Are You Dealing With The Aftereffects Of A Traumatic Event?
Has a traumatic event or series of events left you feeling tired, anxious, and depressed? Do you find yourself replaying the event over and over in your mind? Do you constantly feel on edge and unable to relax?
Perhaps this event has disrupted your sleep schedule. Are you awakened by dreams about the experience? Do you spend a lot of time ruminating on it before you go to sleep? Lack of sleep may have even led you to feeling exhausted and has made it more difficult to focus every day.
Maybe you can no longer do certain things that you used to do because they remind you of the traumatic event. Do you find yourself avoiding certain people or activities because you know they might trigger negative memories? Or is it difficult for you to talk about the situation because you fear how others will react?
It’s possible you may even be experiencing physical symptoms of trauma. Have you noticed increased headaches or heart palpitations with no discernible cause? Maybe you’ve tried to see doctors about these symptoms already, and they’ve failed to provide answers.
At the end of the day, you’d probably just like things to go back to the way they were. You want to feel normal again; you just don’t necessarily know how.
Many People Experience Trauma
About 70% of individuals will experience some sort of traumatic event in their lifetime. Sometimes, experiencing or witnessing such an event can cause an individual to get stuck, which makes it difficult to move on and function in everyday life.
While dealing with trauma in and of itself can be difficult, it is sometimes the way others act after a traumatic event that makes it worse. At times, telling people about the event will lead to them dismissing how much it affected you. Other times they may have a negative reaction that actually makes the trauma worse. This can lead you to bottling up thoughts and emotions and can make things even more difficult to process. Additionally, it can harm your trust in others and increase those feelings of not being safe.
But the reactions you may have to a traumatic experience are perfectly normal—and, despite what society may claim, you don’t have to go through them alone. A trained therapist can help you come to terms with the traumatic event and reclaim a sense of normalcy.
Trauma Therapy Is The First Step Towards Healing
Because so many people experience trauma, a wide variety of modalities have been developed to help them overcome it. Therapy is incredibly effective in helping to manage trauma symptoms and, with a little help, you’ll be able to experience relief as well.
I offer a safe, accepting space where you won’t have to fear being judged. I will absolutely never dismiss your concerns, and we will move at a pace that feels most comfortable to you. Additionally, I offer a private waiting room, so you don’t have to worry about others seeing you come in.
I believe that our bodies and minds are very good at healing themselves once we are able to remove whatever is preventing them from doing so. That’s why I provide a wide array of tools and techniques to help you integrate and process the event so you can start healing.
First sessions with me are usually all about collecting information. I will ask about your background, and you can ask about mine. We will work on getting comfortable with each other and try to establish a connection so you can feel relaxed going forward.
Our sessions after that will be tailored directly to you. No one person experiences trauma the same way, and so we may use a variety of options to help you process everything, from exploring art as an outlet to using exercise to simply talking.
I employ a variety of modalities to aid you in this process, but the ones I most commonly use are EMDR, narrative therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Additionally, I will often offer basic techniques—such as breathing exercises—to help you control anxiety and other intense emotions.
As someone who has worked for twelve years in this field, I know just how possible overcoming trauma is. I received my Masters in Counseling, spent 4 years working with abused and neglected children, and 6 years working with adult survivors of sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse, helping them learn how to manage their symptoms and heal from their trauma.
Seeing others heal has solidified my conviction that any form of trauma can be resolved, given time. You don’t have to be stuck in the same place forever. With the right treatment, you can live a normal, happy life and finally feel like yourself again.
You may still have some reservations about trauma therapy…
I’ve had bad experiences trying to tell others about this in the past. How do I know this won’t be the same?
I am very good at helping people feel respected and taken seriously—I will never dismiss any concerns or symptoms you might have. I am understanding, compassionate, and non-judgmental and provide a space where you can feel safe and be heard.
I’m not sure I can handle talking about my trauma.
There are many ways to help people heal from trauma, some of which don’t even involve having to talk about it. We will move at whatever pace you feel comfortable, so you don’t have to worry about pushing yourself to talk about things before you’re ready.
I’m worried others will judge me for going to therapy.
Therapy is completely confidential; whatever you say to me won’t leave the office. Moreover, I am committed to respecting your privacy by providing my own private waiting room and doing all my own scheduling and billing. This means that no one has to know that you’re going to therapy if you don’t want them to know.
Learn More About Trauma Therapy
You don’t have to be stuck with your trauma forever. I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation at 505-264-0698 if you would like to learn more. By working together, we can help you overcome your trauma and find peace in your life.
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