What is trauma?

Trauma is the emotional and physiological response related to a terrible event, or series of events. Trauma responses are distressing; they can feel out of our control and difficult to manage in day to day settings.

If you’re here, chances are you know this feeling intimately. Maybe you’re out of a traumatic environment or relationship, but you are suffering from longer term effects you didn’t notice until now.

Frequently, trauma shows up later, when we’re safe.

You may notice trouble with your partner, coworkers, or friends. You may have a hard time thinking clearly, making decisions, sleeping, or have unexplained physical aches and pains. Trauma is often very uncomfortable.

But there’s good news: trauma is treatable.

EMDR is one of the leading, therapeutic modalities that has been proven to lessen both physical and emotional symptoms of trauma. I work with my clients to ensure the therapy room is a safe space to explore whatever memories, experiences, or events have impacted or are currently impacting their life. Healing is possible, and you are not alone.

Trauma I work with:

  • Complex Trauma is repeated or chronic abuse/neglect that took place over a long period of time.

    This can look like:

    • Chronic yelling or explosiveness from parents/caregivers

    • Parents giving constant criticism to their children

    • Lack of proper, developmentally appropriate attention as a child

    • Being in a relationship with someone who abuses substances

    • Bullying in school

    • Any form of harmful emotional distress that went on for years

  • This can look like:

    • Separation or divorce of parents

    • Death of a parent, sibling, or attachment figure

    • Physical/emotional abuse

    • Physical or emotional neglect

    • Bullying

    • Social isolation

    • Social media bullying or exploitation

  • Religious Trauma is when religious institutions, beliefs or teachings cause psychological harm. It is often associated with deep feelings of shame, guilt, and an inability to navigate your inner world without finding external validation or support.

    This can look like:

    • Denial of identities (such as queer/non-binary identities)

    • Perfectionism in actions and thought patterns

    • Difficulty setting boundaries

    • Fear of unending punishment or existential dread

    • Chronic lack of worthiness

  • This can look like:

    • Miscarriage/pregnancy loss

    • Pregnancy after pregnancy loss

    • Traumatic birth

    • Difficulty conceiving

    • Difficulty breast/chest feeding

    • Medical complications while pregnant or during delivery

    • Postpartum depression, anxiety, or OCD

  • This can look like:

    • Sexual assault, abuse, exploitation, or harassment

    • Sexual trauma symptoms can often include significant feelings of shame, guilt, and self-doubt

  • This can look like:

    • You or a loved one needing emergency medical care

    • Longterm illnesses that require intensive care and time spent with doctors

    • Medical debt

    • Caregiving for loved ones

    • Medical neglect

    • Malingering from parents or others in the immediate nuclear family

  • This can look like:

    • Divorce expenses

    • Loss of a business

    • Loss of income due to job loss

    • Lawsuits

    • Growing up with too little/too much

    • Financial abuse/exploitation

  • This can look like:

    • Survivors of genocide, slavery, or the holocaust, as well as descendants

    • Descendants of immigrants with a traumatic immigration story

    • Family dysfunction across multiple generations

    • Racial or ethnic oppression, whether systemic or individualized

  • This can look like:

    • Therapists, social workers, and crisis-line volunteers

    • First responders and medical staff

    • Attorneys, judges, or journalists covering violent events

    • Teachers, foster parents, or caregivers of traumatized children

    • Family members supporting a loved one through trauma recovery

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Adverse Childhood Experiences (or “ACEs”) are potentially traumatic events that take place between the ages of 0-17 years old. Higher scores on the ACEs Questionnaire can put you at a higher risk for mental and physical health challenges.