Traumatic stress is an anxiety condition which develops in the aftermath of traumatic, or life-threatening event(s).
Trauma can be the result of an acute, single experience or recurring, long-term exposure to emotionally invasive or life-threatening events, including childhood neglect, emotional, physical or sexual abuse, assault, chronic illness and/or community violence. For most people, trauma results from being being overwhelmed by an experience and not getting the soothing or support you need to recover from it.
Common traumatic stress reactions include unwanted recurring memories, emotional flashbacks, avoidance of people, places or events that remind you of the original trauma, persistent negative emotions, difficulties in relationships, constant feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, or worthlessness and experiencing physical symptoms, such as headaches or nausea, gastrointestinal distress. You may find yourself oscillating between states of high anxiety, hyper-vigilance, restlessness, hostility and depression, fatigue, disconnection or dissociation. This is normal. Effective treatment is available.
“As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself…The critical issue is allowing yourself to know what you know. That takes an enormous amount of courage.”
— Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Trauma-informed therapy is the difference between asking ‘what happened to you?’ rather than ‘what’s wrong with you?’ I specialize in treating PTSD, CPTSD and other types of trauma.
I use a variety of trauma-informed techniques to help you process your traumatic experience. Some involve visualizing, talking or thinking about the traumatic memory. Others focus on making meaning, integrating into your life’s story and challenging unhelpful beliefs about the trauma. Sharing the details of your trauma is your choice. While this this helpful for some survivors, it is not a required part of trauma-processing therapy.