Trauma and PTSD

People often view trauma as the result of a major event…

… like surviving sexual assault or experiencing a serious car crash. But trauma can also be the result of a string of consistent negative experiences as well.

The truth is that there are many reasons trauma can develop. If you had a difficult childhood (absent parents or an overly strict upbringing, for example), the lessons you learned at a young age can stay with you and affect your ability to function as an adult.

Or you might have learned to be a perfectionist because self-criticism meant forcing yourself to do things the right way. As an adult, though, those perfectionist tendencies can cause self-doubt.

Or maybe you experienced a series of disappointments, such as negative feedback at work or a difficult-to-end relationship, which have left you questioning yourself and your ability to function in the world.

To make the picture even more complicated…

The effects of trauma might not manifest for a long time. As a result, many individuals who are struggling dismiss the idea that it could be related to trauma. They assume they are coping with stress or anxiety or depression, so they end up treating those symptoms as opposed to treating the trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Treating it as anxiety or depression may relieve some symptoms, but they will likely return without addressing and treating the underlying trauma.

This is what trauma and PTSD look like…

It could be that you’re consumed by thoughts of the event. No matter how hard you try to put it out of your mind, it won’t go away. Trying to consume your time and energy with activities to take your mind from it doesn’t work.

You might be experiencing distressing triggers or flashbacks that make it difficult to function from day to day. A certain smell, sound, or place takes you back to that event.

Or maybe recurring panic attacks and difficulty sleeping have left you feeling too drained to keep up with social events you used to enjoy. But the increased isolation has only left you feeling more alone and misunderstood.

You might struggle to connect with your partner emotionally and physically. Perhaps you fear intimacy as a result of a recent or childhood trauma, so you avoid getting into any close emotional relationship. Or maybe you feel completely numb, and you worry that opening yourself up will only lead to more confusion, anxiety, depression, and self-doubt.

Do you go through each day struggling to feel as though you are complete – as though you’re not achieving your full potential? Are you inundated by worrisome thoughts, like “I can’t ever get anything right,” or “It’ll never get better,” or “Am I depressed?”

Do you have difficulty trusting other people? Does being in an intimate relationship leave you feeling unsure instead of safe?

It can be hard asking for help… even when you know you need it.

Perhaps you are nervous that overcoming trauma will mean giving up the coping mechanisms that got you this far.

You might worry that acknowledging childhood trauma means blaming your parents or loved ones.

Or maybe you have lived with the trauma for so long that you feel completely alone and believe you will never feel better.

Not to mention that talking about your experience with trauma or PTSD can be difficult, especially if you’re used to people telling you to “just get over it.”

Setting foot on the path to hope and healing…

Regardless of the type of trauma you experienced – or how long you have felt this way – trauma and PTSD treatment offers a path to hope and healing.

Therapy for trauma provides a safe space that is disconnected from your daily life, so you can share your story without fear of judgment. And because you know you’ll be receiving expert support from an experienced trauma therapist who has seen and heard it all, you can be more open about your challenges and needs.

Having a warm, compassionate place where you can express your doubts, fears, and goals openly and honestly is a powerful first step toward relief. That’s why I use our first few sessions to get a clear picture of what’s going on, how trauma is affecting your life, and what you want to gain from our work together.

My goal is to foster healing and that means getting to the core of the issue.

When you recognize how trauma is contributing to negative thinking, you can better understand the ways it is impacting your life. You can see what the trauma has led you to believe about yourself – that you aren’t safe or that something is wrong with you, for example – so you can get to know the part of you that is in pain and foster meaningful, lasting healing.

The path to healing doesn’t look the same for everyone.

I draw from a range of scientifically supported treatment approaches, so I can adapt each session to your specific needs.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

If you are experiencing distressing trauma or PTSD symptoms, like panic attacks, anxiety attacks, or severe depression, EMDR treatment can help you process stressors in a healthy way, so you can feel a greater sense of control over your emotions and how you react to painful memories or triggers.

When a trauma occurs, it can be difficult to understand what happened. The brain processes and stores memories incorrectly, which leads to experiencing those memories as being very present (and despite the threat no longer being present). Related or unrelated situations in the present can lead to us reacting as though it is the time of trauma. The brain feels as if the past disturbing event is happening currently.

EMDR therapy corrects this mis-storage so that the painful memories associated with the trauma lose their charge. You will learn to react to situations in the present without the past interfering.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS can help you identify different parts of yourself that are connected to the trauma, resulting in deeper healing. The goal is to identify – and help you understand – how some of the negative patterns in your life may be your mind’s way of trying to protect you. When you see that your fear, doubt, or shame is trying to serve a purpose, you give yourself permission to speak to those painful parts with compassion instead of self-blame.

You CAN live the life you were meant to live!

I have been helping individuals understand and overcome trauma and PTSD for over 16 years. There is such a huge relief in sharing your burden with someone else. And with the right guidance and support, you can reach a more hopeful place where the traumatic memory no longer disrupts your life.

Let’s address your recent or childhood trauma, so you can feel more secure, joyful, and confident about yourself and your relationships.

Don’t put this off any longer. Start your journey toward healing today: (516) 253-1918.