“PTSD can be treated, and there are many resources available to help you heal.”
Therapy for Trauma | Los Angeles, CA
your traumas don't define you
At Unstuck Psychotherapy, I approach all my work from a trauma-informed perspective. I know that the pain of trauma can control your days, and I can help you to change that.
I understand the lasting effects trauma can have on your ability to cope, feel a sense of safety and enjoy your relationships and quality of life.
I create an environment of safety, compassion, trustworthiness and collaboration to help you to understand how trauma has affected you and to learn how to cope in new and more effective ways.
What is Trauma?
Trauma doesn’t define you and it doesn’t have to control you.
Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. It may be something that happened to you or something that you witnessed. The effects of trauma can be physical, emotional, or both. Trauma can overwhelm your ability to cope, cause you to feel helpless, and decrease your sense of self-worth.
Acute trauma is a specific event or situation, typically a single incident (natural disaster, assault, car accident). Chronic trauma is repeated and prolonged experiences (such as abuse or domestic violence).
Complex trauma is exposure to various and multiple traumatic events of an invasive and interpersonal nature, usually over the course of a long period of time. (e.g. being the target of racism, homophobia, transphobia, bullying, or significant invalidation from family).
Trauma can have a lasting effect on your mental and physical health. Trauma symptoms can manifest in a variety of ways and are different for all of us. It changes your nervous system’s ability to self-regulate. When a traumatic experience pushes the limits of the nervous system, it can become stuck in the “on” position leading to anxiety, panic, anger/irritability, hyperactivity, and restlessness/insomnia. For some, the nervous system’s response is to shut down causing depression, fatigue, disconnection and lethargy. And for others, the nervous system vacillates between states of on and off.
If you’ve experienced trauma, you may feel like you’re in danger, even when you’re not. You may feel like you’re not yourself; like you’re in a bad dream, or that you’re in shock. Trauma can make you feel disconnected from the world around you, or even from your own body.
Trauma is a normal reaction to an abnormal event. It’s natural to feel scared, confused, or overwhelmed after a traumatic experience. But if these feelings don’t go away, or if they get worse, it may be a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is a mental health condition that can occur after you’ve been through a traumatic event. PTSD can cause a wide range of symptoms, including:
- Flashbacks
- Night terrors
- Hypervigilance
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble concentrating
- Avoiding things that remind you of the trauma
- Feeling numb or disconnected from others
- Difficulty trusting relationships
These are just some of the signs and symptoms associated with trauma. It is important to remember that everyone experiences trauma differently and you may not experience all of the above symptoms. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional.
How I Can Help
I am trained in a variety of approaches and forms of psychotherapy to treat the effects of traumatic life experiences. I will work with you to choose which approaches are best for your healing process. The types of trauma therapy I employ:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Somatic experiencing
There are many benefits of trauma therapy and it’s important to get help. I can help you overcome the effects of trauma by providing a safe and supportive environment in which to process your experiences and emotions. I will help you to understand your experience, thoughts, and feelings, and to develop coping strategies.
Untreated trauma can lead to a number of problems, such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and other mental health issues that make it difficult to function in everyday life. I can provide the support and care you need to heal from your experiences and move forward in your life.
Flexibility
Both in-person and telehealth options available.
Free Consultation
Free initial phone consultation to determine if we're a good fit for each other.
Personalized Approach
Multiple modalities to create the best treatment plan tailored to you.