Therapy for Trauma
Living with Trauma
Living with trauma can feel like walking a tightrope every day—balancing overwhelming anxiety, confronting haunting memories, and never knowing when you’ll be triggered. Mornings might bring a sense of dread, unsure what the day will hold. Social interactions, once a source of connection, may now feel fraught with anxiety or avoidance. And nights? They can turn into battlegrounds where insomnia and nightmares take over, leaving you exhausted but unable to rest.
It might feel like there’s no way out of this endless loop. But therapy offers a path toward relief and healing. At Comma Co., I support clients in processing their traumatic experiences, helping them find calm, regain control over their bodies, and move toward a future that feels lighter and more manageable.
Trauma is Personal – It's Not About the Event, It's About How the event is Processed
You don’t need to compare your experiences to anyone else’s to determine if they are "traumatic enough." Trauma isn’t defined by the event itself but by how your brain and body respond to that event. Trauma can stem from any experience that overwhelms your nervous system and leaves you feeling powerless or unsafe.
Some people think, “I’ve had hard times, but I haven’t experienced real trauma.” But trauma is less about what happened and more about how it affected you. It’s valid whether it’s a life-threatening event or an emotional injury that left deep scars.
Some Examples of Traumatic Events
Trauma can arise from any event that causes distress or overwhelms your capacity to cope. These might include:
Car Accident: A sudden, violent event can leave you feeling unsafe in situations that were once routine.
Abandonment or Neglect: Childhood neglect or emotional abandonment can lead to deep feelings of worthlessness or insecurity.
Childbirth: Complications during birth, or feeling unsafe or unsupported during labor, can leave long-lasting emotional wounds.
Illness: Chronic or terminal illness can create feelings of helplessness and grief.
Natural Disasters: Events like hurricanes, earthquakes, or fires can strip away your sense of security.
Abuse: Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can leave you feeling powerless and fearful.
Divorce: The loss of a marriage or long-term relationship can evoke grief and trauma, especially if the separation was contentious or sudden.
Military Combat: Exposure to violence, loss, or trauma during service can deeply impact mental health.
Bullying and Racism: Long-term exposure to bullying or discrimination can have traumatic effects on self-worth and identity.
Witnessing a Crime or Violence: Even if you weren’t directly involved, witnessing violence can have a significant emotional impact.
Each of these events can have a profound effect on how you experience the world. If you’ve been through something that still weighs on you, it’s important to know that your feelings are valid.
Common Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma can impact your thoughts, emotions, and even your physical body. You might recognize these common symptoms:
Avoidance: Actively avoiding places, people, or things that remind you of the traumatic event.
Hypervigilance: Constantly being on guard for danger, feeling like you’re never truly safe.
Nightmares and Insomnia: Sleep disturbances caused by nightmares or the fear of reliving traumatic experiences in your dreams.
Easily Startled: Feeling jumpy or reacting intensely to unexpected sounds or movements.
Irritability and Anger: Lashing out, having angry outbursts, or feeling constantly irritable.
Self-Destructive Behaviors: Engaging in risky behaviors, such as substance use or reckless driving, to cope with overwhelming emotions.
Overwhelming Guilt or Shame: Feeling responsible for the trauma, even when it wasn’t your fault.
Trouble Concentrating: Difficulty focusing because of intrusive memories or ongoing anxiety.
My Approach
Trauma therapy at Comma Co. is about more than just addressing the symptoms; it’s about helping you process the root cause, understand how your brain and body have responded to your trauma, and move toward healing in a way that feels safe and empowering.
Here’s how we work together:
Understanding the Brain-Body Connection: Trauma isn’t just in your mind—it lives in your body. I help clients understand how their nervous system reacts to traumatic memories and triggers. By understanding this connection, you can start to make sense of your symptoms.
Empowering You with Tools for Relief: I teach practical tools to help you regain control in your day-to-day life. These techniques help you manage triggers and anxiety so you can feel more at ease, even when reminders of the trauma come up.
Processing the Unprocessed: With trauma, the pain doesn’t just fade over time. We’ll work together to process the emotions and memories that feel stuck, so you can release the weight they carry.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
I also incorporate Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) into trauma treatment, a powerful, evidence-based method that uses rapid eye movements and imagery to help the brain process traumatic memories. The beauty of ART is that it doesn’t require you to rehash or relive every painful detail of your trauma. Instead, we focus on changing how the memory is stored in your brain, so it no longer feels overwhelming or triggering.
With ART, clients often experience relief in fewer sessions than with traditional talk therapy. Here’s what you can expect from this approach:
Rapid Eye Movements: Similar to the way your eyes move during REM sleep, this technique helps your brain process and reframe traumatic memories.
Guided Imagery: We use guided imagery to help you reframe and transform painful memories into something more manageable.
Lasting Relief: Many clients find that their distress significantly decreases after just a few sessions, allowing them to move forward without being weighed down by the past.
You Are More Than Your Trauma
Trauma may feel all-consuming, but it doesn’t have to define you. Therapy offers a way to rewrite your story—to process what happened and reclaim your sense of safety, peace, and self-worth. Whether your trauma is fresh or something you’ve carried for years, you don’t have to face it alone.
If you’re ready to take that first step toward healing, I’m here. Reach out for more information or schedule a free consultation below. You deserve peace, and I’m here to help you find it.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP PUSHING THROUGH ON YOUR OWN