COUNSELING FOR TRAUMA
You may understand that something happened to you. Your body may still be carrying it.
Trauma can change the way we experience ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us.
Sometimes trauma comes from a single overwhelming experience—a car accident, assault, sudden loss, medical experience, or other frightening event.
Sometimes it develops over time through experiences such as abuse, neglect, emotional wounds, unstable relationships, or growing up in an environment where you didn't consistently feel safe, seen, or understood.
And sometimes you know something affected you, but you're not sure whether what you're experiencing "counts" as trauma.
You don't have to minimize what you've been through for it to deserve attention.
When the Past Still Feels Present
Trauma doesn't always show up as a clear memory or flashback.
It can show up as:
Feeling constantly on guard
Anxiety or panic
Difficulty trusting others
Feeling disconnected or emotionally numb
Intrusive thoughts or memories
Nightmares
Avoiding people, places, or situations that remind you of what happened
Feeling easily overwhelmed or triggered
Anger or irritability
Shame or guilt
Difficulty feeling safe in your body
Relationship difficulties
Feeling disconnected from yourself
Difficulty setting boundaries
Feeling like you need to stay in control
Changes in sleep or energy
Feeling like you're "fine" until something unexpectedly brings it all back
Sometimes you may not even realize that a current reaction is connected to something that happened years ago.
Your mind may know that you're safe now.
Your body may not have received the message yet.
Trauma Is More Than What Happened
Trauma isn't only about the event itself.
It can also be about what you learned from the experience.
Maybe you learned that people can't be trusted.
Maybe you learned that your needs were a burden.
Maybe you learned to stay quiet to avoid conflict.
Maybe you learned to anticipate everyone else's emotions.
Maybe you learned that being vulnerable wasn't safe.
These adaptations may have helped you get through something difficult.
But what protected you then may be making life harder now.
Therapy can help us become curious about those patterns without judging them.
Healing Doesn't Mean Forgetting
You don't have to erase what happened.
You don't have to convince yourself that it "wasn't that bad."
And you don't have to force yourself to talk about every detail before you're ready.
Trauma therapy can be about developing a different relationship with what happened—one where the experience no longer has the same power over your present.
We can work toward helping you feel more grounded, more connected to yourself, and more able to respond to the present rather than continually being pulled back into the past.
A Body-Based Approach to Trauma
Trauma can live in the body as much as it lives in our memories.
You may notice tension, a racing heart, a pit in your stomach, difficulty breathing, restlessness, numbness, or an urge to fight, flee, freeze, or shut down.
This is why I incorporate somatic approaches into trauma therapy.
Rather than focusing only on the story of what happened, we can also pay attention to what happens inside you when you remember, talk about, or encounter something that feels threatening.
Learning to recognize and respond to these signals can become an important part of healing.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
I am also trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an approach that can be incorporated into trauma treatment when appropriate.
ART uses elements such as guided imagery and eye movements to help clients process distressing memories and reduce the emotional and physiological distress associated with them.
ART is not about forcing you to relive an experience or erase your memories. The goal is to help you develop a different relationship with distressing memories so that they can become less overwhelming in the present.
We will work collaboratively to determine whether ART is appropriate for you and when it makes sense to incorporate it into your therapy.
Your Story Doesn't Have to Define You
Trauma can influence the way you see yourself.
You may have started believing:
"Something is wrong with me."
"I should be over this by now."
"I can't trust anyone."
"I'm too sensitive."
"It's my fault."
"I'll never feel normal again."
Therapy can create space to question those beliefs and develop a more compassionate understanding of yourself.
What happened to you is part of your story.
It does not have to become the definition of who you are.
My Approach to Trauma Therapy
My approach is warm, collaborative, and trauma-informed. I draw from AEDP, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), narrative therapy, and somatic approaches.
We will move at a pace that respects your nervous system and your readiness.
Sometimes trauma therapy involves processing a specific memory.
Sometimes the work is learning to recognize your triggers and regulate your body.
Sometimes it's understanding how past experiences are affecting your relationships today.
And sometimes it's learning that you are allowed to have needs, boundaries, emotions, and a voice.
There is no single path to healing.
You don't have to keep carrying the past in the same way.
If experiences from your past are affecting the way you feel, relate, or move through your life today, therapy can provide a space to begin making sense of them.
You don't have to have everything figured out before you begin.
You can simply start with your story.
Getting Started With Trauma Therapy
Beginning therapy can feel like a big step, especially when you’re considering exploring experiences that have been painful or difficult to talk about. You don’t need to share everything at once or know exactly where to begin. We can move at a pace that feels manageable for you.
I offer individual therapy for adult women in Florida, with in-person sessions in Oviedo and telehealth for clients located throughout Florida.
Session fee: $140 per session.
I am in-network with select insurance plans. If you plan to use insurance, please reach out to discuss current coverage options or see the Rates and Insurance page. If you have out-of-network benefits, your plan may reimburse a portion of the cost of therapy. Reimbursement varies by plan, so I encourage you to verify your benefits directly with your insurer.
If you’re wondering whether therapy might be a good fit, I invite you to schedule a brief consultation. We can discuss what you’re looking for, answer initial questions and explore whehter working together feels right for you.
What you’ve been through is part of your story, but it doesn’t have to define your future.