Trauma Therapy
Do You Often Find Yourself In Situations Where Your Mind Knows You’re Safe But Your Body Is Freaking Out?
Are you struggling with upsetting memories of the past which keep replaying in your mind and, no matter how hard you try, you can’t turn it off?
Do you feel haunted by feelings of guilt, shame, or self-blame about a past event?
Have you been avoiding places, people, or activities that remind you of a traumatic experience?
Do you go through each day feeling numb and detached from the world around you?
Have any questions ? Send us a message!
Trauma Can Affect Anyone And Touches People From All Walks Of Life
Trauma is one of those big weighty words most people assume describe someone else. You might believe trauma is for people who’ve had something not just bad but really really bad happen to them. But I’m here to say that’s not true.
Okay, I take that back. Some of the time it is true. Trauma can absolutely happen after big terrible things occur like a violent crime, a tragic loss, a sexual assault, or a major car accident.
But trauma can just as easily occur for seemingly minor situations or things you’ve written off as just a fact of life. I’ve heard a number of people say to me about their bad childhood, “That was just normal. It wasn’t a big deal. It’s just how things were.” I’m here to disagree. And here’s why.
Wherever there’s trauma, you feel stuck in the past. Something happened and you can’t seem to move forward from it no matter how much time has gone by. Maybe you’ve found yourself saying, “I should have been over this by now” or “I can’t believe I’m still feeling this way.”
Try as you might you may find yourself repeating the same unhealthy patterns with family, in your romantic relationships, personal relationships and at work. Ultimately, you’re unable to live your life fully in some way.
From Childhood to Adulthood, Trauma Can Be Found In Every Facet Of Life Experience
There are so many reasons our past can have a hold on us.
For some it was a bad childhood where unspeakable things happened. Or bad things that felt normal. Or where, on the surface, everything felt okay. But you grew up feeling lonely and disconnected because your parents weren’t really there for you.
For others it could be a relationship where cheating or being treated badly occurred.
It could be a history of being bullied or belittled at school or at work.
A loss you can’t seem to move forward from.
A disturbing incident or incidents at work or in the line of duty.
Whatever happened, it marked you in some permanent way you have trouble talking or even thinking about. You just know you’ve never been the same.
You’re avoiding things or not able to do things you used to be able to do perfectly well with no problem.
Your reactions to certain situations, environments, and people seem over the top.
You may notice yourself keeping people at arm’s length and have difficulty fully trusting anyone. Or perhaps you have a pattern of being overly trusting and attracting unhealthy relationships. Feeling safe and comfortable in your own skin is a daily challenge.
The emotional pain of being reminded of an unsettling event can leave you feeling confused, alone, and overwhelmed. Depending on how long you’ve been feeling this way and how severe your symptoms are, it’s possible you may be struggling with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
At this point, you are craving the tools, insight, and support needed to create a path towards healing.
The good news is you don’t have to go through this alone. Overcoming trauma or PTSD is within your reach and healing is possible.
Recover & Reclaim A Sense Of Well-Being, Hope, And Freedom With Trauma Therapy
As a therapist who has extensive training in trauma-based approaches and who specializes in helping clients recover from trauma, I know how possible it is for people to rebuild and heal.
Because trauma typically affects your sense of safety in the world, during the first several sessions of trauma therapy I will lead you in a variety of foundational mindfulness and body-based exercises aimed at decreasing your anxiety and helping you to feel calm and safe both during sessions and in your everyday life.
We will discuss how your primary symptoms are negatively affecting you and what you’re hoping to achieve in therapy. Everyone’s trauma story is different and, depending on where you are, we will explore your story in a number of different ways. It is not uncommon for people with a trauma history to feel hesitant or fearful to share their story—in fact, sometimes talking can be unhelpful in resolving your trauma symptoms. This is why I offer a variety of non-talk options.
Using gentle and supportive approaches—such as mindfulness, EMDR, sandtray therapy, and somatic techniques—I can help you explore and heal your trauma story not just through talking, but through feeling, sensing, movement, visualization, and creative play. These approaches will help to resolve the trauma which is stored both in your mind and in your body.
During trauma therapy, you will learn that everything you’ve been going through is a very normal response to experiencing a traumatic event(s) and that it is not “all in your head”.
You will acquire a number of strategies to help you feel safe in your body, relationships, and environment. Some of the skills you will learn include:
How to cope with triggers in a healthy way.
How to respond to and manage overwhelming emotions or body sensations.
How to set boundaries in relationships.
How to work with negative thoughts which keep you in a state of anxiety and self-doubt.
Most importantly, therapy will support you in releasing the traumatic event(s) so that you can move towards having the life you want.
During trauma therapy, we will move at a pace that feels comfortable to you. Throughout the process, you are always in complete control. Therapy not only offers relief from your symptoms but also helps you to leave the past behind you so you can be yourself again.
Since 2009, I have supported clients to conquer the beast that is trauma and have been amazed to see how quickly clients are able to move past difficult traumatic events.
When you overcome and process trauma, you are then free to make more choices and live your best life—a life of wholeness and satisfaction which hadn’t seemed possible before.
You May Still Have Questions Or Concerns About Trauma Therapy…
-
This is a very valid concern, and the reality is that trauma work can be difficult but it yields amazing rewards. When undertaken with a trained professional, successful trauma therapy allows you to release the past for good and achieve a sense of wholeness and well-being that you may have believed was permanently lost.
-
I want to assure you that it's perfectly okay to feel hesitant or unsure about discussing your trauma. It's a big step, and it's important to take things at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
It's also important to remember that therapy isn't about pushing you to talk about things before you're ready. We'll start by building a strong therapeutic relationship based on trust and mutual respect. We can explore other aspects of your life and experiences while gradually working towards addressing the trauma when you feel more prepared.
Fortunately, there are methods to healing that don’t involve talking at all, and can actually be more beneficial for dealing with trauma.
-
When it comes to trauma, it’s crucial to work with a therapist who specializes in trauma, especially if you've had an unsatisfactory experience with therapy in the past.
Imagine you've got a specific health issue, like a heart condition. You wouldn't go to a general practitioner for heart surgery, right? You'd seek out a cardiologist – someone who's trained and specializes in treating heart-related problems. The same principle applies to therapy, especially when it comes to trauma.
Therapists who specialize in trauma have undergone specific training focused on understanding the complexities of trauma and its effects on mental health. They are familiar with evidence-based trauma treatments and have honed their skills in effectively addressing trauma-related issues.
Ready To Take The Next step? Find Out How Trauma Therapy Can Help You.
If you’re ready to put the past behind you and rebuild a sense of safety and trust, please contact me at 210.802.2697 to schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation.
