Trauma occurs when a scary, dangerous, or shocking experience overwhelms your ability to cope or process. If you’ve experienced trauma you may notice:

• Feeling worried, anxious, sad, or fearful

• Having thoughts of or reliving the traumatic experience

• Avoiding situations, people, or places that bring up distressing memories

• Startling easily, being on edge

• Feeling like something bad is going to happen

• Changes in your sleep habits or having nightmares

• Guilt, shame

• Feeling numb, disconnected, or like you are watching your life from the outside

• Somatic or physical symptoms: headaches, stomach aches, feeling shakiness or dizziness

Trauma becomes stored in our bodies and causes our nervous system to become dysregulated. You may know logically that you are safe now but your body may be stuck in “fight, flight, freeze” after the experience has passed.

We will work to reprocess the memory and focus on helping your nervous system regulate and let go of the trauma that may be stuck in your brain and body. We will move at a pace that feels safe to you, building resources and tools to prepare you along the way.