HEALING TRAUMA

Many people who experience traumatic events - sexual violence, verbal and physical abuse, crime, car/bike accidents, surgery, combat, and neglect - live with a sense of dread, physical discomfort and a deep longing for relief.  Victims of trauma can become stuck in a state of high alert and rarely feel fully relaxed. You may discover that your life is being limited as you try to aviod putting yourself in situations that can trigger anxiety and overwhelm. You may also experience insomnia, difficulty sleeping, or even recurring nightmares.

BUILDING SAFETY AND TRUST

Trauma survivors can have a difficult time feeling physically or emotionally safe.  This can be even more challenging in the presence of intense emotions.  To address these feelings, together we will slowly and mindfully create a strong and emotionally sensitive therapeutic relationship.  We will work together to help you feel more comfortable in your body and to develop a greater sense of safety out in the world.  We will also discuss and plan for situations that may trigger a traumatic response so that you have tools to navigate your physical and emotional responses.

EMDR AND RECLAIMING YOUR SELF

For people who suffer from trauma, the brain is activated so that the past event “feels” like it is happening in the present.  The old part of our brain that is focused on survival does not have a sense of time, so past and present can exist as one. To address your need for relief and to develop a new relationship to your fear and pain, I have trained in the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)*.  EMDR helps the brain connect the part of you that has insight and knows that you have survived with the part that is caught in the traumatic event.  EMDR uses sight, sound and touch to stimulate both hemispheres of the brain and facilitate a powerful new kind of neurological communication.  

 Ultimately, we will strive together to reconnect the parts of you that got disconnected or lost when the trauma occurred. This means that over time, we will work towards finding your inner resources and strength, helping you to feel like a whole person again, confident, thriving and able to connect with your family, friends and community.

*Completed an EMDR International Association Approved Course in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Basic Training, Parts 1, 2, and 3) with Laurel Parnell, Ph.D.