you’re stressed. Self-care is important at all times but especially when you’re going through hard times. You can start taking back control by doing things you love that make you feel good. Carve out time in your day to find ways to relax, unwind, and decompress. This could mean taking a bath, finding time to read, or scheduling an appointment to get your hair and nails done.

3. Allow Yourself to Feel

After going through a trauma, you may be doing everything you can to try to avoid thinking about what happened or how you feel about it. While some of these memories may be painful and difficult to process, it’s a necessary step toward your healing journey. You need to be able to acknowledge those memories to move forward again. It may feel like you’re riding on an emotional roller coaster, but as soon as you’re able to process them, the journey will be a lot smoother.

4. Move Your Body

Exercise is a great activity to improve your overall mental health and wellness. Not only does it make you healthier physically, it reduces stress and anxiety and can improve your overall mood. The best part is that you don’t have to spend hours at the gym to see the benefits. Moving your body could include things like walking outside, going on a bike ride, or stretching.

5. Avoid Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms

While there are a wide variety of healthy coping mechanisms that can help you on your path towards healing, there are also several unhealthy coping mechanisms. These unhealthy routes may feel better in the short term, but they can leave you feeling worse in the long run. Try to avoid turning towards things like drugs, alcohol, reckless driving, gambling, or unsafe sex. These unhealthy mechanisms can put you on a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break. Healthy coping mechanisms are a safer approach, especially for something like trauma.

6. Let Others In

After experiencing a trauma, it can be easy to feel isolated and alone. You may even feel like you have to withdraw from certain people and activities that you once enjoyed. Try not to do this as it can worsen signs and symptoms. Let your loved ones in to help you and be there for you. If you aren’t quite ready to talk about what happened, let them know what kind of support you need. They can be there with you as a distraction, a shoulder to cry on, or they can give you advice if that’s what you’re looking for.

7. Seek Additional Support

Trauma isn’t something that will just go away on its own with time. You can read more about trauma therapy here. Working with a licensed and trained mental health professional can help you understand your thoughts and feelings so you can move forward again. You went through a traumatic experience but that doesn’t define you. Healing is possible. Reach out today to get started.