Trauma Therapy

Is Unresolved Trauma Keeping You Trapped, Burned Out, And In Pain And Fear?

Are you reliving a traumatic experience, unable to escape painful memories? Does part of you remain stuck in the past, keeping you from moving forward? Are distressing feelings of guilt and shame preventing you from having the life you want?

Living with trauma means you’re continually reminded of the pain you’ve experienced—you may even feel controlled by it. Whenever you’re triggered by the memory, whether through nightmares, flashbacks, or situational stressors, you likely have a strong emotional reaction that you cannot predict. Your reaction may show up as fear or anger that bleeds into every facet of your life.

Because of unresolved trauma, you may dread thinking about the future and have difficulty making decisions. Your lack of confidence can lead to a need for validation, perfectionism,

Living with trauma means you’re continually reminded of the pain you’ve experienced—you may even feel controlled by it. Whenever you’re triggered by the memory, whether through nightmares, flashbacks, or situational stressors, you likely have a strong emotional reaction that you cannot predict. Your reaction may show up as fear or anger that bleeds into every facet of your life.

Because of unresolved trauma, you may dread thinking about the future and have difficulty making decisions. Your lack of confidence can lead to a need for validation, perfectionism,

Your Relationships May Suffer As A Result Of Trauma

Perhaps you are unable to forge strong relationships due to a lack of trust. To protect yourself from being hurt again, you might place high expectations on your partner, making them go above and beyond for you to demonstrate they are trustworthy.

By holding them to unrealistic standards, you eventually push them away, which results in feelings of abandonment or unworthiness. Deep down you realize you are comparing them to someone who hurt you in the past, but it doesn’t stop you from making the same mistake again and again.

Fortunately, the effects of trauma can be resolved with therapy. With treatment, you can process painful memories and reframe the thoughts and feelings that keep you trapped in the cycle of trauma.

Our Childhood Experiences Impact Us As Adults

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 61 percent of adults experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). ACEs can include violence, neglect, and various forms of child abuse, such as living with verbally or emotionally abusive parents or growing up within a family with mental health or substance abuse issues. Alarmingly, ACEs can lead to myriad physical health problems in adulthood—evidenced by the fact that at least 5 of the top 10 leading causes of death are associated with ACEs.

Because of our past trauma, many of us try to control our emotions so that we don’t experience the pain again. While we work hard to avoid confronting emotions that overwhelm us, this strategy ultimately backfires. No matter how hard we try to find ways to keep the pain at bay, we keep experiencing it over and over.

We Often Blame Ourselves For What Happened To Us

When we experience severe trauma, it doesn’t leave our body—we carry it with us, along with guilt and shame. Rather than recognize that it was not our fault we were mistreated or that someone took advantage of us, we often blame ourselves. We think, “If I hadn’t done that,” or “Maybe it was my fault this happened,” instead of acknowledging the shame is not ours to carry.

In our present reality—through our thoughts, feelings, and actions—we are still reliving the trauma. Until our reality changes, we remain stuck in these emotionally charged memories and can’t move forward.

Fortunately, there is a way forward. With proper treatment, you can be released from trauma and learn how to move toward a brighter future.

Trauma Therapy Can Help Heal The Painful Memories That Have Never Faded

Perhaps you have held off addressing your trauma because even though you are in emotional pain, you have grown comfortable predicting what will happen. Even when the probable outcome is chaos or more pain, you prefer it to the fear of the unknown. It’s time to take a step back and realize that when your thoughts change, so does your life.

Trauma counseling gives you an opportunity to examine what is happening in your life and, more importantly, understand why it is happening. By identifying the patterns that continue to show up through your thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and experiences, we will work with you to form a new reality that offers a new outcome. We provide a non-judgmental space and will walk alongside you on your path to healing. By working with you collaboratively, we will ensure that you always feel safe and in charge throughout the therapeutic journey.

What To Expect In Sessions

After completing the intake process, we will develop a treatment plan together within the first few sessions. We will help you notice that the feelings and behaviors you experience now are linked to past events and identify the barriers this link between past and present has created. We will work with you to imagine what your life could look like when it is no longer limited by unhealthy thought patterns.

In ongoing sessions, we will dispel belief systems that taint your perception. For example, if thinking back on a past event makes you feel angry and you carry that anger with you today, we will help you interpret that event differently. Perhaps you didn’t get what you needed in that moment, but once you realize you have the choice to give yourself what you need today, your emotional reaction to the past will lessen and you can begin to heal.

The Modalities We Use

For trauma and PTSD treatment, we use Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR is a technique that will allow you to work through the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of the past that continue to manifest in the present. By desensitizing and reframing past events that continue to manifest in your present—and affect how you foresee future outcomes—you can break the negative cycle and neutralize the emotionally-charged reactions that keep you stuck in trauma.

Additionally, we will teach you deep breathing exercises and prescribe journaling so you can pay attention to how your thoughts affect you physically. Meditation, art therapy, and other intention-based exercises will help you connect your mind with your body.

After trauma/PTSD treatment, you can expect to feel a sense of wholeness you may not have experienced before. By letting go of the pain, guilt, and shame you have carried around with you for so long, you will feel lighter and ready to pursue what you want in life.

But You May Wonder Whether Trauma Therapy Is Right For You…

Can I expect my problems to go away after trauma counseling with you?

Trauma therapy is a beneficial process that allows you to take stock of your thoughts, behaviors, and choices. It provides you with the skills to manage problems as they come along so they no longer control your life. Trauma therapy helps you reexamine your perspective so your challenges will be seen as an opportunity for growth and profound change becomes possible. While treatment for trauma won’t wave a magic wand and make all of your problems disappear, it can get you moving in the right direction

How long will it take for this pain to go away?

We developed our six-month treatment timetable so you can meet your goals within a set timeframe and get on with your life. We encourage you to be an active participant in the process by committing to weekly sessions for at least the first two months and utilizing time in and out of therapy to your advantage. With a commitment on your part to doing the work, therapy is a great tool to help you heal from the trauma of your past and form new possibilities for the future.

Will therapy help me heal from my trauma or PTSD?

Therapy is a healing process that can help you heal from the trauma that has been holding you back from living the life you desire. As you continue the treatment process, the trauma you’ve experienced will continue to have less of an effect on you. And as the emotional charge around your trauma gradually releases its hold, you can start making different choices about how you show up for yourself moving forward. The only way past the pain is through it, but on the other side, you will find healing