Trauma is any adverse event that causes extreme or ongoing emotional distress.

 

Trauma is not limited to natural disasters, war experiences, or violent crime, but also includes childhood abuse, intimate partner violence, medical illness, and sexual assault. Trauma and emotional pain can often cause us to become disconnected from ourselves. For some, this can manifest as difficulty in connecting with others, whereas some might develop self-destructive behaviors to manage the pain.

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The body’s trauma response may progress to PTSD, which include symptoms such as intrusive or negative thoughts, dissociation (e.g. “zoning out,” out-of-body experiences, flashbacks, etc.), avoidance of traumatic reminders, inappropriate guilt or shame, irritability, loss of interest, impaired concentration or memory, and sleep problems. Mood disturbances associated with trauma can often manifest as anxiety or depression. When someone suffers from PTSD, they feel unsafe, on edge, or are easy to startle; their body is trapped in the fight, flight, or freeze response even if they are no longer in active psychological or physical danger.

 

The key to treating trauma is to re-establish a sense of safety and control over your emotional and physiological experiences. I will teach you skills to emotionally regulate, change negative beliefs, and repair the mind-body connection using somatic approaches that will help you to tap into the innate healing power of your own body.