Let’s work through that confusion.
You may benefit from trauma therapy or EMDR treatment if you are experiencing intense emotions, negative thoughts and beliefs about yourself, extreme guilt and shame, or strained relationships with others.
Trauma is unique to the experience of the individual recovering from it and not the subject matter itself.
You are believed, valued, and validated in what happened. Your story is enough. You may feel that others “have it worse” or “at least I ___________.” No matter the circumstances, you are allowed to feel exactly how you are feeling. Let’s take some time to explore what comes up.
I want to empower you to regain your sense of self.
It does not matter how long ago it happened or the exact details of what happened… it’s painful, scary, terrifying, and maybe at times frustrating. Let’s work together to process and heal.
I aim to create a space where you feel safe and secured. There is no timeline or pressure to “hurry up and get over it.”
Whether it is from narcissistic abuse from a parent or within a relationship, childhood trauma, neglect, domestic violence, sexual assault, or something that completely shook up your sense of the world. I am here to support you through the healing to find coping strategies and instill hope that you will regain yourself again.
You are not a victim. You are a survivor. You are not to blame for what you did in order to cope with the traumatic experiences. You may experience shutting others out, closing off your emotions, getting irritable towards others, resorting to various behaviors, or experiencing more emotional breakdowns.
You've faced some incredibly challenging experiences, maybe that was sexual abuse, emotional neglect, abandonment, or even narcissistic abuse. These are not easy burdens to bear, and your resilience in navigating them is truly remarkable. Through it all, you've discovered the unique coping mechanisms that have propelled you to excel in your career. This has provided you with a sense of control and a platform to demonstrate your worth, which is an incredible testament to your strength.
What's even more impressive is that despite having to keep your emotions in check, your inner strength continues to shine through. You've emerged from your struggles as a kind and compassionate individual. Your own experiences have cultivated a deep well of empathy and understanding for others going through difficult times. You often find yourself extending a helping hand or a listening ear to those in need.
As you continue your journey, it's important to remember that addressing those suppressed emotions is a significant step toward healing and finding greater balance and fulfillment in your life. Your compassionate nature, born from your trials, is a beautiful gift that you can share with the world, offering solace and support to those who have faced similar challenges.
mental health treatment for trauma.
trauma is…
experiencing a very difficult, scary, stressful, or distressing event or ongoing event that can happen at any age typically causing long-lasting harm. People react differently to various experience.
It can impact future experiences or worsen current problems.
trauma responses.
fight - fighting, struggling, protesting, hyper-reactive
flight - avoiding, hiding, moving away, escaping
freeze - struggling to move, feeling paralyzed
fawn - trying to please people who harm you, people-pleasing
flop - doing what you’re told without ability to protest
acknowledge your trauma.
Some therapists like to separate traumatic experiences into two categories: “Big T” and “Little T.”
Big T are events classified by the DSM-5 that are real/perceived threats to life or an event that feels powerless and out of your control. Many see the Big T traumas as abuse, combat/war, accidents, and natural disaster which can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Little T traumas are seen as everyday occurrences that one is unable to handle and cope with properly. Typically, it could be seen as manageable, but after chronic or long-term build-up, Little T’s can negatively impact one’s self-beliefs, emotions that have similar symptoms to PTSD. Examples can be bullying, chronic pain, infidelity, gaslighting by partner or caretaker, divorce, a difficult birth, poverty, negative foster care experience, being criticized throughout childhood.
For me, I don’t like to distinguish them as Big T and Little T trauma because I believe both experiences hold equal weight and should be treated likewise.
You may feel that your story is “not enough” to go to therapy for or you “should just get over it because it’s only _______.” You may have even tried to spend years suppressing down your emotions or trying to forget what had happened. However, I want you to know that your trauma story is VALID and should be treated as such. It’s real and it can definitely impact you significantly. When you feel like you are struggling to deal with these thoughts, emotions, or behaviors, I am here to help you process through them. You don’t have to do this alone.
What is EMDR therapy?
Information from the EMDRIA website
Interested in EMDR therapist? Great news, I am trained! Please send inquiries specifying your request for EMDR therapy.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy:
extensively researched
effective psychotherapy method
proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences (PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders)
allows for the brain to return to its healing process naturally
does not require talking in great details about traumatic events