_edited.png)
“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness."- Bessel van der Kolk
What is trauma?
If you’re like most folks I’ve worked with, you’ve likely experienced trauma. This can be a single incident or it can be a series of events that accumulated over time. These painful experiences affect you emotionally, physically and spiritually. You may be left feeling guilty, ashamed and alone. You may also deal with chronic anxiety and depression that you just can't make sense of. You might find yourself self-medicating with substance use, overeating, compulsive sex or overspending. You may also struggle with relationships. Why? Because trauma often occurs from someone who you cared for deeply. This can lead you to question who you can trust, and if you are truly deserving of love and care at all.
There are several types of trauma.
The earlier the trauma happens in life, the most impactful it will be on the psyche. Trauma was first introduced as a phenomenon suffered by combat veterans. Now, we understand trauma as anything that overwhelms our capacity to cope. This can include:
-
Relational Trauma
-
Childhood Trauma
-
Sexual Trauma
-
Intergenerational trauma
Establishing safety is the first, and most crucial, step.
Trauma therapy is about feeling safe again: feeling safe in your environment, in your relationships and with yourself. The essence of trauma is a lack of safety. Therefore, feeling safe in your body, your surroundings and your relationships is essential to begin unpacking trauma. After a trauma, we often feel anxious, depressed, lonely and out of control. Our bodies go into a state of permeant alert, waiting to defend off another attack. Or, we may feel numb, disconnected and depressed. You may question your judgement and your ability to perceive danger. You may feel unable to regulate your emotions now. Or you may avoid relationships altogether, unsure of who you can trust.
What does it mean to heal?
Healing from trauma is a return to your true, authentic self. The core experience after trauma is feeling helpless. Guilt and shame are innate responses to trauma. Typically, trauma survivors absorb some sense of shame, even though they are not to blame for what happened to them. The goal of therapy will be to find your power again. To no longer feel anxious, depressed, or any other uncomfortable post-traumatic state. There are several modalities to treat trauma. With my clients, I use an eclectic approach, drawing on several modalities to tailor treatment uniquely to each person’s needs.
I practice the most evidenced-based trauma therapy modalities, which include:
-
IFS (internal family systems)
-
Cognitive behavioral therapy
-
Cognitive processing
-
Prolonged exposure
You don't have to do this alone.
I have years of specialized experience treating substance use in private practice, intensive outpatient and residential levels of care. I can help you understand what's driving the urge to self-medicate. I work with clients using both harm reduction and abstinence based recovery models. I can also connect you with the resources you will need to beat this.
​
You should be proud of yourself for seeking help. It takes courage to face life on life’s terms--without the numbing effects of drugs and alcohol.
