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Trauma Therapy

Healing past trauma can change everything.

Trauma has this way of affecting all aspects of ourselves and our lives. Surviving trauma changes us, sometimes leaving us feeling overwhelmed and stuck. Trauma therapy can help you feel better, become more productive, and let go of the negative patterns that keep you stuck.

Why is trauma such a big deal?

As humans, we are geared to move forward and thrive when life goes well. When we’re faced with traumatic events or extended periods of stress, our natural balance is disrupted, we can become stuck, and symptoms can develop. These symptoms can include anxiety, depression, PTSD, behavioral changes, shame/guilt, among others. When left unchecked, these symptoms can have a negative impact on our quality of life and can lead to unsatisfying relationships, ineffective decision-making, destructive behaviors, employment problems, or poor self-esteem. Trauma therapy is very effective at reducing the trauma symptoms and restoring our natural balance.

Common Symptoms of PTSD in Women:

> Feeling emotionally numb and detached from others

> Hopelessness about the future

> Guilt, shame, self-blame, and/or low self-esteem

> Sleep difficulties

> Feeling jumpy and irritable

> Depression and anxiety

> Avoiding activities, places, thoughts, or feelings that correspond to the trauma

> Intrusive memories of the trauma, flashbacks, or nightmares

> Inability to remember key aspects of the traumatic event

What about repeated trauma and Complex PTSD?

Complex PTSD is not the same as PTSD. There is a belief out there that all traumas are the same. While all traumas are valid, there is a difference between being the victim of assault once (a single-incident trauma, possibly leading to PTSD) and being the victim of assault twice a day for a year (chronic trauma, possibly leading to Complex PTSD.) Certainly it is hard to grasp the experience of daily assaults for a year, but this repetitiveness is often what survivors of sexual abuse and spousal or child abuse face.

When trauma is repeated, we adapt to survive it. These adaptations are vital to our day-to-day survival of repeated trauma, and the adaptations become woven into our personalities and affect our lives for years to come. Often these adaptations are seen in Complex PTSD symptoms. Healing complex, repeated trauma involves not just healing from the traumatic incidents themselves. It also involves uncovering and reworking what we've done to adapt to the trauma, along with grieving what was lost as you focused on survival.

So-called "Little t" traumas

When we hear the word "trauma," we often think of the big things: an assault, an accident, or the death of a loved one. We often don't think of the "smaller" traumas that we all have in our pasts. These "little" traumas can include relationship loss, job loss, betrayal, bullying, among other things. These are called "Little t" traumas, but they really aren't little and can have a big impact.

Trauma, whether big or "little," changes how we see ourselves, and these traumatic experiences change how we see the world. Because of these changes, we are forced to adapt. These adaptations work well to protect us in the short term, but they can often become obstacles that can keep us stuck in the long term. The "little t" traumas also matter.

I recorded a video addressing "little t" traumas specifically, which you can view here.

You can heal from trauma

While traumatic events can threaten our ability to function in the current framework of our daily lives, trauma therapy presents an opportunity for growth and radical emotional healing. If you'd like to discuss your individual situation and whether you and I would be a good fit, please reach out via phone or the contact form here for a complimentary 15 minute consult.

- Rumi

Let your hopes, not your hurts,

shape your future.

– Robert Schuller

South Denver Women's Therapy