Trauma and PTSD therapists in Lakewood, Colorado CO
Trauma and PTSD
Kelly Norris Counseling & Psychotherapy, LLC
Counselor/Therapist, MA, LPC, CCTP-II
“Trauma is not the story of something that happened back then. It’s the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside people.”
- Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD (2014)
Sadly, about half of us will experience at least one significant traumatic event in our lifetime. Trauma is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of events and experiences. What actually determines whether an event is “traumatic” is the person’s own reaction to that event.
Trauma can refer to a single event or several distinct events (eg, sexual or physical assualt, car accident, near death experience, combat, etc). It can also come in the form of repeated relational violations (relational trauma) or in the form of abandonment, abuse, neglect and other aversive experiences in early childhood (developmental trauma).
*Time alone does not heal "all" wounds*
The effects of trauma linger in the body. Often, people experience “hyper-arousal” symptoms long after the traumatic event(s). It is as if their mind is constantly “on guard,” vigilant, always scanning the environment for danger. Other hyper-arousal symptoms include irritability, anger outbursts (or having a “short fuse”), restlessness, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, flashbacks and an increased startle response.
People may also experience hypo-arousal symptoms following a traumatic event. For example, they may experience dissociation during times of extreme or overwhelming distress. In other words, they “zone out” and lose their connection with their physical body/sensory experiences, their personal identity (depersonalization), and/or reality (derealization). They may lose time or experience gaps in their memory.
Trauma disrupts and interferes with the normal processing and consolidation of memories in the brain. Past traumatic events are re-lived and re-experienced over and over, as if they were still happening now. As long as the memories go unprocessed, the profound effects of trauma can endure long after the traumatic experience has ended.
*You are NOT ‘broken,’ ‘damaged’ or ‘crazy.’*
It is important to note that these post-traumatic symptoms represent a normal and adaptive response to highly unusual and aversive circumstances. The mind does incredible things to protect us and keep us safe from harm. Since the memories of the traumatic experience haven’t been properly processed, the brain perceives it as something that is still happening, as a present and real threat.
It is possible to ‘turn down’ this threat response. With therapy, you can recover, heal and even thrive after trauma.
*Therapy can help you heal your past wounds*
Trauma-informed therapy involves strategies and interventions for regulating and calming your nervous system, helping you to access a sense of safety, security and calm in your body, and providing an anchor that you can always turn to in order to ground yourself in the present moment.
Trauma treatment facilitates the normal processing and consolidation of memories to occur. As mentioned earlier, these processes can be disrupted by trauma, which means that trauma memories are not stored and consolidated like normal memories. This is what accounts for many post-traumatic symptoms.
Trauma therapy is tailored to the individual. Interventions may include: Somatic Experiencing (SE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT); Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT); Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), and/or Attachment Focused EMDR (AF-EMDR).
*Goals of Therapy*
You will work collaboratively with your therapist to identify goals for therapy. Below are a few examples of common goals in trauma treatment:
Eliminating or ameliorating symptoms
Releasing yourself from the past and becoming grounded in the present.
Boosting your day-to-day functioning
Regaining your personal power, & minimizing the hold that the trauma has had on you.
Equipping you with skills to effectively manage and regulate your internal experiences and external stressors day to day.
Strengthening your internal resources so that you can recover and heal, and maintain these gains long-term.
If you're dealing with impacts of trauma, I welcome the opportunity to help you heal past wounds and regain control of your life.
11 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado
Marriage and Family Therapist
In our comfortable, home-like ranch setting, clients of all ages and income levels are provided counseling or psychotherapy with the assistance of certified counselors and their trained therapy animals. Have a cup of tea and pet the baby goats while you wait, or sit quietly in our gazebo and read.
39 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Katy London
Counselor/Therapist, MS, LPCC
I provide compassionate and effective support for individuals who have experienced traumatic events. I recognize the lasting impact of trauma on mental and emotional well-being and offers a safe space for individuals to process their experiences, reduce distressing symptoms, and regain a sense of control over their lives.
2 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Palmer Psychology
Treatment Center
Our practice is based on helping people heal from the trauma that they have experienced in their lives. Each of our therapists is a trauma specialist and has training and expertise in helping people heal using a variety of techniques. We would like to be a part of your healing journey.
17 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Anastasia Mitchell
Counselor/Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Art Therapist
I am trained in EMDR and, if interested, I am able to use art therapy interventions to assist in addressing traumatic experiences and symptoms of PTSD.
6 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Natalie Stemati
Psychologist, Psy.D.
A lot of people experience trauma within their family of origin. I work with developmental (childhood) and attachment (ways of learning how to emotionally bond) trauma which includes growing up in alcoholism, abuse, conflict, parent death and/or any traumatic experience endured during childhood. As a result, a lot of people develop a type of insecure attachment that impacts their current relationships (i.e. dependency, fear, conflict, anxiety).
13 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Dr. Kelly Cromer
Psychologist, Ph.D.
My psychological evaluations cover a full range of psychological disorders as currently designated by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5-TR, including traditional and complex forms of PTSD across the lifespan.
4 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Kelli Tahaney
Psychologist, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Ph.D.
I have a lot of experience working with individuals with trauma history, as it is often prevalent among individuals suffering from addiction. I've learned to help people process past trauma while also developing coping skills for the present, including replacing maladaptive coping mechanisms.
3 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Sarah J Thompson
Counselor/Therapist, MEd, LPC
Most people will experience trauma in their lifetime whether it’s a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster.
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, and assistance of a therapist is fundamental to healing from trauma.
Trauma Symptoms
According to the four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5
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 psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. Most commonly, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are used in treating trauma.
If you or someone you know matches the trauma symptoms listed above, I am confident that I can help and invite you to contact me today for a free consultation.
15 Years Experience
Trauma and PTSD
Camille Larsen
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, LAC
There are the events that hurt people, and then the aftermath of those events that can go on much longer than the events, themselves. Together, we work at a pace that feels safe to you so you can feel more empowered. I specialize in PTSD and use EMDR, a well-researched therapy for the treatment of trauma, to produce very good results to provide relief and enable you to enjoy your life.
8 Years Experience