Trauma
What is trauma?
When we experience something extremely stressful, the event gets stored uniquely in our memory. Because of this, the area of the brain associated with our “Fight, Flight, or Freeze Response” fires excessively, even though we aren’t in true danger. This happens when an aspect of the present moment represents something from a past traumatic experience. The past therefore continues to be repeated and relieved, often feeling disruptive, frustrating, and hopeless. In a therapeutic setting, we define trauma as: any event(s) from the past that is disrupting your life in the present.
How can therapy help?
Because traumatic events are so painful, people tend to avoid thinking about them and they therefore remain unprocessed. However, avoidance is the engine that keeps trauma symptoms running. When trauma is avoided, it grows bigger and more significant over time, further impacting one’s ability to function well and achieve their potential.
By processing traumatic events in therapy, healing and growth become possible. The traumatic event(s) can be properly stored in your memory, so that the past no longer rules the present, and triggers decrease. Additionally, the things, people, or situations you have been avoiding can now be approached. Life grows fuller. It takes tremendous courage to work through these difficult events, but it proves worth it when you begin to see the beautiful changes in your life.
Why choose us?
We work with trauma compassionately, using the strongest evidence based therapies. These include: Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). As we begin working together, we will go over a treatment plan, and discuss different options for approaching and healing from trauma.
Trauma is often overlooked for symptoms that commonly co-occur, such as depression. By working with the root of the problem, your healing will be deeper and more impactful.