Trauma Therapy

You have been through some difficult things in your life, things that have made you feel unsafe, heartbroken, afraid, hurt, alone, but are they trauma? Maybe you think others had it worse or it wasn’t as bad as you remember. After all, you survived, even thrived. You are resilient, you are creative, you have moved on, but the wounds from the past still linger. 

Trauma is a word that we are hearing a lot of things these days, because we are finally recognizing that it applies to a wide range of experiences. Not everything bad happens is trauma, but almost everyone experiences trauma at some point in their life. 

Yet many people are not sure it applies to what they have been through. “I’m not sure if this is trauma, but…” is often how a conversation with a new client will start. Minimizing and dismissing are common. Remembering can just be too painful. It can bring up complex and confusing emotions, such as guilt, shame and a sense of loss. 

If you are feeling some of these things, trauma might be the cause. 

What is trauma?

Trauma is an experience that is overwhelming, disturbing and hard to make sense of, both in the moment and long after its over. It affects the way you see yourself, others and the world around you. While this description is true for all trauma, not all types of trauma are the same. Different forms of trauma are categorized by when and how they occur. 

Developmental trauma occurs during the course of childhood. Attachment trauma is specific to painful experiences that happen in close relationships, such as between a child and a parent or caregiver. Both can include neglect, abandonment or a lack of physical or emotional safety. Sexual abuse, violence, bullying, loss, uncertainty and chaos that comes with having a parent who is absent, mentally ill or has an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Sometimes the trauma comes at the hands of other family members, siblings, or authority figures. 

Single incident trauma, known as Big T trauma, is what people sometimes refer to as “real” trauma. Being in combat, a car accident, being sexually assaulted, experiencing medical trauma, are all examples of this category. 

Regardless of the circumstances or how long the occurrence, being in a situation that is overwhelming, upsetting and out of control can have a significant and long lasting impact on your nervous system and, therefore, you. 

Symptoms of Trauma 

While everyone experiences trauma a little bit differently, here are some of the common symptoms of trauma:

• Feeling “on edge,” anxious, hypervigilant 

• Easy to startle 

• Numb, dissociated, disconnected 

• Feeling stuck

• Feeling unsafe 

• Having negative self beliefs 

• Emotional dysregulation

• Flashbacks, intrusive thoughts or memories 

• Nightmares

• Grief

• Difficulty with close relationships 

The Creative Trauma Resolution Approach to Trauma

Having bad things happen to you may be part of life, but the effects do not have to be permanent. Like a wound to your body, your brain has the capacity to heal. You can feel whole again and live without being haunted by the past. 

I believe treating trauma needs a creative approach. No two people, no two trauma experiences are the same. One size does not fit all. My approach incorporates several types of trauma treatment, customized to fit each client’s needs. 

EMDR Therapy for Trauma 

EMDR Therapy is one of the most extensively researched and effective ways to treat trauma. For many of my clients, it has provided life changing results after years of talk therapy. Instead of only talking about what happened, EMDR accesses all parts of a memory, including the body sensations, to completely process and make sense of what happened. I have used EMDR with clients with a wide range of challenges, helping them to put the past in its proper place and to feel at peace in their minds and bodies. 

Art Therapy for Trauma 

Art Therapy incorporates a creative process into therapy. It can help express and process thoughts and feelings that are too difficult to put into words. 

Mindfulness and Somatic Treatment for Trauma 

Mindfulness and somatic practices such as mediation, grounding, tracking sensation, breathing and movement can reduce traumatic and other stress responses. These can calm the mind and body, build skills to regulate emotion and increase well-being. 

What is holding you back from beginning trauma treatment?

If you have experienced trauma you may believe “what’s done is done” and you are stuck with the painful memories, emotions, body sensations. While it’s true that the past cannot be undone, the way these experiences are stored in your memory and body can be changed. The goal of trauma treatment is not to forget, but reduce having the disturbing experiences from the past become activated and intrude on your life now. 

If fear of facing the trauma you have experienced is holding you back from seeking treatment, I want you to know that it can be done safely. The methods I use are designed to work at a pace that is comfortable for you and to keep you from being emotionally overwhelmed. 

Other Mental Health Services at Michele Conklin Therapy

In addition to treatment for trauma, I offer mental health services for depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and creative issues. I specialize in Creative Trauma Resolution using effective PTSD treatments, such as EMDR, Art Therapy and Mindfulness and Somatic practices. Finally, I provide couples therapy in Ridgefield, CT using marriage counseling methods that work.