Trauma Therapy

“THE TRAUMA SAID, ‘DON’T WRITE THESE POEMS. NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR YOU CRY ABOUT THE GRIEF INSIDE YOUR BONES.’ MY BONES SAID, ‘Write the Poems.’”

-Andrea Gibson

What is Trauma?

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At one point in time, trauma was defined only by bearing witness to or being victim of a single life-threatening experience, as in the case of war, natural disaster, a car accident, physical or sexual assault. These traumatic experiences often cause life-altering physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms synonymous with PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Now, we are seeing a wider range of traumatic experiences causing similar symptoms that are due to a different flavor of trauma that is often relational and lasts over months or years. We call this form - complex trauma and it causes CPTSD, or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Complex trauma occurs in relationship with caregivers, significant others, co-workers, and even close friends. It can look like :

  • Chronic emotional, physical, or sexual abuse (including witnessing of)

  • Neglect

  • Gaslighting

  • Overuse of substances or addiction within a relationship

  • Codependency or Narcissism within a relationship

  • Mental illness within a relationship

What are some trauma symptoms or symptoms of PTSD?

Some common symptoms of complex ptsd include:

  • Insomnia or trouble sleeping

  • Emotional dysregulation

  • Social anxiety

  • Obsessive thinking or fixating on the trauma

  • Low self-esteem resulting in false perceptions of self

  • Difficulty in relationships

  • Uncomfortable bodily symptoms like shortness of breath, headaches, chronic pain or tension in the body

  • Maladaptive coping strategies that leave you feeling guilty or depressed after (substance use, sexual promiscuity, other risky behavior)

  • Suicidal thoughts

You are not alone.

Unfortunately, trauma is an incredibly common occurance that millions of others are suffering from. If can feel incredibly isolating when the wound that trauma has caused is following you around like a dark cloud, further seperating you from relating to others and functioning in the world in the way you would like to. In truth, you are not alone. In PTSD therapy, the shame around the trauma can start to lessen and further healing can take place.

A holistic approach to healing trauma

Because recent research has shown that trauma and it’s resulting stress harms us through physiological changes in both the body and the brain, I use a holistic approach in PTSD therapy to help you find the healing you are looking for. First, it is important to establish trust and security in the relationship between client and therapist. This takes a different amount of time for different people. Particularly if the traumatic experience occurred within relationship, it is to be expected that building trust and feeling safe is foundational to doing deeper trauma work. My intention is to provide a warm and non-judgemental space for you to feel safe and secure. From there, we can approach your trauma and the wounding that occurred as a result of it with the utmost compassion and tenderness. I will continue to invite compassion and acceptance into the work we do together as we go. As boundaries arise, I acknowledge those equally as well.

Leaning on insights gathered through the body and identifying thoughts, beliefs, memories, sensations, and emotions associated with the traumatic experience allows for a deeper understanding of what happened within. Often times clients describe a tension or pain, a feeling of stuckness, confinement, alongside emotion like anger, frustration, guilt, or shame.  Others describe numbness or dissociation combined with sensations of heaviness or tingling in the body. Because the nervous system went through a period of overwhelm when the trauma happened, it makes sense to have a variety of reactions from overstimulation to utter exhaustion. Part of the role of therapist is to track for these sensations as you go so that the trauma isn’t in a sense relived, but instead rewritten in a way that feels relieving and empowering to you. By becoming more aware of what is happening within, you can reclaim the parts of you that were lost to the trauma. Through PTSD therapy you can become whole again.

“Beneath the surface of the protective parts of trauma survivors there exists an undamaged essence, a Self that is confident, curious, and calm…”

-Bessel A. Van der Kolk, Body Keeps the Score

In addition, mindfulness tools alongside grounding and resourcing exercises allows for further integration of new material. In PTSD therapy, we slowly and intentionally acknowledge and identify the nuances of the internal experience of the trauma in a way that feels safe and supported, ultimately giving the psyche an opportunity to reintegrate the trauma in an entirely new way. This process allows for long lasting freedom and relief from suffering.

Frequently Asked Questions to Trauma and Trauma Therapy

Is trauma therapy stressful?

Focusing on your trauma can feel overwhelming at first because often we are allowing ourselves to feel what we may have blocked out at the time the experience occurred. A good therapist can track when the overwhelm is going beyond your “window of tolerance” and offer some tools to soothe the nervous system in the moment, stopping the overwhelm from becoming completely intolerable. 

How do I know when the treatment is working?

When you are able to look at what happened in your past and not become totally consumed or distraught by it nor needing to fully avoid it, you know the ptsd therapy is working. When you have different, less reactive thoughts, feelings, sensations, and emotions around the trauma, you know the treatment is taking effect. Often a sense of wisdom and deeper insight is gained as well and that’s when you know you’ve moved through something. 

What should I look for in a therapist to help me with my trauma symptoms or symptoms of PTSD?

All therapists are different. Doing some research prior to starting treatment can be helpful in gathering the information you need to feel comfortable and assured that you are in good hands. Often a combination of evidence-based practices alongside a therapist who uses a “trauma-informed approach” is key to getting the treatment you need and deserve. Even still, some therapists may have a personality or flavor to their therapy that you jive with more. Sometimes it takes experimenting with a few to really know what feels best. 

How do I know if what I experienced was actually trauma?

Many of the trauma symptoms listed at the top of this page are good indicators of a traumatic experience or symptoms that are common with people who have ptsd. Ultimately, deep down you know if something impacted you in such a significant way that it left a mark. Other times, we need validation. If you are unsure, you can always ask your therapist or a trusted other who knows more about trauma.