“Trauma is not what happens to you
but what happens inside you.”

Dr. Gabor Maté

When a person experiences repeated, long-lasting, or multiple forms of trauma (emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, emotional neglect, or living in a chaotic environment where there is little safety or security) it can deeply affect how you feel about yourself, others, and the world.

It can shape how your brain and body respond to stress and emotions. Even if these events happen as a child, the brain is still developing, and repeated trauma can change how your mind/body responds to fear, trust, and relationships. Effects often carry into adulthood, and we do not realize how early experience shapes our personality, perspective and life. You might find yourself feeling overly anxious, avoiding certain people or situations, struggling with relationships, or having intense emotional reactions that seem to come from nowhere.

Without knowing how complex trauma has affected you, it can be confusing. You may feel like something is "wrong" with you, or you can't figure out why you react the way you do. Understanding trauma and complex trauma can help you recognize that these feelings and behaviors are not your fault. They are a natural response to what you've been through, and with the right support, you can learn new ways to cope, heal, and thrive.

The effects of trauma are often compounded after unsuccessful or ineffective treatment episodes.

The trauma of ineffective treatment occurs when individuals seek therapy for relief but don’t experience improvement, which can be deeply discouraging. When therapy doesn't lead to progress, symptoms like anxiety, depression, or trauma-related distress can worsen, leaving individuals feeling more overwhelmed and misunderstood. This can lead to a sense of hopelessness, and lead to doubt surrounding whether healing is even possible. Over time, the emotional toll of feeling "stuck" can compound initial struggles, making it harder to trust future treatments or therapists. 

How we can help

Drawing from our expertise in working with survivors of trauma and complex trauma, we understand the intricacies of these challenges. We are here to provide a compassionate, trauma-informed space where you can begin to navigate and heal from the lasting impacts of your experiences.

Over approximately 15 to 30 individual sessions, depending on the needs you bring to the therapeutic process, we will approach treatment in a sequential, trauma-informed and collaborative way.

Our approach to treatment is evidence-based and integrative, which means that we are flexible and person-centered throughout the therapeutic process. We will integrate elements of contextual trauma therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. While addressing the impact of trauma, we emphasize restoring trust—whether it’s the trauma of previous therapeutic experiences where your needs weren’t met, or the trust in yourself that may have been eroded.

This structured approach helps rebuild the foundation of trust in both treatment and yourself.

  • Building Trust.

    First, we will work towards identifying the core issues that bring you to psychotherapy, and work towards creating a strong relationship where you can feel comfortable exploring how past trauma affects your current functioning.

  • Learning About Your Emotions and Yourself. 

    Second, we will address the problems many complex trauma survivors often struggle with, which includes difficulties feeling, tolerating, or expressing emotions. We will also explore how your sense of self influences how you relate to others, and examine patterns in your relationships that result in distress or recurrent conflict, loneliness, and other issues.

  • Understanding how the Past Influences the Present.

    Throughout treatment, we will explore how your past experiences play into who you are and how you function today, and learn about how current problems may be rooted in beliefs that helped you cope with past trauma experiences.