Healing from Trauma in Gilbert, AZ

Often, trauma is thought of as extreme events where someone was injured, assaulted or died. However, trauma can be any event that leads an individual to experience symptoms that disrupt their daily lives.  Are you isolating yourself from friends and loved ones? Are you having difficulty sleeping, eating or concentrating? Do you find it difficult to manage your emotions, especially anger and fear? Do you avoid places or people that remind you of what happened? Do you experience anxiety or depression due to what happened? If you answer yes to these, trauma therapy can be helpful for you. 

That depends on the severity of your traumatic experience and how badly it is affecting your ability to function throughout your day. Counseling may last anywhere from weekly visits for 3-12 months or longer. Again, it depends on your level of trauma and how consistent you are in doing therapy.

Great question! Here is an example: someone coming to therapy for ADHD will learn skills to help them manage their ADHD which is a neurodevelopmental disorder. However, someone coming in for trauma, though they may have some of the same “symptoms” as ADHD (i.e. difficulty concentrating and managing emotions, restlessness) will be treated for the psychological and physiological symptoms they experience due to trauma.  

It is a therapeutic approach that aims to treat the trauma without re-triggering the individual. The emphasis is on the psychological, physiological and emotional safety of the individual to help them feel empowered and in control of their life.

That depends. Do you have maladaptive coping strategies as an adult that is a result of your childhood trauma? Does your childhood trauma affect your current relationships? If the answer is yes, therapy could be beneficial.

Absolutely not! I welcome all emotions in sessions. My office is your safe space to process what has happened in a confidential and supportive environment free from judgement.

That is where I come in! Together we work to unravel the trauma and unpack it. Complex trauma such as this may take longer to work through, but therapy could make your life feel more manageable.

To be honest, trauma therapy is hard work. I tell clients that it often feels like things feel worse before they feel better. That is most often the case as we do trauma work. However, over time, it starts to feel easier as clients’ skills sets and understanding increase. Clients often express relief that they continued therapy as they notice an increase in emotional regulation and daily functioning.

I have additional training in trauma and am a Clinical Trauma Specialist. I am also trained in EMDR which is a gold standard for trauma care. EMDR is widely recognized as an evidence based and effective treatment for a variety of trauma types including but not limited to accidents, assaults, and natural disasters. 

Awesome! I would love to answer them. Please reach out for a free 20-minute phone or telehealth consultation to see how I can help.