Marriage and Family Therapist, Woodland Counseling
As Gabor Mate says:
"Trauma is a Greek word for wound. Literally that's what it means. So when you understand that, then you realize...trauma is not what happens to you. Trauma is what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you. "Trauma is not the event that inflicted the wound. So, the trauma is not the sexual abuse, the trauma is not the war. Trauma is not the abandonment. The trauma is not the inability of your parents to see you for who you were. Trauma is the wound that you sustained as a result. I have worked with trauma throughout my career and will support you in your healing process. Up to 70% of adults will experience a traumatic event in their lives, sometimes this turns into a PTSD condition. Receiving trauma therapy to assist you on your healing journey can make a big difference. I often combine EMDR and IFS in the trauma work I do with clients and have found many clients respond well to these therapy techniques.
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).
I am a trauma informed therapist and use that to create a comfortable and safe environment for a client to process past trauma and heal their internal wounds. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) which if we chose is best, we can utilize in sessions as well.
Here at Denver Wellness Counseling we specialize in EMDR and trauma/PTSD counseling. Our therapists have achieved advanced training in what we call Elevated EMDR, meaning the ability to effectively combine modalities and adapt the EMDR basic protocol to best meet the needs of the client.
Therapy for Trauma and PTSD have some primary components, including (but not limited to), gathering history, identifying parts of self related to the trauma (wounded younger parts and protector parts), building and practicing skills for self-regulation and self-soothing, resourcing by strengthening internal qualities and sources of positive affect, reprocessing traumatic memories (EMDR), and integrating adaptive themes and positive messages about self and the world.
Traumatic memories are stored differently in the brain, remaining in their "raw" form, in isolation from our adaptive (helpful) information, and able to impact our day-to-day experiences. With PTSD, our traumatic memories can frequently cause us to flash back into trauma-related thoughts, feelings, sensation, and action urges (fight, flight, freeze, submit, cry for help). EMDR uses eye movements or other bilateral sensations (similar to those found in REM sleep) to activate and encourage the brains natural ability to "reprocess" memories, which can both desensitize the memory (take the intensity out) and allow integration with the more adaptive neural circuitry. This process of emotional reprocessing can thus take the power away from these memories so they stop replaying and impacting our current functioning.
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.
My master's program focused primarily on trauma and has heavily colored the way that I conduct therapy. Most folks have experienced some degree of trauma and are trying to figure out how to live with it - I want to help this process. To help folks heal their traumas and figure out how to keep living.
Struggling to break free from the grip of past traumas, especially those rooted in your family of origin? You're not alone. At Be Counseling, we specialize in gentle healing for deep-seated wounds. As a trauma therapist and certified EMDR practitioner, I understand the complex interplay between trauma and family dynamics. Through advanced techniques like somatic therapy, parts work (Internal Family Systems), and relationship therapy, we'll gently explore and address the root causes of your trauma. It's time to reclaim your sense of safety, rebuild your inner strength, and find peace amidst the chaos. The hardest part of even researching therapists in done, the rest you don't have to do alone.
Post-traumatic stress disorder treatment can help you regain a sense of control over your life. The primary treatment is psychotherapy, but can also include medication. Combining these treatments can help improve your symptoms.
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.
Have you suffered from traumatic experiences that overwhelmed your ability to cope? Do you feel disconnected from others, re-experience those experience when you don't want to, or think you may never be able to move forward in your life? If so, please reach out so that we may work together to find healing.
I have worked with individuals across the lifespan who have experienced varying types of trauma and believe the therapeutic space can provide a container for healing.
Sometimes life hands us circumstances that we have trouble comprehending or getting over. In the case of trauma and PTSD, rewriting the narrative around these events and healing from those wounds is the way forward.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW/LMSW, CBEIP-MH
I work collaboratively with clients to implement safe coping strategies that will allow them to explore traumatic experiences in a way that is supportive of daily functioning and an overall sense of wellbeing.
Trauma comes in all shapes and sizes and believe it or not, it does not only impact veterans of war. Trauma can happen at any time in ones life and the impacts can be silent and slowly take over your ability to see the world in a clear and comprehensive way. I am passionate about helping you process the trauma you have experienced in your lifes so that you can take back control. Whether your trauma occurred in childhood, adulthood or over the lifespan, I am here to help.
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.
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC , Licensed Professional Counselor
I have over 8 years of experiencing working with individuals who have survived a trauma. I utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), and somatic experiencing to process. My goal is to empower you to reclaim your sense of safety, restore trust in yourself and others, and build resilience in the face of adversity.
Using Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavorial Therapy, Psychodynamic approach, and Narrative Therapy, I help you process complex trauma and learn how to trust again or perhaps for the first time. In our work together, you create a new, sustainable life narrative that inspires hope and makes meaning of your suffering.
In working with trauma, my priority is to establish a space of safety and trust, where the story of your trauma is met with the utmost respect and care. I understand that trauma affects not just the mind, but the body and spirit as well. Our journey together involves gently uncovering and working through the painful memories and feelings at a pace that feels manageable for you. My goal is to help you regain a sense of control and self-worth, processing the trauma so that it becomes a part of your story without defining it. Healing from trauma is possible, and I am here to support you through every step of this transformative journey.
Trauma and PTSD is a disorder in which a person has difficulty recovering from a traumatic or terrifying event. I will use my extensive training and expertise in CBT, DBT, ACT, TFCBT, and solution focused therapy.
24 Years Experience
