Trauma Focused Therapy
Trauma, whether physical or emotional, is often the centerpiece of our life challenges. Trauma Focused Therapy can help you manage those challenges, whether immediate, like an accident, or assault, or something more existential, like a natural disaster, or the death of a loved one.
At Willow Tree Therapy Services, we are committed to supporting you in moving through your situation, learning to cope with the ongoing effects, like flashback and intrusions, to help you release your fear and live a more fulfilling life. Reach out to request an appointment to learn how we can help.
Understanding Trauma
Trauma an emotional response to some extreme event in your life, triggering a fight-or-flight reaction. The impact of this response can linger, leaving you feeling constantly on edge and hypervigilant—always on the lookout for something bad happening.
It might be the result of an accident, assault, a random act of violence, or a natural disaster. Immediately after the traumatic event, you may be in shock, and potentially deny the thing ever happened. Longer term feelings might include unpredictable emotions, or flashbacks Socially, trauma can strain relationships, and may even manifest physically.
Early on, trauma symptoms may be marked by shock, denial, or disbelief. Later, more long-standing issues can show up as experiencing:
- Confusion, difficulty concentrating
- Anger, irritability, mood swings
- Anxiety and fear
- Guilt, shame, self-blame
- Withdrawal from others
- Feeling sad or hopeless
- Feeling disconnected or numb
Complex Trauma
Experiencing multiple traumas, whether one after the other, or over the lifespan, is called complex trauma. These experiences layer on top of one another, creating a sort of cascade effect, and cementing your negative expectations. These expectations can generalize to all sorts of situations and relationships, causing you to be in a state of constant anxiety.
The impact of complex trauma is like a filter through which you see the world. You end up consistently expecting the worst from just about everything from an interaction with your boss to the mechanic working on your car. Filtering the world in this way get in the way of your ability, not only to enjoy life, but to function in the world.
A Path to Healing
The good news is, even though it may feel like it in the moment, this experience does not have to go on and on for you. With proper support and guidance, you can heal, finding yourself in a lighter, brighter space, where you can live a healthier and more fulfilling life.
If this feels like what you’ve been experiencing, but maybe couldn’t name it, the therapists at Willow Tree Therapy Services can help. Feel free to reach out to us to request an appointment, and we can support you in getting on the path to your own healing.