Trauma is a highly charged word, one that is often associated with war veterans or those who have survived

catastrophic accidents, natural disasters, or assault. But  trauma affects everyone not simply those who have experienced overtly distressing events.

 

Trauma is an experience that exposes the individual to an extraordinary event that violates their sense of control, overwhelms their ability to cope, and hinders their capacity to integrate the experience into their existing reality. As such, birth distress, loss of a loved one, physical illness, surgery, and emotionally injurious relationships can all fall under the umbrella of trauma. Even impairments in parental empathy can be a traumatic experience for an infant, toddler, or child who is still dependent on their caretakers for survival and isn’t yet able to make sense of the circumstances surrounding their feelings. When this happens, children can grow into adults who experience physical and emotional pain throughout their lives without understanding why. Often, anxiety, panic, fatigue, depression, addiction, and disordered eating behavior all have traumatic antecedents, yet are not always recognized as such by those whose suffer from these symptoms.

 

In my therapy with those who have experienced trauma, I use body- based treatment techniques designed to discharge traumatic energy stuck in the nervous system. I also integrate traditional talk therapy, often with a focus on early childhood attachment, so we can better understand how your early experiences shaped you and your ability to understand and cope with your emotional and behavioral responses. This therapeutic approach is intended to help regulate your nervous system, which has been dysregulated by the traumatic experience. It is also intended to cultivate awareness of the relationship between your mind and body - the interplay between your thoughts and feelings, so you can understand the persistent response patterns linked to your trauma. And, as we explore the mind-body relationship in the context of your trauma, we create an opportunity to work through unresolved pain and suffering that inhibits the attainment of you emotional, creative, and spiritual potential.

 

The experience of trauma can cause profound physical and emotional suffering, yet one does not have to live under the tyranny of its effects.  In my work with you, we can unleash your instinctive capacity to heal your trauma and reconnect with your innate impulse to expand, create and connect so you can live freely and authentically.