Trauma Therapy
“Curiously enough, if we primarily try to shield ourselves from discomfort, we suffer. Yet when we don’t close off and we let our hearts break, we discover our kinship with all beings.”
- Janina Fisher
What is Trauma?
Trauma is an emotional response to a very stressful, frightening, or distressing event.. Immediately following the event, it is normal to feel a wide range of emotions or physical responses to the stress.
When therapists talk about trauma, we are referring to situations or events 1) someone might find traumatic and 2) how that person is affected by their experiences.
Trauma can happen with the following:
one-off or ongoing events
being directly harmed or witnessing harm to someone else
living in a traumatic environment
being harassed, bullied, or discriminated against for your identity or disability
racism (find out more about racial trauma)
Going through further trauma can cause someone to start being affected by past experiences, or it can make existing problems worse.
How does trauma affect me?
Trauma affects everyone differently. It is personal. These are a few experiences that you might recognize if you feel you have experienced trauma:
your body is sending stress signals long after the danger is over (learn more about the autonomic nervous system).
avoidance, flashbacks, panic attacks, dissociation
sleep problems, hyperarousal, substance misuse
low self-esteem, grief, self-harm or suicidal feelings
interpersonal relationship strain, isolation, disengaged
physical symptoms (headaches, nausea, body pains, gastro-intestinal issues, etc..)
When these symptoms last long after the traumatic event and significantly disrupts a your ability to function, it is important to remember that it’s ok to ask for help.
My Approach to Trauma Therapy
Trauma looks different for each person, so trauma treatment looks different, too. I start with with a blend of assessments to give us a good picture of how the effects of trauma is showing up in your life.
Some people find it helpful to get a diagnosis to feel validating or connect them to a community that explains what they are going through. A diagnosis is also necessary for to qualify for disability services or job protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act. A diagnosis is also necessary for insurances to cover or reimburse treatment.
Others may feel that a diagnostic approach makes their problems more pathologized and that it may ignore other factors that are causing the problem. To some, labeling the problem does not help and can provide distress via fears of stigma.
I am trained to use various modalities specifically researched to treat trauma, regardless of your choice to pursue a diagnosis. Some of my most used are: Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed Parts Work, Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Somatic & Experiential Interventions. These modalities focus on building internal safety, calming the autonomic nervous system, psychoeducation, and can utilize safe exposure techniques.
I will always approach trauma work with what works for you and will never ask you to talk about or explore something you are not ready to. You are the expert of your experiences and body.