Reconnect to others. Reconnect to yourself.

Trauma can be a difficult experience to identify and acknowledge. It is not always a visibly physical wound that we can easily point to and say "that's where it hurts." Rather, the effects of trauma can be invisible, buried deep within one's psyche, and manifest in complex ways. If you find yourself struggling with unexpected emotions, memories, or physical sensations that seem out of your control, it's possible that you have experienced trauma. Perhaps you find yourself avoiding certain people or situations, or you feel uneasy in otherwise normal circumstances. These feelings may intensify or become triggered by stressful or traumatic events. When we experience something traumatic, it's like a switch flips inside us, rewiring our brains and often leaving us with emotional scarring that remains long after the event has passed. Our brains get overwhelmed, throwing us into a state of fight or flight, and flooding us with a surge of hormones to deal with the perceived threat. It could be a dangerous car accident that you barely escaped from, a natural disaster that uprooted your life, or any other event that leaves a lasting impact on your emotional and physical self. Grief & loss, divorce, experiencing any type of abuse whether emotional or phsyical is traumatic. First responders, health care professionals, and military personal experience traumatic events regularly in their professions.

It's a difficult journey to overcome, but it's not impossible. We can start by acknowledging these events and reaching out for help. Processing the trauma and learning healthy ways to cope are crucial steps to find healing and recovery.

Trauma can be an extremely challenging experience, but it's important to know that there are many ways to seek help and healing. One common treatment for trauma is therapy, which can help individuals process their emotions and experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Additionally, medication may be prescribed to assist with managing symptoms such as anxiety or depression. While medication can be a helpful tool, it's important to note that it's not always necessary or effective for everyone. Seeking out support from loved ones, joining a support group, and practicing self-care techniques are also helpful steps in the journey towards healing. Remember, healing from trauma is a unique process for each individual and it's important to find a treatment plan that suits your individual needs.

I utilize a few different approaches to working with individuals healing from trauma such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), techniques from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), Embodiment practices, cognitive processing therapy and narrative therapy. Each client is unique in their needs and what works best for them, so I do not have a one size fits all approach to treating trauma. I start by building a safe connection with clients, teach healthy boundaries, education about trauma, develop coping skills, and find what works best for each client.

This is a very common question I get from clients. While talking about the trauma can be a part of therapy, it is not always necessary. As a trauma therapist, I am trained to help clients process their experiences in a variety of ways, such as through mindfulness techniques or art therapy. I use a lot of embodiment practices and teach about regulating your nervous system. I provide education about trauma and how it is stored in our bodies. There are so many ways for clients to process their trauma and find healing without talking about it in detail. Some clients feel that they need to do that to process it and in that case I use cognitive processing, narrative therapy, along with education about the nervous system and sensory based coping skills to help with the physical symptoms.

Everyone is different and finding what works for you is important. Remember that healing from trauma is a process, not a quick fix. If you are considering trauma therapy, know that you are not alone and that there is help available to support you on your journey towards healing.