Today we’d like to introduce you to Tammy Barnes.
Hi Tammy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always loved helping and working with people. Mental health has always been important to me as my mom suffered from severe trauma and mental illness. This of course changed my view of the world and how I responded to stress. In 2017 I took a training and learned how that painful past learning affected my life here today and my responses. It was here I became very passionate about working with Trauma and helping others understand not only how it connects to our physical health but how it changes our brains and then shapes our views, and how we respond to others. By empowering others with this knowledge and the idea that they can rewire their brain and no longer have to live this way has been an amazing journey. I hope to be an example in sharing my own journey with trauma that there is hope, there is forgiveness, there is healing. For while the trauma that we endure is most often not our fault or responsibility. It is our responsibility to get help and heal our own trauma, lest we become the trauma of another.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey has not been smooth my own trauma has led me though my own batch of mental health issues. Anxiety, depression, and addiction several years ago. Then just as my life and career were moving forward Covid hit. In fall of 2020 my husband and I both got covid and we’re down for several weeks. This changed the entire trajectory of the next few years. Now named long covid I was in the group where my brain and body just seemed to be no longer working together. I knew something had changed but was told over and over Covid didn’t do this. I fought for a year trying to deal with what was happening. Had to have a medical device put in to help with bodily functions because my brain and body were not communicating. My face became paralyzed and I looked as if I had a stroke. No one had any answers. In Dec of 2021 I got sick again and what ever Covid had started took its toll and took over. I became almost catatonic. I could not function, I almost lost everything. It again was months before I found out my brain had been affected and that the 2 infections completely shut my brain down. It was functioning between 10 to 15 % and my quality of life was nothing. I had to begin a long journey of brain treatments to fight my way back. However these treatments are often used to help severe depression and to heal suppressed trauma. It was here Pandora’s box was opened and years of suppressed trauma hit me all at once. For the first time ever I found myself mentally out of control, suicidal, depressed and more disregulated then I had even been in my life. Often times when I meet a patient it is surreal when they are suffering with depression and I am able to reach out in tears and explain I have sat where you are and give them hope that there is tomorrow. I have fought hard. Anytime I get a viral infection it can set me back months and I have to go back for another treatment. I no longer have the brain power to do and achieve things I once was capable of. Simple things like just answering this question take me 2 to 3 times longer. It affects my speech and my ability to communicate at times and my ability to even stay awake some weeks. But I am determined to not give up to keep fighting so I can continue to help others.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a mental health therapist that specializes in trauma and self regulation. Using the following integrative methodologies consisting of trauma focused care, cbt and forward facing trauma therapy to help others not only take their lives back, but showing them how to live their best life.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I am very passionate about mental health post Covid and how it has changed all of autonomic nervous systems causing many to begin operating out of the sympathetic nervous system. It is here that everything changes anxiety, depression. Without help it does not get better. Post Covid the numbers are astounding and globally our mental health is the worst it has ever been to date. Awareness and education are needed and I am currently wanting to launch a program for schools, businesses, churches and other organizations to get this information out to the public to help understand how and why this is occurring but most important how to stop it. Anyone interested in learning more can contact me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sessionsofserenity.com
