Trauma

Most people have experienced some form of trauma.

Successfully navigated, trauma can be an initiatory force pressing us to grow past our fears and limitations.

When the trauma is too great, however, we are overwhelmed.

In these cases, the trauma gains a life of its own. It grows inside the psyche and holds us prisoners of our past. The extreme fear, isolation and despair of the original event lives on, often startling us with its voracity and persistence. Traumas that have lived in our bodies for long periods of time, require a slow process to unravel. We must descend into the territory of this internal persecutor, and slowly loosen its hold on our psyche.

At the same time, we need to connect to Love, Hope and Trust. These are powerful allies in the healing of trauma.

Working with trauma requires walking a difficult path. It helps to have a seasoned and caring guide by your side.

Working with Trauma

My approach in working with trauma first focuses on building the tools needed to tolerate and contain the extremes of panic and dissociation that trauma instills. These tools allow you to work though your trauma, while continuing to live your life.

Then, we work together to understand how trauma has constricted your life force energy and shaped your life choices.

With this understanding we confront trauma’s limitations and begin to build new capacities – trust and hope – to take the place of the outdated patterns laid down by trauma.

TRAUMA EXPERIENCE

Much of my work has been with adults who survived ongoing childhood abuse – emotional, physical and sexual. Sometimes referred to “Complex Trauma” this type of trauma manifests in a wide variety of indicators, ranging from: a general sense of meaninglessness and despair; difficulty managing daily activities, maintaining relationships, breaking out of old patterns, trusting in others or yourself; and on to more identifiable manifestations such as panic attacks, intrusive memories and dreams, and a sense of reliving your trauma over and over. All of these represent how trauma lives on in your experience, limiting your engagement in the present.

Working with trauma, particularly complex trauma, can be challenging. It takes time and practice to overcome deeply embedded patterns. And yet, many clients report feeling better shortly after beginning therapy. Having an experienced guide on your side helps ease the burden of working through your trauma. The big gains — learning to self regulate in stressful situations, improving daily functioning, deepening relationships, trusting again, and finding new hope for your future — these things take time, and they are achievable. You can move through your trauma and reengage life with greater intensity, meaning and joy.