Counseling for Past or Present Trauma

Most people will experience trauma in their lifetime whether it’s past childhood abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to violence, or trauma brought on by medical crises.

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 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 is fundamental to healing from trauma.

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

I have the following trauma healing specializations: Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT); Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT); Somatic Experiencing (SE);  Theraplay and Trauma-Focused Integrated Play Therapy (both for children), and; Applied Functional Medicine Coaching (impact of trauma on the body).