Can trauma travel help you heal?

For many people, trauma can be a life-changing event that leaves them feeling helpless, hopeless, and unable to cope. It can lead to depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. It can make it difficult to trust others or even trust yourself. If this is you, please remember that your pain is valid and that none of it is your fault. What can you do about it? Talking to a professional and getting support are the first, essential steps you can take to start healing, of course. And then there's trauma travel.

It's not you: trauma healing really is tough

Trauma healing can be challenging and at times seem impossible. You might've had a traumatic experience when you were a kid, or maybe you are still suffering from PTSD as an adult. Maybe you have a loved one who is going through a hard time, and you want to help. Whatever the case may be, traveling can be an important tool in your trauma healing journey.

Trauma travel

The idea that travel can help with recovery from trauma is not new. In fact, there are many examples throughout history of people using travel as a way of coping with their experiences and healing themselves.

Travel is a great way to get away from your day-to-day routine – and there's certainly a lot of evidence that it can help you de-stress from time to time. But trauma healing? The key concept here is that we are focusing on healing as a journey: we are not suggesting travel as treatment.

But there are aspects in which it can be beneficial. The aftermath of a serious accident, the experience of a violent event, like being the victim of a crime or the shock of a natural disaster tends to involve many different feelings at once: numbness, anxiety, hypersensitivity, hypervigilance, flashbacks, nightmares, and other symptoms. While experiencing flashbacks and feeling stressed out are just an intrinsic part of having experienced trauma, many other symptoms such as feeling on edge or having difficulties concentrating reflect problems that do not originate in the mind itself but rather in the environment of the person going through their post-trauma life - and how the mind processes the input from said environment. Traveling can be one way to change up that input ― even if it's only something as small as the neighborhood you're staying in when you visit another city.

What is the point of "trauma travel"?

Escape from the past and live in the present – By leaving your everyday routine, you will be able to escape from the past and start living in the present. You no longer have to think about what happened before or worry about what will happen tomorrow. You can just enjoy being in the moment and enjoy life for what it is right now. Catching that fleeting feeling of peace and balance, even if it's just for a few days or even hours, is a great accomplishment in your trauma healing journey.

Learn new things – When traveling somewhere new, you get to experience so much more than just visiting another country or a different place in your own country! You get to try new food, meet new people, and learn about different cultures which is all very exciting! It's also an excellent way to get out of your own head and create a new perspective on your life.

But before you book that ticket to your dream destination, there are a couple of things you should consider first.

What do you want from your trip?

Let's say that you have experienced something traumatic and now you're wondering if traveling will help with your mental health. The answer depends on what kind of travel experience is best suited to your needs at this time. If you're feeling anxious around people, then it may be better to avoid crowded tourist destinations where you might feel overwhelmed and therefore unable to enjoy your experience. If your goal is to relax and unwind, then consider booking a beach holiday or visiting somewhere peaceful where there's plenty of space and you will have control over your surroundings and the people you enter contact with.

Are you emotionally ready to travel?

Travel is one of the best ways to heal from trauma. It can help you recover from your memories, discover new places and people and live in the present moment.

But travel can be stressful too. There are many things that can go wrong when you travel, like having bad weather or getting sick. And it's easy to feel lonely when you're far away from home.

Before going on a trip, make sure you are emotionally ready for it. Talking to your therapist before engaging in trauma travel might help you pick the right moment to book your vacation or going on a trauma cleansing retreat.

Remember: trauma travel is not about running away from what ails you, it is about turning inwards to discover your own power

While there are many different types of therapeutic travel experiences, they all have one thing in common: they are a time for reflection. They give us the chance to take some time away from our daily lives so we can truly think about what we want out of life and what changes we need to make in order to achieve those goals.

If you've been dealing with trauma for any length of time, it's likely that you've had difficulty figuring out how best to move forward with your life after the trauma has ended. Travel therapy can help you figure out what you would like to accomplish on your trip and how best to accomplish it!

Consider going on a trauma healing retreat

The best way to experience healing through travel is by going on an organized retreat that's designed specifically to help you heal from trauma. These retreats can offer individualized care and support in addition to activities designed just for people with PTSD or similar issues. They usually take place in beautiful locations that are conducive to relaxation and reflection while also offering a peaceful environment away from everyday stressors. If you want to experience something like this, with a qualified coach, we suggest you take a look at our trauma cleansing week program.