Is Trauma Preventing You From Enjoying Your Life?

*Watch the video to hear more about trauma.

It can be scary to think you are holding trauma in your body. Yet, you CAN heal from trauma.

Do you feel awkward, uncomfortable, or out-of-place around most of the people you interact with on a daily basis? Are you consistently riddled with fear and doubt that keep you from living the life you want? Do you experience symptoms like shortness of breath, racing heart rate, dry mouth, chills, disorientation, or panic? Is it hard to find satisfaction in everyday life? Are you experiencing recurring nightmares, difficulty sleeping, changes in eating habits, or extreme weight fluctuations? Perhaps your days are consumed by a sense of dread, confusion, overwhelm, and helplessness. Or maybe unresolved trauma has developed into depression and anxiety, acts of self-harm—or even suicidal thoughts?

Trauma can disrupt your overall quality of life and cause a range of symptoms that affect your mental health, physical well-being, and your ability to interact with the world around you. Traumatic experiences may leave a profound impact that impairs your ability to connect with others, exist within relationships, and establish bonds on a healthy foundation. For instance, you may try to exert too much control in a relationship, which causes conflict and division. Alternately, you may avoid certain conflicts of interest in conversation, and find yourself withdrawing from social interactions. Trauma may also manifest as self-doubt, so often, that you find yourself repeatedly replaying interactions, wondering what you could’ve done better, what you did wrong, and why you aren’t good enough. Or it could be that you are constantly looking for answers to questions like, “Why is life so hard?” or “Why do bad things only happen to me?”

If it feels like you have lost control of your future and you simply want to live a regular life, trauma therapy could be an option for you. Therapy can provide you with a space that fosters trust and compassion while you begin to explore your internal wounds. With time and guidance, we’ll develop an understanding of who you are while laying a foundation that allows you to take an active role in your life.

Trauma Does Not Discriminate

Everyone reacts to traumatic experiences differently. In fact, you may not even remember the specific event or recognize how unaddressed trauma can influence your actions in day-to-day life. Emotional trauma is held in our bodies, as well as our minds, and becomes internalized after it occurs, often resurfacing in ways you would least expect, sometimes resurfacing years or decades following a traumatic experience.

Over time, trauma can take a toll on nearly every aspect of your life, from your physical well-being, your relationship’s health, and even your career. And if trauma isn’t treated, it may cause emotional responses that resurface in life events that are seemingly small. For example, you may feel intense feelings of overwhelm, anger, sadness, or fear just from your boss asking you to make an edit on a previous assignment, even if the work itself isn’t a big deal.

Trauma can be the result of many adverse experiences, including personal attacks, accidents, the loss of loved ones, and natural disasters. But it can also stem from early childhood trauma, sexual abuse, or experiences where you felt like an outsider and lacked control.

Although our culture preaches self-reliance and independence, it’s important to know that we’re social creatures who need each other to grow as individuals and as a society. If you find that you’re stuck in feelings of hopelessness, guilt, overwhelm, or are simply having trouble coping with your situation, trauma therapy can give you the opportunity and time to open an inner window and begin healing your greatest wounds.

Trauma Counseling Can Help You Find Greater Peace and Deeper Connection

Working with a therapist can provide you with tools, techniques, and support for exploring different aspects of your trauma and transforming your life experiences. We’ll start by working within your current living situation to identify what bodily, emotional and relationship struggles you face so we can tailor therapy specifically for you. We may dive into your personal history, experiences where you felt unease, or work to understand the reasons behind your emotional responses. After we identify your pain, we’ll work to develop new ideas surrounding how you view yourself. We can then uncover positive ways of experiencing your thoughts, emotions, and environment that can help you cultivate a productive, healthy outlook on life. Once you have a thorough understanding of your thoughts, feelings, and desires, you can break free of the grip that psychological trauma has on your life.

Therapy guarantees you a space of compassion and respect in which you can safely explore and address your pain. Trauma treatment makes it easier for you to externalize your conflicts and engage with them while ensuring your own sense of security and comfort. I’ve developed a humanistic and holistic approach to healing, including Depth Psychotherapy, Person Centered Therapy, and Internal Family Systems. Using Internal Family Systems and parts mapping helps to identify, address, and befriend conflicting parts or sub-personalities in your mental system which hold different roles of who you are. For example, you may have a part that feels anxious, therefore it does everything it can to control its external and internal environment. This might look like rearranging the desk or a large effort to please people within our relationships. And you might have another part that thinks suicide is the clear way out of the feelings of anxiety or pain. I help my clients build a relationship with each of their parts so they can release the burden its carrying and allow it to take on a preferred valuable role in their mental system. It is through this connection, unburdening, and reorganizing process that lasting transformation occurs for the client. All the while, we’ll work within your comfort zone and pace to help you reach a better state of mental health.

During our sessions, you’ll be introduced to a compassionate, calm, creative and curious environment (externally and internally) that fosters a sense of safety and comfort. As we begin to unpack your history, we may map out different areas of your experience to inform our sessions or use creative elements to lighten the weight of the atmosphere and create a sense of ease around sensitive topics. This may include drawing, writing, InnerActive cards, movement or any other thing you can imagine that will help you feel safe and secure. Once you begin to feel more comfortable and we develop an understanding of the reasons you’re in therapy, we’ll work on changing your perspectives and reframing your experience so you can reconnect to the world in a way that releases the burden of your past.

In our therapy sessions, I’ll also help you remain accountable to your own well-being by making sure you maintain a balanced lifestyle that affords you with appropriate amounts of time to eat, rest, and care for yourself. Establishing a base level of happiness and wellness helps to reduce the stress in your life on a daily basis. Over time, you’ll learn how to become more open and independent in how you cope with trauma, allowing you to process the intense emotions that come with it.

I have a passion for helping individuals heal their internal wounds by giving them the tools they need to overcome their limitations, transform their perspective and pursue their goals. With my experience working for the Colorado Crisis Line and my background working in therapy, I wholeheartedly believe that overcoming trauma is possible. I’m confident that with time and understanding, trauma therapy can help you learn who you are again and shine bright.

Perhaps you’re considering therapy but still have some concerns…

What if therapy is too expensive for me?

Therapy is an investment in yourself that pays off long after the sessions are over. After our time together, you’ll have tools and techniques that will prepare you for a variety of situations including any resurfacing of trauma responses. You spend money on self-care purposes all the time, from medical appointments to haircuts—even to the health food you buy at the grocery store. So why not make an investment in your mental health that will pay off for years to come?

What if I don’t have enough time for therapy?

All too often, time can be a scarce commodity, but you’re worth setting aside the time to focus on yourself. It’s easy to become distracted by the demands of our fast-paced society, but working with a therapist can help you cultivate a greater sense of accountability and agency within your own life. Together, we can develop a plan that allows you to take care of yourself, pursue your ambitions, and allow you to move beyond your past.

What if I uncover something I didn’t want to know?

If ever we run into something that causes you distress, we can slow down the pace and find other ways of processing your pain. We don’t necessarily have to go directly through the heart of your mental trauma in order to foster healing. Therapy is a process of self-discovery, but that doesn’t mean you have to be frightened. Even working at your own pace, you can still take your life back from unresolved trauma.

Can’t I just rely on friends and family for help?

Having a strong support system is important for healing trauma. However, your friends and family don’t always possess the necessary skills to support your healing journey. In fact, your relationships can often be an obstacle, as people may be too close and personally invested in your life to stay focused on what’s best for your healing journey, whereas a trained professional has developed skills and experience to support you in healing your trauma and transforming your life.

Take An Active Role In Your Life

You don’t have to miss out on your life. Therapy can help you take the necessary steps to begin moving forward. Schedule your free 15 min consultation now.

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