The Effects of Trauma
Trauma sometimes leads to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and sometimes it does not. Some ways the effects of trauma show up include:
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Difficulty trusting others
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Feeling on edge and being overly aware of your environment
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Monitoring other people's emotions and reactions by noticing small changes in their facial expression or subtle changes in their tone of voice
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Questioning your perception situations
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Feeling the need to be in control at all times
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People pleasing
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and more...
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We can explore your experiences of trauma to better understand the effects it has had on you and then figure out ways to cope.
What Is Trauma?
Are you often wondering if stressful experiences in your life were traumatic? Are you noticing changes in your thoughts about yourself and the world as a result of experiencing severe stress? Do you feel like something feels "off" with your mental health, but you can't quite pinpoint what?
Trauma is any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behavior, and other aspects of functioning. Trauma can take many forms.
Trauma can be:
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Abusive relationships
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Poverty
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Painful and frightening medical procedures
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Witnessing an event that caused serious harm to someone
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Experiencing prejudice and discrimination
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Having a job that regularly exposes you to others' trauma
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Pregnancy Loss
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and more...
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Whether it's through personal lived experience, vicarious experiences through others, or media exposure- we live in a world where trauma can feel like it's everywhere on a daily basis. This can be a lot to take in and feel.
What We Can Do About It
Healing requires attention to the cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms of trauma. I approach trauma therapy through:
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Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
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Internal Family Systems (IFS)
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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Relational therapy
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Self-compassion
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Mindfulness
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Body-based interventions
My goal as your therapist is to work collaboratively in a way that feels safe to you so that you can have a warm and secure environment to work through your traumatic experiences. I want to help you identify how your trauma has impacted you and therefore help you gain a sense of autonomy in managing your emotional wellbeing.
To schedule your free 15 minute consultation call please fill out the form below. To read more about topics related to trauma, see my blogs.
Contact me if you are ready to change your relationship to your trauma and feel more connected with yourself.