Trauma

We often minimize, dismiss, or try to forget the things that happened to us. This is likely because others dismissed or minimized what happened to us. Trauma work is an integral part of healing. As a clinician, I have been able to witness our field grow by leaps and bounds as we discover more and more how trauma can impact individuals in so many ways.

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The human brain is wired for connection, but the trauma rewires the brain for protection.

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Here are the ways trauma trauma can show up either immediately or later in someone's life:  chronic illness and pain, anger, sleepless nights, difficulty falling asleep, recurring negative dreams, distorted sense of self and others, difficulty being present, fear of getting close to others, hyperawareness in settings, avoidance of emotional states or triggers related to the trauma, medicating symptoms with medications or substances that help to numb feelings, feeling like you're stuck and can't move on, feeling as though you may never get better.

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Trauma comes back as a reaction. Not a memory. — Bessel van der Kolk

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Mental health therapy has evolved so much just within the last ten years. What we used to think couldn't be cured, we now know many symptoms can be alleviated. With tools such as EMDR and ego state work, individuals can come out of the negative emotional states and reprogram their brains so that the trauma no longer feels it's still happening. Individuals can redefine how they see themselves through therapy and they can welcome new perspectives and understandings of the traumatic experiences. Individuals no longer have to be held hostage by fight or flight, they can get their bodies and their minds back with active participation in the therapeutic process.

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There is no timestamp on trauma. There isn’t a formula that you can insert yourself into to get from horror to healed. Be patient. Take up space. Let your journey be the balm. — Dawn Serra

 

As a therapist who has done their own healing, I am excited to help you explore these areas of yourself as you venture on your own healing journey! I use a mixture of EMDR, ego-state therapy, breathwork, CBT, energy perspectives, and more! If you're interested in an appointment, please message me below to see if there are available appointments.