_edited.png)
Trauma
First and foremost - we want you to know that there is no such thing as a "bad enough" trauma to warrant psychotherapy support. If something bad happened that is bothering you, stuck in your mind, ruining your sleep, or impacting your outlook on life, chances are you have experienced a trauma! Trauma can be understood as any situation that was scary, harmful, or dangerous for you or a loved one. We believe that you matter, and your experiences are valid.
If you're feeling nervous to schedule an appointment, you're not alone. Let us walk you through the steps we take to keep you safe and comfortable.
Let us ease your mind about trauma therapy!
We will never force you to talk about something before you're ready. Your safety and comfort are the most important consideration in the therapeutic process. We acknowledge that sometimes trauma can be difficult to discuss, and come with feelings of shame, guilt, and embarrassment. Therapy will only ever move at a pace that you are comfortable with, and our goal is to help you build a safe and trusting relationship with your therapist.
You do not need to share specific details to benefit from therapy. If there are some pieces of your experience that you would prefer to keep private, or feel you cannot talk about, we will never pressure you to do so. Although it can be helpful for your therapist to know a bare-bones summary of the event, you can share as much or as little as you like. We can offer grounding and calming skills without you sharing specific details of the trauma to help you start feeling better sooner rather than later.
You will not be judged or criticized for your reaction to a traumatic event. Often people feel guilty or shameful about how they reacted in a traumatic moment. You might be plagued with thoughts or self criticism or doubt, such as "why did I do that?" or "why didn't I....". One of our goals as therapists is to help you understand how the human body and brain reacts to trauma, and we very strongly believe that you did the best you could in a very scary moment.
You don't have to feel like this forever. Our therapists are trained in evidence-based approaches to help you cope with and heal from symptoms of trauma. Get in touch today to learn more about the modalities we use, and how they can be helpful!