Counseling for Trauma

Most people will experience trauma in their lifetime whether it’s a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster.  "Trauma" can be understood as anything that was too overwhelming, scary or unpredictable for the brain to process properly.

While many people can recover from trauma over time with the love and support of family and friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover the effects of lasting trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed.

In these circumstances, the support, guidance, and assistance of a therapist are fundamental to healing from trauma.

Complex Trauma

Trauma is considered complex when the traumatic conditions were chronic over time, which is often the case with child abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect.  In other words, the traumatic experience was not a one-time event.  

EMDR, in conjunction with IFS therapy, is a powerful way to ease the burdens and the stress that can result from complex trauma, as well as to address the dissociative disorders that can come along with it.  

Trauma Symptoms

According to the four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5.

Avoidance Symptoms

• Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event
• Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt

Re-experiencing Symptoms

• Intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or flashbacks

Hyperarousal Symptoms

• Anger, irritability, and hypervigilance
• Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm
• Sleep disturbances

Negative Mood and Cognition Symptoms

• Loss of interest in activities that were once considered enjoyable
• Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event
• Change in habits or behavior since the trauma

Research has proven psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the most studied types of therapy for PTSD in existence and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of trauma.  I am a certified EMDR therapist, and this is my preferred method of treatment.

If you or someone you know matches the trauma symptoms listed above, I invite you to contact me today for a free consultation.