Issue areas served
I work with men and women, 18+. I specialize in trauma, which includes a wide range of issues, experiences, and topics. The below is an overview, but if you are unsure of where to start, I encourage you to set up a free 15-minute consultation to see how I might be able to help you.
Abuse/Neglect*
Anger Management
Anxiety/Panic
Betrayal Trauma*
Blended Family
Codependency
*area of expertise
Depression
Divorce
Domestic Abuse/Violence*
Grief/Bereavement
Infidelity*
Loss/Abandonment*
Marital/Premarital
OCD
Personality Disorders
PTSD*
Self-esteem/self-worth
Sexual abuse*
Sleep/Insomnia
Suicidal Ideation
Trauma*
Workplace Issues
Trauma
Trauma is a big concept. It is also a word that is used frequently in a variety of contexts, and it can lose its meaning. Trauma is also something that happens at varying degrees that it can often be normalized and its impact can often be overlooked. In its most basic definition, trauma is “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster.” As humans, we have all experienced trauma, but depending on the nature of your trauma - whether it was an isolated or repeated event, the event itself, the age you were, etc - it can have a different impact on you.
Examples of trauma experiences can range from harassment, bullying, a traffic collision, childbirth, to a loss of a loved one, going through a life threatening illness, a natural disaster, or war. As you can see, the experiences of trauma are diverse and range in severity. And these are experiences that stay with us, whether we realize it or not. The below are a few definitions to help you understand some of the different types of trauma. If any of these resonate with you and want to start the healing process, you are in the right place. Please get in touch.
“big T” vs. “little t” Trauma
Big “T” traumas are the events most commonly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) including serious injury, sexual violence, or life-threatening experiences. Threats of serious physical injury, death, or sexual violence can cause intense trauma even if the person is never physically harmed. Witnesses to big “T” events or people living and working in close proximity to trauma survivors are also vulnerable to PTSD, especially those who encounter emotional shock on a regular basis like paramedics, therapists, and police officers.
Little “t” traumas are highly distressing events that affect individuals on a personal level but don’t fall into the big “T” category. Examples of little “t” trauma include non-life-threatening injuries, emotional abuse, death of a pet, bullying or harassment, and loss of significant relationships. People have unique capacities to handle stress, referred to as resilience, which impacts their ability to cope with trauma. What is highly distressing to one person may not cause the same emotional response in someone else, so the key to understanding little “t” trauma is to examine how it affects the individual rather than focusing on the event itself. (Journey Pure River)
Complex Trauma
The traumatic stress field has adopted the term “complex trauma” to describe the experience of multiple, chronic and prolonged, developmentally adverse traumatic events, most often of an interpersonal nature (eg, sexual or physical abuse, war, community violence) and early-life onset. These exposures often occur within the child’s caregiving system and include physical, emotional, and educational neglect and child maltreatment beginning in early childhood. (Psychiatric Annals)
Betrayal Trauma
Betrayal trauma is relational trauma which is created by broken trust, unfaithfulness, and a loss of confidence in your partnership, relationship, or marriage. This trauma can be caused by things like spousal neglect, cheating, infidelity, dishonesty, deception, romantic relationship betrayal, rejection, or other circumstances which cause you to lose faith in your partner or significant other. (Dr. Doug Weiss)
Dissociation
A result of trauma can be dissociation. Dissociation is a break in how your mind handles information. You may feel disconnected from your thoughts, feelings, memories, and surroundings. It can affect your sense of identity and your perception of time. (WebMD)