Therapy for Trauma
“I’m coping with my trauma, but coping by trying to find different ways to heal it rather than hide it.”
-Clemantine Wamariya
People may discover effects of lasting trauma or unresolved trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed. Additional traumatic experiences may include but are not limited to:
- Sexual abuse and sexual assault
- Domestic abuse/violence
- Abuse and Neglect
- Violent Crime
- Car accident
- Combat/Military Trauma
- Vicarious/Secondary Trauma
- Intergenerational Trauma
- Racial/Historical Trauma
- Racial Bias/Ethnic discrimination
- Community Violence
- Homelessness/Poverty
What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder?
People with PTSD often experience intense thoughts and feelings related to their traumatic experiences. Some of these emotions can include fear, anger, sadness and even avoidance of discussion or anything related to the traumatic events. Many people with PTSD also relive the event through flashbacks, nightmares and exhibit hypervigilance. Ordinary sounds or incidents such as a door banging or accidental touch in a crowd may cause a strong and uncontrollable reaction.
What is Complex Trauma or Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD)?
CPTSD is similar to PTSD but includes multiple traumatic events, often stemming from ongoing childhood trauma. The main difference between CPTSD and PTSD is the frequency of the trauma. While PTSD is caused by a single traumatic event, CPTSD is caused by long lasting trauma that continues or repeats.
Complex Trauma also includes the experience of multiple traumatic events but that doesn’t mean one is necessarily suffering symptoms of PTSD.
In these circumstances, the support, guidance, and assistance of a therapist can be fundamental to healing from trauma. If you would like to talk about how I can help, please feel free to reach out for a free discovery call.