Healing Trauma and PTSD

When the past takes over your present…

Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience or event that overwhelms your ability to cope, impacting your mental, emotional, and sometimes physical well-being.

Physical or sexual abuse is one of the forms of trauma that most people think about. For someone who was in a serious car accident or somebody that was in a sexual assault, the energy from the event causes high negative energy. Sarah* would say that they would freeze when hearing a car horn.

Domestic violence (DV) has had more attention within the last ten years. There is a multitude of guilt and shame from the trauma, and most of the time, family and friends provide the guilt! The good news is that I can help you break through the trauma and move on from it.

Where I live in Florida, we have our fair share of natural disasters. Hurricanes are the most common natural disaster in Florida. In 2022, Hurricane Ian was a Category Five. The storm’s impact caused many deaths, injuries, and people losing their homes. That trauma caused a feeling of hopelessness and regret from the storm. I have helped people process the trauma in a safe place and helped them gain hope again.

But there are many types of traumas: severe illnesses and medical procedures, emotional or psychological abuse, losing a loved one, neglect or abandonment, accidents and injuries, being the victim of a crime, or war and combat-related experiences.

When you’ve gone through trauma…

The impact of trauma can vary from person to person, and individuals may react differently depending on their unique circumstances and resilience.

Here are some examples of common responses to trauma:

Intrusive thoughts or memories of the traumatic event…

Sarah* finds herself constantly replaying the car accident in her mind, unable to escape the vivid images and sounds.

Flashbacks or nightmares…

Every night, John* wakes up drenched in sweat, reliving the terrifying moments of the robbery he experienced, even though it happened months ago.

Avoidance of reminders or triggers associated with the trauma…

Rebecca* avoids driving past the location where she was assaulted, taking long detours to ensure she doesn’t have to confront those memories.

Hyperarousal or heightened anxiety (e.g., irritability, hypervigilance)…

Mark’s* heart races, and he feels on edge whenever he hears a loud noise, constantly scanning his surroundings for potential threats after witnessing a violent altercation.

Negative changes in mood or emotions (e.g., depression, guilt, shame)…

Regina* has felt a constant sense of sadness and guilt since the traumatic event, blaming herself for being unable to prevent it.

Social withdrawal or difficulty trusting others…

Michael* used to be outgoing and sociable, but after being betrayed by a close friend, he now struggles to trust anyone and prefers to isolate himself from social interactions.

Changes in beliefs or worldview (e.g., loss of faith in humanity, feeling unsafe)…

Lisa*, who was a passionate advocate for human rights, now feels disillusioned and doubts whether people are inherently good after experiencing a traumatic incident involving injustice.

Physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems)…

After surviving a natural disaster, Thomas* often experiences severe headaches, constant fatigue, and digestive issues due to the stress and anxiety he has been enduring.

“I don’t want to talk about it!”

Trauma can push us to isolate and not talk about the trauma.

The high energy being stored in the body from the event is too much for us to talk about.

This is why we shut down when discussing trauma. The good news is that certain modalities like Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Brainspotting can help you discuss the trauma in a safe environment. Focusing on relaxing the body can help discuss the trauma much easier, and it is one step closer to healing from the trauma.

If any of this resonates with you…

We should work together! Here’s what trauma work looks like…

Reframing what happened…

When you’re in a safe environment, you can focus on trauma in a resourceful way that’s not debilitating.

Healing from trauma makes it difficult not to blame yourself. Trauma thrives from guilt and shame, and it is one of the most important parts of healing.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, EFT, and Brainspotting can help reframe the situation in a healing and resourceful matter. It provides exposure in a safe environment and lets the brain heal from the trauma.

Exploring the root of the problem…

Digging into the root of the problem requires some form of exposure to the trauma.

Old-school talk therapy would expose you to the trauma on day one of the session, but there are no tools to help with it, which does not get to the root of the problem most of the time. The best way to do it is in a resourceful and calming model.

Brainspotting helps with digging into the root of the problem without any biased from the therapist. It is an anti-oppressive model that allows you to tell the story and provide an ending that makes sense for you to heal from the trauma.

Regulating your body…

The autonomic nervous system is the part of the body that oversees body regulation. Whether breathing or using the bathroom, it is done without any additional energy.

Trauma can affect our heart rate, sleeping cycle, and intestinal problems. When people are healing from trauma, the body also starts to heal. Your heart rate is not as high in the morning or at night, you’ll sleep better or not have as many intestinal problems.

Remember, the body keeps the score, and trauma shows its ugly head from dysregulation.

Tracking your progress…

You probably don’t realize all the ways that stored or unprocessed trauma is affecting your life. As you start to heal, your thoughts, emotions, and behavior will begin to change. We’ll track these changes so that you’ll see your progress. For one of my clients, one of the signs he was getting better was that he finally had a full night’s sleep for the first time in years!

Therapy is a process that requires a solid plan…

Each objective is like a milestone for the client to accomplish.

I will keep you accountable for staying on track with the objectives and ensuring we are focused on the crucial healing points. Regulating the body, exploring the root of the problem, and reframing the issue can help bring autonomy. Having autonomy and building resilience helps you heal from the pain of trauma and will help you create the story and ending of your trauma.

You’re not broken. There is hope for you!

I am here to help you and let you know there are ways to cope.

I’ll work with you to develop a personalized plan for your healing journey.

Call me today at (407) 912-4177, and we can talk more during a free 15-minute consultation, or you can schedule your appointment!

*The above names and stories are composite narratives and do not reflect actual clients.