What is Trauma?

Trauma can happen as a result of situations one has experienced (e.g., Car accident, life-threatening experience, assault, loss, etc.) or in the absence of an experience (neglect, abandonment).  The trauma experience can be a single event or as a result of an ongoing situation where a person’s “survival mode” is chronically activated with great costs to their physical and mental well-being.

The impacts of trauma can present as:

-        Anxiety

-        Depression

-        Panic attacks

-        Hypervigilance

-        Flashbacks

-        Somatic responses / physical symptoms

-        “Checking out” / dissociation

-        Challenges with relationships and connection

The impacts of trauma often arise after the event has happened, which can lead survivors to blame themselves. “Things are okay now; I should just be able to move on.” The impacts of traumatic events can often be far-reaching and even occur long after the original event. How one experiences trauma is also very personal and impacts each person uniquely. The severity of one’s experience of trauma is not measured in the severity of the event but in the individual’s perception of danger and their personal history. That is why meeting clients with acceptance and in a non-judgmental way is a core value of my practice.

I support individuals in exploring the body’s biological trauma response, identifying and building empathy about how the survival response helped them survive the situation(s). Working together with individuals to explore ways to decrease their body’s survival reaction, by bringing awareness to the soothing systems of the brain and increase their capacity to respond rather than react. My goal is to support individuals to have the courage to be fully seen outside of their traumatic experience, making way for positive connections within themselves and with others. We can work together to decrease the impact that your past experiences are having on your present life.