People respond in a variety of ways to trauma such as fight, flight, freeze or fawn (Martin, 2022). In fight, they may set walls around them to prevent further injury or may act angrily and snap to keep people away. With flight, they may withdraw without snapping but may avoid other people to prevent further injury. Another response is freeze, when a person does not know how to respond and may feel numb. And a fourth response is people pleasing or trying to do what others want to prevent further injury (Martin, 2022). People may respond in a variety of the above depending on the situation.
It can be difficult to know how to set boundaries with people who act prickly toward us (like a cactus). Why are people sometimes prickly? They may set walls around them that prevent others from getting to know them or maybe they aren't quite ready to process trauma so they withdraw or say they are fine when they aren't. I think its a mixture of the fight, flight & freeze response and the person may or may not be mean to others while setting up their walls. They are also often responding to present triggers.
Present triggers are things that happen in the world that remind them of trauma and they may reexperience trauma with flashbacks to the original memory, they may feel it in their bodies and be on edge or may experience anxiety, depression or a variety of symptoms.
If a person who experiences the fawn response is close to someone who is often in the fight response, this could bring difficulty in a relationship. The person in fight may snap or be downright mean at times. The person in the fawn response, may accept this and try to people please to prevent injury or may withdraw. They may both experience difficulty with setting boundaries with themselves and each other.
How can I help? I provide Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for trauma survivors. If you find yourself often in fight, flight, freeze or fawn, EMDR can help with that. With EMDR we identify the original memories and present triggers reminding you of the traumas for a plan of action (Shapiro, 2018). We build stabilization through managing thoughts and feelings, building resources and other coping strategies. When you are ready, we systematically target the upsetting memories (at your own pace) to desensitize you to them and to help you to save the memory in a more helpful way in your brain (Shapiro, 2018).
I also teach assertiveness, boundaries and balance. For instance, for the persons in fight and/or fawn who are trying to talk to each other, I teach them to face each other kindly and assertively, to prevent withdrawing and prevent abusing each other.
Are you ready to work on getting unstuck?
I have virtual openings and serve persons in Florida, due to licensure restrictions.
Please reach out:
[email protected]
941) 212-0297
References
Martin, T. (April, 28th, 2022). What Does Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn Mean? Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-does-fight-flight-freeze-fawn-mean
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (Third edition.). Guilford Press.
It can be difficult to know how to set boundaries with people who act prickly toward us (like a cactus). Why are people sometimes prickly? They may set walls around them that prevent others from getting to know them or maybe they aren't quite ready to process trauma so they withdraw or say they are fine when they aren't. I think its a mixture of the fight, flight & freeze response and the person may or may not be mean to others while setting up their walls. They are also often responding to present triggers.
Present triggers are things that happen in the world that remind them of trauma and they may reexperience trauma with flashbacks to the original memory, they may feel it in their bodies and be on edge or may experience anxiety, depression or a variety of symptoms.
If a person who experiences the fawn response is close to someone who is often in the fight response, this could bring difficulty in a relationship. The person in fight may snap or be downright mean at times. The person in the fawn response, may accept this and try to people please to prevent injury or may withdraw. They may both experience difficulty with setting boundaries with themselves and each other.
How can I help? I provide Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for trauma survivors. If you find yourself often in fight, flight, freeze or fawn, EMDR can help with that. With EMDR we identify the original memories and present triggers reminding you of the traumas for a plan of action (Shapiro, 2018). We build stabilization through managing thoughts and feelings, building resources and other coping strategies. When you are ready, we systematically target the upsetting memories (at your own pace) to desensitize you to them and to help you to save the memory in a more helpful way in your brain (Shapiro, 2018).
I also teach assertiveness, boundaries and balance. For instance, for the persons in fight and/or fawn who are trying to talk to each other, I teach them to face each other kindly and assertively, to prevent withdrawing and prevent abusing each other.
Are you ready to work on getting unstuck?
I have virtual openings and serve persons in Florida, due to licensure restrictions.
Please reach out:
[email protected]
941) 212-0297
References
Martin, T. (April, 28th, 2022). What Does Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn Mean? Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-does-fight-flight-freeze-fawn-mean
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (Third edition.). Guilford Press.
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