Trauma & PTSD Therapy

With life’s ups and downs, all humans will experience trauma to some degree. It can be helpful to turn to therapy when past trauma becomes consuming or affects your ability to be present and live fully. 

What is trauma?

Trauma can be understood in two categories: single-incident trauma and complex trauma.

Complex trauma occurs as a result of many events over time or prolonged trauma. This can include ongoing childhood abuse, growing up in a high-conflict home, or having unsafe or unstable relationships with a caregiver. 

Single incident trauma, which can cause Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, can be caused by events such as natural disasters, assault, or car accidents.

What can trauma look like?

Both complex trauma and PTSD can affect individuals both somatically and emotionally. Traumatized brains and bodies may be in a consistent protective state, scanning the world for unsafe situations, which can cause of symptoms such as:

  • Intrusive memories or flashbacks 

  • Intense anxiety 

  • Avoidance of reminders of the traumatic event.

  • Feeling of detachment or otherness 

  • Emotional Dysregulation

  • Difficulties with self-perception 

  • Chronic feelings of emptiness 

  • Difficulties in forming and maintaining healthy relationships

How I Work With Trauma

I operate from the belief that everyone has a part inside of them that cannot be harmed. Throughout trauma-focused therapy, I guide my clients in accessing this part of them as a resource. I have found Internal Family Systems theory, mindfulness approaches, and EMDR (detailed below) to be very effective in helping individuals find relief from shame, embarrassment, reactivity, feelings of disconnect, anxiety, and other trauma symptoms. 

EMDR for Trauma

EMDR is a trauma-focused intervention that uses bilateral stimulation such as eye movements or tapping to help clients resolve memories from traumatic events. EMDR can be an effective intervention for both single incident and complex trauma in the distant or recent past.

When traumatic events occur, the event may be stored in short-term memory rather than in long-term memory. When an event is stored in short-term memory, it can be triggered in situations that are even mildly similar to the traumatic event, causing uncomfortable symptoms such as anxiety and flashbacks.

Through use of bilateral stimulation, EMDR reprocesses the traumatic memory and store it in long-term memory, therefore reducing its disturbance.

Why EMDR ?

EMDR has been found to be very effective in the treatment of trauma by several reputable organizations including American Psychiatric Association, Veterans Affairs, and the World Health Organization. 

Wondering if EMDR could be a good fit for you?

Schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation call now.