Trauma Therapy
Is there something from your past that you thought you let go of, but every now and then you notice that it creeps up? Maybe a car accident that has stopped you from wanting to drive. Living through a major natural disaster like a fire, hurricane or flood.
Or maybe you experienced emotional, physical or verbal abuse. A survivor of harassment or social isolation due to your gender expression or ethnicity.
Traumatic experiences can vary significantly from person to person. What may be a small or manageable event for one individual could be overwhelming and deeply distressing for another.
Have you found the need to turn off the news because you’re unable to take in all of the negative things going on in the world? Does your chest tighten when you see a police officer even though you know you’ve done nothing wrong?
Secondary traumatic stress also known as compassion fatigue is real. Health professionals, human service workers and anyone who has indirect exposure to trauma can all experience feelings of compassion fatigue.
What can trauma look like:
- Anxiety and fear
- Avoiding people, places or activities
- Having trouble sleeping
- Emotional numbing
- Feeling detached
- Feelings of shame
- Self-harm
- Being easily scared by sounds
- Being overly aware of your surroundings
- Intrusive thoughts
- Mood swings
- Self-doubt, low self-esteem
- Substance use or abuse
- Having negative thoughts about yourself
- Withdrawing from friends and family
The primary goal of trauma therapy is to address the emotional and psychological impact of the traumatic event, reduce symptoms of trauma-related disorders, and promote healing and resilience.
Trauma therapy is tailored to meet your unique needs and experiences and the length of treatment can vary depending on the severity of the trauma and your response to therapy.
Tools that may be used in session(s):
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)
Trauma can create a fracture in our lives making us feel vulnerable and helpless.
Not working through your trauma can have a negative impact on your day to day. You may have trouble with the relationships in your life, might have ongoing nightmares or even develop a negative self-esteem. Trauma is not determined solely by the nature of the event but rather by how you process and respond to it.
This is why two people who experience the same event may react in vastly different ways. Healing from trauma is a process that takes time and effort; begin your journey towards healing today!