Trauma-Informed Counseling
What Trauma Looks Like?
Most people will experience physical or emotional trauma in their lifetime.
- Sexual assault
- Rape, molestation, incest,
- Active Shooter events
- Chronic rejection at home or by peers, bullying
- Physical abuse (as a child or adult)
- Intimate or domestic violence
- Loss of one’s job, home, or loved ones
- Loss of pets
- Neglect as a child (insufficient food, shelter, clothes, medical attention)
- Car accident
- Abuse or neglect
- Sudden death of a loved one
- A violent criminal act; exposure to the violence of war
- Experiencing a natural disaster
- Emergency responders with chronic exposure to death, violence, or crises
- Survivor of a friend or family member’s suicide
- Witnessing a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s
While many people can recover from trauma over time with the love and support of family and friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover effects of lasting trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or post-traumatic stress far after the event has passed.
In these circumstances, the support, guidance, expertise, and assistance of a therapist is fundamental to healing from trauma.
TRAUMA SYMPTOMS
Four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5 are:
Avoidance Symptoms
- Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event
- Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt
Re-experiencing Symptoms
- Intrusive thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks
Hyperarousal Symptoms
- Anger, irritability, and hypervigilance
- Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm
- Sleep disturbances
Negative Mood and Cognition Symptoms
- Loss of interest in activities that were once considered enjoyable
- Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event
- Change in habits or behavior since the trauma
Research has proven a combination of Trauma-Informed Counseling and Trauma Therapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. If you or someone you know matches the trauma symptoms listed above, I am confident I can help. I invite you to contact me today for a Complimentary 15 Minute Consultation.