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What is Trauma?
What is Trauma?
Each Person Responds Differently to Trauma.
Each Person Responds Differently to Trauma.
Trauma is the emotional, psychological, or physical response to an event—or a series of events—that overwhelms a person's ability to cope. It's not defined only by what happened, but by how the experience affects the individual.
Traumatic experiences can include, but may not be limited to:
- Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
- Serious acciden
Trauma is the emotional, psychological, or physical response to an event—or a series of events—that overwhelms a person's ability to cope. It's not defined only by what happened, but by how the experience affects the individual.
Traumatic experiences can include, but may not be limited to:
- Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
- Serious accidents or injuries
- Natural disasters
- War or violence
- The sudden loss of a loved one
- Medical emergencies
- Ongoing neglect, bullying, or domestic violence.
Each Person Responds Differently to Trauma.
Each Person Responds Differently to Trauma.
Each Person Responds Differently to Trauma.
People respond to trauma differently. An event that is deeply traumatic for one person may not have the same impact on another because factors like age, past experiences, support systems, and resilience all play a role.
Common effects of trauma include:
- Intrusive memories or nightmares
- Anxiety, fear, or feeling constantly "on edge"
- Sadness, a
People respond to trauma differently. An event that is deeply traumatic for one person may not have the same impact on another because factors like age, past experiences, support systems, and resilience all play a role.
Common effects of trauma include:
- Intrusive memories or nightmares
- Anxiety, fear, or feeling constantly "on edge"
- Sadness, anger, guilt, or shame
- Difficulty trusting others
- Trouble sleeping or concentrating
- Avoiding reminders of the event
- Physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or muscle tension
Trauma can lead to P.T.S.D.
Each Person Responds Differently to Trauma.
Trauma can lead to P.T.S.D.
For many people, these reactions gradually lessen with time and support. For others, symptoms can persist and interfere with daily life, potentially leading to conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Recovery is possible. Many people benefit from:
- Talking with trusted friends or family
- Therapy, especially trauma-focused app
For many people, these reactions gradually lessen with time and support. For others, symptoms can persist and interfere with daily life, potentially leading to conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Recovery is possible. Many people benefit from:
- Talking with trusted friends or family
- Therapy, especially trauma-focused approaches
- Support groups
- Healthy routines, including adequate sleep, exercise, and stress management
- Professional mental health care when symptoms are severe or long-lasting
In simple terms, trauma is not just the event itself—it is the lasting impact that the event has on a person's mind, body, and sense of safety.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. While many people have stress reactions after trauma, PTSD is diagnosed when symptoms last for more than a month, cause significant distress, or interfere with daily life.
Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD include:
- Military combat
- Physical or sexual assault
- Serious accidents
- Natural disasters
- Childhood abuse or neglect
- Domestic violence
- Life-threatening medical events
- Witnessing violence or the death of others
The main symptoms of PTSD are grouped into four categories:
- Intrusion (re-experiencing)
- Distressing memories
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks, where it feels as though the event is happening again
- Strong emotional or physical reactions to reminders
- Avoidance
- Avoiding people, places, conversations, or activities that remind someone of the trauma
- Trying not to think or talk about what happened
- Changes in thoughts and mood
- Persistent negative beliefs about oneself or the world
- Feelings of guilt, shame, or blame
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Feeling detached from other people
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in arousal and reactivity
- Being easily startled
- Feeling constantly on guard (hypervigilance)
- Irritability or angry outbursts
- Difficulty sleeping
- Trouble concentrating
- Risky or impulsive behavior in some cases
Can P.T.S.D. be treated?
Yes. Many people improve with appropriate treatment.
Common evidence-based treatments include:
- Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Deep Brain Reorienting
- Brainspotting
- Internal Family Systems
- Medications, particularly certain antidepressants, for some people
Treatment plans are individualized, and recovery often involves learning skills to manage symptoms while processing the trauma in a safe, structured way.
Your healing journey starts here.
Collaborative Trauma Care
Collaborative Trauma Care
Collaborative Trauma Care
I enjoy working with a wide variety of clients—whether you’re new to therapy or seeking healing approaches that extend beyond traditional talk therapy. My clients include therapists, healthcare providers, and work-from-home professionals, as well as artists, game designers, and other creative or healing-oriented individuals.
I also have a passion for working with neurodivergent clients. As someone who is neurodivergent myself, I bring both lived experience and clinical understanding into our work together. My therapy practice includes various modalities, such as Brainspotting Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Deep Brain Reorienting, EMDR Therapy, and Internal Family Systems, as I believe each person carries a unique story shaped by their experiences, challenges, and strengths.
As Shrek famously said, “Ogres are like onions — they have layers.” While people aren’t onions, our lives are layered and complex. This analogy resonates with me as it reminds me to remain curious. Curiosity helps me avoid assumptions and instead create space to truly understand the person sitting across from me. In this way, therapy becomes collaborative, respectful, and deeply attuned.
I believe the brain has an incredible capacity for healing. However, it can sometimes become stuck in patterns, behaviors, or unresolved experiences. Together, we work gently and intentionally to help your system move toward greater flexibility, integration, and healing.
I bring years of diverse clinical experience into the therapy room, including work with the Department of Child Safety, community mental health programs, inpatient hospital settings, intensive outpatient groups, partial hospitalization programs for substance use, veteran and law enforcement settings, and private practice.
If you’re curious about working together, I invite you to reach out. I offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation so we can connect and see whether we’re a good fit.
Wherever you are in your journey, I wish you healing and growth in whatever form that may take.
Brainspotting for Trauma
Collaborative Trauma Care
Collaborative Trauma Care
Brainspotting Therapy is a powerful, focused therapeutic approach that helps identify, process, and release the underlying neurophysiological sources of emotional and physical pain, trauma, dissociation, and other challenging symptoms. This method works by accessing the brain and body’s natural ability to heal, allowing deeper experiences and memories to be processed in a safe and contained way, similar to techniques used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR Therapy.
Brainspotting serves as both a diagnostic and treatment method, often enhanced with bilateral sound to support deeper processing while helping the nervous system remain regulated and focused. This approach can be effective for a wide range of emotional and somatic concerns, much like Deep Brain Reorienting and Internal Family Systems therapy. I am certified in Brainspotting and currently serve as a Brainspotting consultant.
Resource: www.brainspotting.com
EMDR & DBR
Collaborative Trauma Care
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Therapy) is a powerful psychotherapy approach that has helped millions of people of all ages reduce various forms of psychological distress. Well-researched and highly effective, EMDR is particularly beneficial for treating traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
When practiced properly, EMDR Therapy does not involve immediately revisiting traumatic stories. The process starts with building skills and resources, allowing clients to safely experience difficult sensations, emotions, and memories without becoming overwhelmed. From there, EMDR assists the brain in reprocessing experiences so that they no longer carry the same emotional intensity or reactivity. I am certified in EMDR and serve as an EMDR consultant-in-training. Resource: www.EMDRIA.org
In addition to EMDR, I also specialize in Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), a trauma-focused psychotherapy that engages the brainstem and deeper brain systems involved in threat detection and attachment. DBR aids in accessing and processing trauma by gently tracking the original sequence of physiological responses that occurred when the deep brain first detected a threat or experienced an attachment disruption. I have completed Level 2 training in Deep Brain Reorienting. Resource: www.deepbrainreorienting.com
Furthermore, I incorporate techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Internal Family Systems to offer a comprehensive approach to healing. Additionally, I am trained in Brainspotting Therapy, which can further enhance the therapeutic process.
Schedule a consultation
Schedule a consultation
Schedule a consultation
Schedule a consultation
Call or text me for a complimentary 15-minute consultation. When texting, please text your name and the best time to reach you. We can collaborate a time for consultation. In our consultation, we can explore therapies like Brainspotting Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Deep Brain Reorienting, EMDR Therapy, or Internal Family Systems. Call or text today: 480-772-6965.
