Trauma & PTSD

Trauma is not what happens to you; it’s what happens inside you.  It’s the thoughts and beliefs created inside yourself as a result of your experience. 

It’s not just the wound itself that matters; it’s how you interpret it and how you come to think certain things about yourself, the world, and other people.  If someone were abused or neglected as a child, they’d never be someone who wasn’t abused or neglected.  If someone were a victim of a violent crime, they’d never be someone who wasn’t the victim of a violent crime.  The good news is that even though the past cannot be changed, a qualified trauma therapist can help you heal the thoughts, beliefs, and feelings related to past experiences.  Are you ready to feel empowered? 

I know you’re ready to move past your trauma and feel better. The good news is PTSD treatment is available to you in the comfort of your own home.

Working with a trauma and PTSD specialist you can trust can help you heal from past wounds and feel increased personal strength, a sense of inner calmness, a greater appreciation for life, more joy, and improved relationships.

PTSD can be caused by terrifying experiences such as relationship violence, witnessing a frightening event, or near-death experiences. Trauma can also be caused when a child’s basic needs for safety, security, love, and protection aren’t met. The lack of these basic needs causes trauma through the perception of the child’s mind. Chronic childhood stress such as emotional neglect, angry caregivers, shame, or bullying can cause trauma. When confronting one’s trauma, it’s beneficial to engage with someone who understands how to manage the resulting feelings and memories, assisting you in feeling safe and empowered throughout the process.

Does life seem like it's unmanageable and just too hard?

Experiencing trauma in the past or present may make you feel like you’re different from others. Sometimes you may lash out and, other times, withdraw or feel numb.
EMDR or Hypnosis Therapy can help you feel increased personal strength, a sense of inner calmness, a greater appreciation for life, and improved relationships that help you feel connected and alive.

Do any of the following resonate with you?

  • You avoid or withdraw from family or friends.
  • You struggle with sadness or depression, and you can’t seem to pull yourself out of it.
  • You’re full of fear and have high anxiety even though there’s presently nothing to cause it.
  • Your mind is stuck on flashbacks, memories, and you feel exhausted from all of it.
  • You carry guilt and shame or can’t silence that inner hostile critic.

Trauma & PTSD Therapy
helps you in countless ways:

We’ll get to the root cause of your problems and heal them at a deep level, so past experiences no longer control you.

  • We’ll work on extinguishing negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors so you can have the life you deserve.
  • I’ll give you lots of tools to help you stay mindful and live in the “now.”
  • If insomnia is a problem for you, we’ll get you sleeping well since sleep is an essential part of good mental health.

We’ll go through this process together, and I’ll tailor each step to your unique needs and circumstances.  My approach to Trauma & PTSD therapy comes from a place of empathy and understanding of the dynamics of trauma and witnessing time and time again that incredible healing and wellness is possible for you.  I am also a trauma survivor myself and have healed.  So that means I know what it’s like to experience trauma, and I know what it’s like to heal and feel happy and empowered. 

You don’t have to live life feeling exhausted, out of control, and undeserving. 

You may be wondering-

What can I expect during the first session?

Overall, you can think of the first session as a structured assessment that helps us get to know each other. You’ll get to know my style and approach, and I’ll get to know your life story and what brought you into treatment.  We can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.  Some questions that I like to ask during a first session include:

  • What brought you to therapy?
  • What’s present for you in your life right now?
  • What goals would you like to reach by coming to therapy?
  • Have you had therapy in the past?  Did it help you achieve your goals?

Therapy with me is all about us working together so we can achieve your goals.  You can ask me questions at any time during our session.  You might be curious about how I can help you once I get the details of your current situation and current goals.  The most important part of the first session is to notice how you feel during and after our session.  If you feel safe, accepted, and comfortable when we have our session, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.

How do I know if you are the right therapist for me?

Take your time to read through my website. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.  We can discuss my approach during our call.  You’ll also be able to share what’s going on for you, and I can share my ideas around how I can help you and how I’ve helped others like you.

It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as trying out the waters together. During the sessions, you’ll be able to see how you feel working with me.  My approach is not going to work for everyone.  Most important to me is that you find someone you think is the right fit for you.  We can explore that together.

I'm nervous about starting therapy. Is that normal?

Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it’s natural to be nervous. It can be scary to think of opening up or to cry in front of someone new, perhaps fearing that it will be awkward and uncomfortable. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. It takes courage to start going to therapy. The fact that you are on this website, looking for help, and reading this right now shows that you are brave and seeking help. When you have therapy with me, we’ll provide a space where you can be yourself and welcome all of the feelings you might have, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible.

What if I don't want to talk about something?

If something feels overwhelming or even terrifying to discuss, that’s very normal.  It can often feel difficult to talk about some things.  During our sessions, you never have to talk about something you’re not comfortable talking about. I’ll be there to guide you towards discovering what feels comfortable for you to share with me.  Together we’ll workata pace that feels good for you, and we can look at the tough stuff when you’re ready.

You can also share with me that you are nervous about opening up about something, and we can talk about that too.  Whatever is present for you.  Whatever you are going through. Bring that to oursession, and we can explore that together.

I'm scared that if I open up, you will think I'm a terrible person.

If you open up to me, I will not think you are a terrible person; I will assume you are courageous and strong.  Many of my clients have had the same fear.  I know that what you are going through is common through decades of working with people like you. You’re a good person. Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you or think you are a terrible person, even if you’ve done “bad” things.  Every person has done something “bad” in their life.  I know that may be hard to believe right now, but you’ll discover after working with me that I’m very open and non-judgmental. 

We all have our strengths and weaknesses; we all suffer in different ways. Everyone does the best they can with the skills, knowledge, and internal resources they have.  Whatever you’re going through, I provide a safe space where you can feel heard and supported without judgment.

Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?

It can be worrying that something you say in therapy might get out into our close-knit community, so you should know that unless you are suicidal, harming yourself, or someone else, what you say in sessions stays between you and me.  I highly respect your privacy and value your trust. You can rest assured that you can talk about anythingwithout fear of that information getting out.

How long will therapy take?

Are you asking how long therapy will take because you are currently struggling and want relief fast?  If this is true for you, I want you to know that, on average, my new clients start seeing improvements more quickly than they thought was possible.  After several sessions, they feel a little more hopeful that healing is possible.

The total duration of therapy varies from client to client.  Some of my clients find 12-16 weeks to be enough to resolve immediate challenges. In comparison, other clients feel more supported by longer-term therapy.  We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.

How can I get started?

I’m here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can share what’s going on for you, and I can share my ideas around how I can help you.  Just click on the link below and let me know the best times of the day to schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation. 

Life can be an enjoyable journey. CBT, EMDR and Hypnotherapy provide excellent results for PTSD Therapy. Telehealth is a great option for busy professionals.

It may feel impossible now, but we can work together and heal your traumatic experiences. You can feel good about connecting with others.

You can feel thankful to have a life ahead full of opportunities, and you can be proud of who you are.  I can help you get there.