Trauma comes in many forms and very few of us live a life unimpacted by it. Whether you have been traumatized by a single event, like an accident, life-threatening illness or natural disaster, or you have experienced complex traumas that result from years of all types of abuse, neglect and other childhood disasters, it is not too late to recover and reclaim your life!

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 lasting effects of unresolved trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, shame and confusion, or depression and anxiety far after the event has passed.

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

More often than not, it is the response to traumatic events that undergird our inability to heal and recover from them. Who did we process that event with? How was it seen or understood by others with us? Oftentimes, we suffer our traumas alone and cannot process our pain with the warmth and companionship of another and this is why therapy can be an essential ingredient to healing.

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. We integrate many forms of therapy to best suit the individual needs of the client, mindful that avoidance and discomfort are ever-present and must also be attended to in order to effectively treat trauma.

If you or someone you know matches the trauma symptoms listed above, I am confident that I can help and invite you to contact me today for a free consultation.