Therapy for Trauma in Newtown Square, West Chester, and throughout Pennsylvania
You Are Not What's Happened to You.
Free Yourself from the Traumatic Experiences in Your Past and Live in the Present.
Life feels like one storm after another.
You're angry, upset, moody, and unable to enjoy life. You spend so much time avoiding reminders of the pain you've experienced that you can't enjoy the present moment. You feel jittery and on edge, waiting for your brain to betray you with unwanted memories of past traumatic events.
Nightmares are common and now you struggle with sleep which only serves to increase your irritability. Why can't things go back to the way they were before traumatic memories haunted you? You used to enjoy being around people and engaging in social activities. Not anymore! You no longer feel like yourself. Not since…
Not since whatever happened. The “thing” you experienced that made you different. The “thing” that stole your joy and took your peace. The “thing” that changed your life.
It's Time to Take Back Your Life and Rid Yourself of Unhelpful Beliefs
You Don't Have to Do It Alone.
Healing from trauma shouldn't be a journey for one. Getting to the roots of unprocessed trauma is a complicated mission that requires professional supervision and help. Symptoms of trauma vary from one person to another so there is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan.
I am an experienced trauma-informed therapist ready to hold your hand during your journey toward healing and forgiveness. Trauma survivors have a complicated road ahead of them, but in the company of a trauma counselor, they will find it easier to reduce the impact of trauma on their daily life and free themselves from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Working together on your mental health will give you the necessary tools to process traumatic events in a safe, non-judgmental space and help you improve your quality of life. By bringing the past out of the shadows and silence, we will take away its power and bring you peace.
As you find your voice and share your story, the “thing” that happened to you - be it sexual abuse, domestic abuse, or any other traumatic personal experience - loses its power over you and your life. You will start noticing small changes for the better, which will eventually lead to bigger shifts in how you feel about yourself and the world around you.
The process of getting rid of unhealthy behavior patterns and overcoming any form of trauma can be challenging at times, but the rewards are extraordinary. Feeling more confident, self-assured, and at peace are some of the results my clients have shared. It's possible to enjoy life again!
Therapy for trauma can help you:
Process different types of trauma
Unload pain
Address anger
Reduce stress
Trust yourself again
Reconnect to your true self
Improve relationships
Frequently asked questions about trauma therapy:
FAQs
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Trauma is how your body and your brain react to life experiences. One type of trauma involves an event that you've experienced or witnessed where you felt you were in danger. This is sometimes referred to as situational trauma.
Another type of trauma is developmental trauma which occurs when the people caring for you are misaligned with your needs, resulting in your emotional needs not being met.
In some instances, you might experience what I refer to as “contextual trauma”, where you have lived in an abusive or adverse situation and these experiences are your “normal”.
These experiences make up the context of your lived experience and your body and brain respond by being hyper-alert, feeling on edge, and constantly trying to protect yourself from possible danger.
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Often, clients share uncertainty about whether or not they have experienced trauma. If something happened to you and continues to impact you, then it may be traumatic for you.
This “thing” may continue to have a hold on you for many years, and it may take different forms:
sleep disturbances
nightmares
flashbacks or intrusive thoughts
sadness or depression
worry or anxiety
difficulty concentrating
feeling edgy
Together, we can explore your concerns and how these traumatic experiences have impacted you.
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Trauma therapy is client-centered. This means that you set the pace and always have control of what is addressed within each session. This type of treatment for trauma allows you to determine how much you feel comfortable sharing and when you are ready to share it.
As you begin to share, we work together to process your experience, what meaning it has to you, the impact it has on your life, and how you felt about it then and now.
You're able to gain insight and understanding about what happened. As you feel heard and understood, you'll begin to take back your power, your life, and your peace.
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PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, occurs when an individual experiences or witnesses a terrifying event that continues to impact him or her months or years later. The impact of the traumatic event can include flashbacks, avoidance of people, places, and things related to the traumatic event, and even loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed. Some will find it difficult to concentrate while others may be hypervigilant, and always on edge. PTSD may also impact how one views him or herself and their world as negative and fearful. Oftentimes, folks struggle to trust others. Sleep disturbances including fitful, unrestful sleep and nightmares are typical with PTSD.