Counseling for Trauma & PTSD

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Trauma is the experience of severe psychological distress following any terrifying or life-threatening event. Such circumstances typically involve loss of control, betrayal, abuse of power, helplessness, pain, confusion and/or loss. It is not the experience, but the person's response to it, that determines the level of trauma.

In the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event, people often experience shock or denial. They may experience ongoing problems with sleep or physical pain, feel distressed in their personal and professional relationships, or feel intense stress and a diminished sense of self-worth. A range of emotional reactions, such as fear, anger, guilt, shame, helplessness and vulnerability are common. 

For many people, trauma response symptoms will abate after a period of time. But when the symptoms linger or possibly get worse, you may have post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of PTSD can be grouped into four main areas - intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.

Intrusive memories may include flashbacks, upsetting dreams or nightmares, recurrent distressing memories of the event, and severe emotional distress or physical reactivity to things that remind you of the traumatic event.

Symptoms of avoidance may include trying not to think or talk about the event, and avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event.

Negative changes in thinking and mood may take the form of feeling hopeless, feeling negative about yourself or other people or the world in general, having memory problems, having difficulty maintaining close relationships, feeling detached from family and friends, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, and feeling detached or emotionally numb.

Changes in physical and emotional reactions may include being easily startled or frightened, being unable to trust others, always being on guard for danger, irritability, shame, guilt, anger or aggression, self-destructive behaviors, and difficulty sleeping or concentrating.  Anxiety and depression may also develop.

Because traumatic experiences are so terrifying and often life threatening, it is very hard for survivors to talk about them. Often they keep the experiences to themselves, and may not tell anyone for years, not even therapists. Survivors of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and bullying, for example, may have learned to protect themselves through denial, disbelief and dissociation, and may not fully remember what happened to them.

If you are struggling with past trauma, we will start our work together by doing everything possible to help you feel safe.  There is no pressure.  What we talk about, how fast or slow we go, how deep we go - you are completely in charge of those decisions. I am there as a companion and guide, someone who has walked alongside many others who have been through what you are going through, so that you do not have do go through it alone.

Together we can become aware of the triggers that lead to unwanted symptoms like hyperarousal, hypervigilance, dissociation, numbing, and anxiety. I can help you practice new coping skills and techniques to manage these triggers, such as relaxation training, desensitization and grounding, so that you can manage your emotions more effectively and start to feel better. 

Together we can explore the ways you think about things and correct problem thoughts that may be keeping you stuck. We can work on processing your experiences and emotions in a gentle and safe way, so that you can integrate and organize them and reconnect the pieces of your life and make sense of things.

And together we can discover hidden strengths that will build your confidence and increase your feelings of personal control, competence, security and safety.