Has Trauma Negatively Affected The Way You Live Your Life?
Have you experienced a traumatic event that causes you constant fear, anxiety or apprehension? Do you feel a sense of persistent hopeless or grief that impairs your ability to function at work or maintain healthy relationships? Perhaps you avoid certain social situations or events because you’re afraid they will trigger panic or memories of a traumatic event. Do you frequently feel inaccessible, disconnected or numb to loved ones and friends? Do you often expect the worst-case scenario or worry about the immediate safety of yourself and others even in ordinary situations? It may be that a series of past traumatic events has influenced the way you perceive the world and you want to see things differently. Are you afraid that these experiences have impaired you emotionally and are preventing you from enjoying the life and happiness you deserve? Do wish you could just get back to feeling like yourself?
Psychological Trauma Can Interrupt Anyone’s Life
It doesn’t matter who or what age you are or what you do for a living—psychological trauma can affect anyone for many reasons. You may have experienced the sudden loss of a loved one, been injured in a life-changing accident or received a medical diagnoses that has shaken your world. Or, you may have experienced a series of traumatic events, been subjected to abusive behavior or grown up in a hostile environment where you constantly felt threatened. Whatever the case, you are not alone. From stay-at-home dads to war weary women in uniform, anyone can be affected by psychological trauma, no matter how strong or resilient they are. In fact, psychological trauma affects tens of millions of people at any given time in the US.
Unfortunately, if left unaddressed, trauma can be a precursor to other medical and mental conditions, such as PTSD, anxiety disorders, clinical depression, as well as substance abuse and excessive self-medication. The good news is that, despite the pain you feel, there is help. With a compassionate and skilled counselor, you can learn to re-frame your negative experience and get back to living again.
Trauma Treatment Can Help You Find Happiness And Comfort In Your Life
A traumatic event can naturally have a negative impact on you and those around you, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. With counseling for trauma, you can learn how to reconnect with loved ones, enjoy life and end the cycle of debilitating fear and anxiety that comes with it.
Therapy for trauma starts with developing the internal resources and strengths within you to help face the source of your pain. In doing so, you can begin to free yourself from the shackles of your past experiences. At times, it may seem like a slow process; however, it is necessary to develop the level of commitment and trust needed to free you from misconceptions and fear. I always strive to offer you a safe space, one where you can feel secure confiding your pain and true feelings without fear of judgment. In this space, we can explore the mental, emotional and physical aspects of your experience and re-frame their context so that you can withstand and mitigate the typically repressed, painful emotions that influence your actions and emotions today.
Through counseling for trauma, I can teach you how to strengthen those internal resources and emotional tolerances. You can learn how to create a sense of safety in the moment through mindfulness, body awareness, movement and breathing regulatory techniques. As you progress and become comfortable, we will explore the roots of your trauma and the narrative it has created in your life—how it came to be, how it currently affects you and where you would like to be emotionally.
Through trauma therapy, you can learn how to tell your own story without being forced to relive the past, all while remaining emotionally engaged. In doing so, you can learn to become more adaptable, flexible and trusting in your perception of distressing environments, people and situations. You can gain the tools to free yourself from fear and pain.
You may be considering trauma treatment, but still have questions or doubts…
Nothing has worked in the past, and I don’t think I can change.
Many people who have experienced traumatic events or have had very difficult childhoods can be so used to the feelings of helplessness that they believe that change is not possible. Successful counseling for trauma means having the ability to process and translate painful experiences into new ways of being. And, although trauma treatment is not a simple cognitive solution, with the right therapist, transformation and healing are completely possible. Rest assured that I’ll always strive to create a comprehensive integrative approach tailored to your particular circumstances and needs.
How long will it take for me to feel better?
The length of treatment depends on many factors and varies for each individual. For instance, a singular, acute traumatic event that occurred in ordinary circumstances can usually be treated in a few sessions. On the other hand, someone who has experienced developmental trauma or complex trauma as a consequence of child abuse or a series of traumatic life events may require more time and commitment. However, a majority of people find that trauma counseling offers some form of immediate relief early in treatment.
Will treatment for trauma mean I have to take medication?
Everyone processes grief and trauma differently. So, a need for medication often depends on the severity of your symptoms, personal circumstances and as always, your choice. In some cases, medication may be helpful for supporting your healing process. In other cases, therapy alone can make all the difference. Unlike medication alone, trauma therapy can help you decide what is best for you by offering you guidance and support as you examine the root of your pain and discover a route toward healing. No matter what your situation, the effects of trauma doesn’t have to be a life sentence.
You Don’t Have To Manage Your Trauma Alone
Dealing with the effects of psychological trauma can be a daunting experience. But, you don’t have to manage this challenge on your own. Please, call now for a free, 20-minute consultation at 415-891-9562 and begin your journey toward a better tomorrow.