Therapy for Trauma & Complex PTSD
Trauma doesn't have to define your story. Whether you're struggling with recent traumatic experiences or carrying wounds from the past, you deserve compassionate, specialized care that honors your resilience and supports your healing journey.
What is Trauma and PTSD?
Trauma occurs when we experience or witness events that are emotionally or physically overwhelming, threatening, or deeply distressing. Trauma can result from a single incident or repeated exposure to distressing situations. Not all traumatic experiences lead to lasting symptoms, but when they do, the impact can affect every aspect of your life. Complex trauma (C-PTSD) results from prolonged, repeated trauma, often beginning in childhood.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD involves specific clusters of symptoms that persist for more than a month and significantly interfere with daily functioning. However, trauma responses exist on a spectrum, and you don't need a formal PTSD diagnosis to benefit from trauma-informed therapy.
Types of Trauma We Work With:
Acute Trauma - resulting from a single incident like accidents, assault, or natural disasters
Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) - from prolonged, repeated trauma, often in childhood
Developmental Trauma - early life experiences that impact brain development and attachment
Intergenerational Trauma - trauma passed down through families and communities
Medical Trauma - distressing medical procedures or life-threatening illness
Spiritual Trauma - harm experienced in religious or spiritual contexts
Vicarious Trauma - secondary trauma from witnessing others' traumatic experiences
Cultural and Historical Trauma - collective trauma experienced by communities
Relationship Trauma - including domestic violence, emotional abuse, or betrayal
Every trauma experience is valid, regardless of how it compares to others' experiences or whether it meets specific diagnostic criteria.
What are the Symptoms or Signs of Trauma and PTSD?
Trauma affects people differently, and symptoms can appear immediately or months, even years, after the traumatic event. It's important to remember that trauma responses are normal reactions to abnormal experiences—your nervous system is trying to protect you.
Re-experiencing Symptoms:
Intrusive memories or flashbacks of the traumatic event
Disturbing dreams or nightmares related to the trauma
Severe emotional distress when reminded of the trauma
Physical reactions like rapid heartbeat, sweating, or nausea when triggered
Feeling like you're reliving the traumatic experience
Avoidance Symptoms:
Avoiding thoughts, feelings, or conversations about the trauma
Staying away from places, people, or activities that remind you of the event
Emotional numbing or feeling disconnected from emotions
Memory problems or inability to remember important aspects of the trauma
Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
Hypervigilance and Arousal Symptoms:
Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
Feeling constantly on edge or easily startled
Hypervigilance - scanning for danger even in safe situations
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Irritability or anger that seems disproportionate
Self-destructive behavior or taking unnecessary risks
Changes in Thinking and Mood:
Negative thoughts about yourself, others, or the world
Persistent feelings of fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame
Feeling detached or estranged from family and friends
Inability to experience positive emotions like happiness or love
Blaming yourself or others for the trauma or its consequences
Feeling hopeless about the future
Physical and Somatic Symptoms:
Chronic pain or tension in the body
Headaches or migraines
Digestive issues or changes in appetite
Fatigue or low energy
Body memories - physical sensations related to the trauma
Panic attacks or anxiety symptoms
How Does Trauma and PTSD Impact Your Life?
Trauma doesn't just affect your mental health—it impacts your whole life, touching every aspect of your daily experience and relationships. You are not broken. Trauma changes us, but healing and recovery are absolutely possible with the right support and treatment approach.
-
Difficulty trusting others or forming close relationships
Fear of intimacy or getting too close to people
Relationship conflicts due to irritability or emotional numbness
Isolation from family, friends, or social activities
Challenges with communication about your needs and feelings
Repeating unhealthy relationship patterns
-
Work or school performance affected by concentration difficulties
Decision-making challenges due to brain fog or overwhelm
Daily routines disrupted by sleep problems or avoidance
Financial difficulties due to work impairment or medical costs
Neglecting self-care or basic needs like eating and hygiene
Loss of motivation for goals or activities that once mattered
-
Chronic health conditions linked to trauma stress
Weakened immune system making you more susceptible to illness
Sleep disorders affecting overall health and recovery
Substance use as a way to cope with symptoms
Increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions
Body holding trauma in tension, pain, and disconnection
-
Questioning your beliefs about safety, fairness, or meaning
Loss of sense of self or feeling like you're not the same person
Spiritual questioning or feeling disconnected from faith or purpose
Feeling different from others or like no one understands
Shame or self-blame that affects self-worth and confidence
Fear that you'll never feel normal or whole again
How Can Therapy Help My Trauma and PTSD?
Trauma-informed therapy recognizes that healing happens not just in the mind, but in the body, heart, and spirit.Through specialized therapeutic approaches, you can process traumatic experiences safely, develop healthy coping strategies, and reclaim your sense of safety and wholeness.
Evidence-Based Trauma Therapies We Integrate:
Somatic and Jungian Art Therapy
Trauma lives in the body, and somatic art therapy helps you reconnect with your body's wisdom while processing traumatic experiences through creative expression. This approach:
Uses art-making to access and process trauma stored in the body
Helps develop body awareness and recognize trauma responses
Provides safe ways to express what may be difficult to put into words
Supports nervous system regulation through creative and somatic practices
Honors your natural healing capacity and innate resilience
Jungian approaches recognize that trauma affects the psyche at the deepest levels, including our relationship with archetypal energies and the collective unconscious:
Explores trauma through symbols and metaphors that emerge in artwork
Works with dreams and active imagination to process traumatic material
Integrates shadow aspects of trauma experience for healing
Reconnects you with your inner wisdom and archetypal resources for healing
Honors the spiritual dimensions of trauma and recovery
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for Trauma
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain process and integrate traumatic memories that have become "stuck" in the nervous system:
Targets specific traumatic memories while engaging both sides of the brain through guided eye movements
Reduces emotional charge of disturbing memories without requiring detailed verbal processing
Helps the brain reprocess trauma naturally, moving memories from reactive to adaptive storage
Installs positive beliefs about yourself to replace negative self-concepts formed during trauma
Allows your natural healing capacity to resolve past experiences that continue to cause distress
Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Somatic Parts Work for Trauma
IFS recognizes that trauma affects different parts of the psyche and that healing involves helping these parts feel safe and integrated:
Identifies protective parts that developed to help you survive trauma
Works with exiled parts that carry the pain and vulnerability
Strengthens your Self as the compassionate, wise leader of your internal system
Helps parts release extreme roles they took on for protection
Creates internal harmony and self-compassion
How Art Therapy Specifically Helps Trauma:
When Words Are Not Enough
Trauma often impacts the language centers of the brain, making it difficult to verbally process traumatic experiences.
Art therapy:
Bypasses language barriers to access traumatic material safely
Allows nonverbal expression of complex trauma responses
Provides distance through metaphor and symbolism
Gives form to experiences that feel chaotic or overwhelming
Safe Processing and Integration
Art-making creates a safe container for trauma work:
Controls the pace of trauma processing through artistic expression
Provides grounding through physical materials and creative process
Allows titration - working with small amounts of traumatic material at a time
Supports integration of traumatic experiences into your life narrative
Body-Based Healing
Creative expression engages the whole nervous system:
Activates parasympathetic nervous system for healing and rest
Provides sensory regulation through art materials and process
Rebuilds body connection often lost in trauma
Supports nervous system co-regulation through therapeutic relationship
What You Can Expect in Trauma Therapy:
Safety First
Creating a safe therapeutic relationship where you feel seen, heard, and believed
Learning grounding techniques to manage overwhelming symptoms
Developing coping strategies for daily life challenges
Building internal and external resources for stability and support
Processing and Integration
Working with traumatic memories at a pace that feels manageable
Processing emotions related to the trauma in a safe environment
Making meaning of your traumatic experiences within your life story
Integrating trauma as part of your history without letting it define you
Reclaiming Your Life
Rebuilding sense of safety in your body and the world
Reconnecting with relationships and social support
Rediscovering interests and activities that bring you joy
Developing post-traumatic growth - finding meaning and strength through your healing journey
Common Questions About Trauma Therapy
-
Trauma therapy is designed to help you process traumatic experiences safely without overwhelming you. We work at your pace and use techniques like art therapy that can provide distance and safety while still allowing healing. You remain in control of what you share and when.
-
Memory gaps are common in trauma, and perfect recall is not necessary for healing. Art therapy and somatic approaches can help you work with body memories and felt senses even when cognitive memories are unclear.
-
Healing happens on your timeline, not a predetermined schedule. Some people find significant relief in months, while others benefit from longer-term work, especially with complex trauma. Progress is not linear, and we celebrate all steps forward, no matter how small.
-
Many trauma survivors do recover and go on to live fulfilling, meaningful lives. While trauma may always be part of your history, it doesn't have to control your future. Healing often involves finding a "new normal" that integrates your experiences while allowing you to thrive.
Your Healing Journey Starts Here
Trauma may be part of your story, but it doesn't have to be the end of your story. With compassionate, specialized support, you can heal from traumatic experiences and reclaim your sense of safety, connection, and joy in life.
Every healing journey is unique, and we're honored to walk alongside you as you discover your resilience, process your experiences, and create the life you deserve. You've already shown incredible strength by surviving what you've been through. Now let us help you learn to thrive.
Ready to take the first step toward trauma healing in a safe, supportive environment? As a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist specializing in trauma-informed care, I integrate somatic art therapy, Jungian approaches, and evidence-based trauma treatments to support your holistic healing journey.