Trauma Counseling
Trauma is defined as the emotional or psychological response to a deeply disturbing or distressing event, It can be a real or perceived threat to your body, sanity, or life. Trauma has an overwhelmingly powerful impact on your sense of safety which results in feelings of powerlessness and fear. You don’t have to directly experience the event to be traumatized but can witness others go through a distressing situation, learn that the traumatic event occurred to someone close you, learned of a violent or accidental death of a loved one, or experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to details of traumatic events.
Situations That May Result in a Trauma Response:
- motor vehicle accident
- natural disaster, fire
- sexual abuse, assault, molestation
- physical abuse, assault, domestic violence
- war or terrorist attack
- shootings
- injury or illness
- witnessing domestic violence, sexual or physical assault, or the death or injury of someone
Symptoms of Trauma
- shock and denial immediately after the event
- feeling emotionally numb
- reliving the trauma
- being easily started or on edge
- shame and blaming oneself for the trauma
- mood swings, anger, or crying spells
- difficulty concentrating or remembering
- insomnia and difficulty falling asleep
- racing heartbeat and difficulty breathing
- feeling anxious, worried, or panic
- unexplained aches and pains
- muscle tensions
- weight gain or weight loss
When It’s Time to Get Professional Help For Your Trauma
- Your relationships are suffering
- You’re experiencing problems at work
- You’re having nightmares and flashbacks or painful memories
- You avoid people, places, and situations that remind you of the trauma
- You feel disconnected from others and it’s hard to feel emotions
- You use food, sex, alcohol, and drugs to cope
Trauma Counseling
As a trauma-informed therapist, I’ll use evidenced-based interventions such as cognitive processing and trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapies to help you to begin the healing process. With the trauma work we’ll do together, you will learn a new set of skills to help you change any perspectives of yourself and the world so you’ll feel safe, begin to trust, feel in control, and improve your relationships.