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    Trauma Recovery

    Trauma, Redefined.

    Most people believe trauma to be a catastrophic event, such as abuse, war, or a terrible accident. Understanding that trauma is individualized to your life experiences, and isn’t always a singular event is important in recognizing there are different types of trauma.  Trauma isn’t always direct and obvious.

    Neurologist, Robert Scaer, defines trauma as, “any negative life event that occurs in a state of relative helplessness.”  

    Dr. Nicole LaPera states, “Our attachments in our earliest years set the groundwork for our subconscious beliefs.”  And our subconscious remembers everything. You may not be able to actively recall those memories; however, your subconscious brain and your body remembers.  Hence why we can be triggered and have no idea why.

    Our early childhood development, starting from infancy, requires key emotional needs.  When these emotional needs aren’t met consistently and or we live in a chronic state of stress, this creates a trauma response and impacts our foundation for attachment and emotional wellness.  Our emotional needs also directly connect to our physical wellness, too.

    Most of us can relate to the above definitions during our early childhood years when we were at the mercy of our parents’ / caregivers’ choice, such as, our environment, our emotional and spiritual development, or what we were exposed to.  In childhood, we are dependent on the adults in our life and thus “helpless”. 

    Early childhood trauma is often misunderstood, ignored, or overlooked.  In fact, many people have expressed having “normal childhoods” because they haven’t identified the emotional trauma they endured. 

    Can you relate to any of the following?

    • “I’ve always had anxiety.”
    • “I don’t know how to relax.”
    • “People say I have a bad memory or I’m forgetful.”
    • “I have gaps of time where I can’t recall any memories.”
    • “I avoid conflict.”
    • “I have a hard time saying no or feel guilty when I do.”
    • “I don’t know what I like.”
    • “I have difficulty concentrating.”
    • “I don’t like the quiet.”
    • “I get depressed when I am bored.”
    • “I’m busy all the time.”

    The above are outcomes of early childhood trauma.  They became ways to adapt and cope in your environment.  It served a purpose then– it no longer serves you now.

    If you think you may have unresolved trauma, click the button below to schedule an Initial Assessment with one of our counselors to review your history, explore your current symptoms or areas of concerns, and identify goals for therapy.

    Our Approach to Trauma

    Knowledge is Power

    Part of our holistic approach to mental health includes exploring and identifying root causes so we can resolve them together, stopping underlying issues from manifesting in another form.

    Our 3 Tiered Approach

    1. Learn coping skills to help you cope with the symptoms you are experiencing right now.

    2. Explore, identify, and resolve / heal root causes and unresolved issues.

    3. Receive action steps to work on independently to enhance your therapeutic process.

    Accelerated Resolution Therapy

    Accelerated Resolution Therapy, often referred to as ART, is an evidence-based practice commonly used to treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

    Using eye movements, ART is an exposure–based cognitive psychotherapy that provides rapid recovery by reprogramming how the brain stores traumatic memories and imagery. This approach provides effective relief from the strong physical and emotional reactions associated with post-traumatic stress (PTSD), trauma, anxiety, depression and more, in as few as 1-5 sessions.

    Common Outcomes of ART for Trauma Recovery:

    • Process body sensations
    • Replace imagery associated to the trauma
    • Dissolve triggers
    • Decrease / resolve post-traumatic stress symptoms

    Click here to check out our Accelerated Resolution Therapy service.

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

    The basis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the understanding that it’s not the event itself that causes you distress, rather your thoughts about it.  Your thoughts directly impact the way you feel, and then you respond behaviorally (action or inaction) based off of those thoughts and feelings.

    CBT is an evidence-based approach that is proven to be effective in trauma healing.

    Common Outcomes of CBT for Trauma Recovery:

    • Explore, identify, and dissolve triggers.
    • Attach new meaning to triggers, traumatic events, interpersonal relationships, and family dynamics.
    • Create new memories in the brain.
    • Reattach to your conscious mind / learn to be present.
    • Reconnect with your body and dissolve body memories / triggers (mind-body connection).
    • Learn, practice, and implement healthy emotional boundaries.
    • Reframe negative thoughts.
    • Learn how to challenge and cope with anxious, fearful, negative, or depressive thoughts.

    Click here to learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

    Post-Traumatic Growth

    Our overall goal of Trauma Recovery is Post-Traumatic Growth.  This looks like finding a way to take new meaning from your traumatic experiences, which helps you live a quality life of happiness and wellness.  It’s a concept that describes a positive psychological change due to the struggles you overcame.  

    If you’re ready to take back control of your life and let go of the past, then click below to schedule an Initial Assessment with one of our counselors.

    Getting Well Together!