Therapy for Trauma
Trauma is the worst guest ever.
It’s the persistent and unwanted companion that you can’t seem to ditch with the distance of time or clever tricks. Even when you throw up a “No vacancy” sign, it still manages to sneak in through an unguarded door and stubbornly settle in against your wishes. All the coping strategies and distractions you reach for feel like Band-Aids that will fall off in an hour or two. The relief you get during this time is glorious and you just want it to stick around…
And then…
Cue the reminders. Whether it be a passing memory, casual comment, familiar place, unwanted touch, or change in a person’s tone, you feel the impact because it places you in a moment you’ve worked so hard to move away from. You tried therapy or read all the self-help books on healing from your past and embracing your present. Your brain is full of all the advice and suggestions, but there’s some obstacle that you can’t quite figure out how to move past.
It’s normal to feel stuck.
There are hundreds of approaches to address the effects of trauma. This is because it manifests in so many ways. It can show up as relationship problems, hesitation to set boundaries, uncertainty about your wants or needs, disliking yourself, a need to always be the best, rejection of authority, and that unexplainable sadness, worry, fear, and anger that often pops up. Since there are so many presentations and proposed treatments, it’s no wonder you’re feeling stuck and discouraged!
EMDR Therapy to help get unstuck
I’m trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy for trauma treatment. Many of my clients love this approach because it may show very quick improvements after just a few reprocessing sessions. This is because EMDR focuses on removing the strong negative charge old events have on the brain and body. We will use eye movements, tapping, or sounds to activate both parts of your brain and allow the reprocessing to take place. Because your brain is incredible, we tap into its natural healing ability to move those stuck memories through your system so that they are accessed as the past and have less influence in your present. This type of processing means you don’t have to tell me in-depth details about your past and can still get the healing you deserve.
The time to reach out is now.
Right now it may feel permanent. You feel like you’ve done everything, tried everything, and this is just your life now. False power and lack of control are the tools trauma uses to make us give up. You’re on this page for a reason. You want to understand what’s happening and work through this once and for all. I see you and admire the courage it took to make that decision, even if you’re only casually browsing therapist websites and aren’t sure if you’ll take that plunge yet. I want you to know that reaching out with curiosity to schedule that first session isn’t a binding contract. It doesn’t even mean we have to go into strict trauma therapy. We’ll spend time building a relationship and exploring what works and what doesn’t for your treatment. There are no stuffy clinical interviews. I won’t sit in front of you intensely scribbling pages of notes while murmuring “Mmmhmm, and how does that make you feel?” Honestly, who likes that anyways?
We’ll be two humans talking and connecting during our sessions. You can share the pieces you wish for me to know at a pace that feels safe and comfortable. Our time together may take us into building resources or processing through the roots of your experiences. Other times we may simply give space to current situations in your life. It may be the joys of accomplishment, worries about an upcoming change, or the fact that you’re pissed about spending all afternoon on homemade fajitas yesterday that didn’t quite turn out the way you wanted it to!
I invite you to connect with the part of you that is ready for change and embrace the parts that shy away with fear. They are all welcome. I’m here to help you sort through the conflicting sides and find a path that works for you and help you reach your recovery goals.
Reach out today to schedule your free 15-minute consultation!