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Trauma

At some point in life, most of us will experience a difficult, upsetting or challenging event, relationship, and/or situation.  Yet, the aftermath and the effect of these occurrences may greatly vary from person to person. When the fear and helplessness experienced during the event remains even after the situation has ended, and it begins to interfere with one’s ability to be present and at peace, one may be experiencing symptoms of trauma.  When we think of trauma, it is often associated with catastrophic experiences, such as war, a life-threatening occurrence or accident, or the involvement of severe abuse. Yet, trauma can also come in many other forms; any event that is highly distressing and results in a negative impact with one's quality of life can be considered traumatic.  A few additional examples of trauma may include the grief of a loved one, divorce, childhood bullying, abusive parents, lack of emotional validation, being rejected by friends, a difficult break-up, and/or non-life threatening injuries or medical issues.  Together, my hope is to create a safe space in order to process, heal, and implement realistic and evidence based approaches to cope with the individualized and distinct symptoms that you may be experiencing.

 

Common signs of trauma can include: 

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  • Experiencing intrusive memories and/or flashbacks

  • Difficulty feeling present in the moment

  • Difficulty regulating emotions or experiencing intense “mood swings”

  • Increased feelings of anxiety or anticipating negative outcomes

  • Avoiding triggering situations/places/people

  • Difficulty sleeping or increased nightmares

  • Feeling increasingly pessimistic in numerous areas of life 

  • Feelings of distrust

  • Feeling disconnected from others, including loved ones

  • Feelings of shame, self criticism

  • Physical symptoms including racing heart, headaches, increased sweating, difficulty focusing

  • Increased startle response, and/or hypervigilance/hyperawareness of your surroundings

  • Participating in self-destructive behaviors or an increased use of substances

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