TRAUMA THERAPY

Does The Negative Impact Of Trauma Keep You Stuck?

Despite your achievements and ambition, do you feel held back by unresolved trauma?

Does a lack of safety or self-worth make it difficult to let your guard down and form close relationships? Do you blame yourself for what happened to you even though you know it’s not your fault? 

No matter what you accomplish in life, you can’t outrun the effects of trauma. In addition to experiencing recurrent flashbacks and nightmares, low self-esteem and people-pleasing tendencies may limit you from getting what you want out of your career or relationships. Perhaps you are described as “too nice” and, rather than going after what you want, put others’ needs ahead of your own. If you feel like you continually give everything to everyone else without getting anything in return, you probably feel dissatisfied.

Relationships May Be Problematic For You

Relationships may be problematic for you because of trauma

Rather than recognize the positive qualities you bring into relationships, maybe your insecurities prevent you from getting too close to anyone. Without establishing trust and proper boundaries, the relationships you have may feel unstable and unsafe. As you remain isolated from others, you might fear you are missing out on love and connection. 

Lacking confidence in yourself may cause you to feel like a fraud and constantly question your decisions. Maybe deep down you don’t believe you deserve a good life and so you engage in self-sabotaging behaviors—such as substance use or disordered eating—to cope with feelings of worthlessness and shame. 

Trying to function normally with unresolved trauma lurking in the background can be nearly impossible. That’s why trauma therapy for women is an important component of recovery and healing. With the right treatment, you can resolve trauma and get your life back on track.

TRAUMA THERAPY

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MENTAL HEALTH BY MARIA

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TRAUMA THERAPY ☺︎ MENTAL HEALTH BY MARIA ☺︎

Trauma And PTSD Is A Growing Problem For Younger Women

According to a recent survey conducted by Harmony Healthcare IT, “42 percent of Gen Z adults have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Of those, 20 percent have been diagnosed with PTSD.” Further, research published in 2017 by the European Journal of Psycho-traumatology suggests women experience PTSD at two to three times the rate than men do. “The lifetime prevalence of PTSD for women is 10-12 percent, compared to 5-6 percent for men.”

As women, we are subjected to potentially traumatic experiences on both a macro and micro level. Being so plugged into our phones means we bear witness to the ongoing gender injustice playing out on the national and global level that threatens our safety and reproductive rights. Closer to home, many of us have experienced discrimination and pay inequity firsthand. Additionally, trauma resulting from physical or sexual violence or abuse remains far too common for women.

What We Need To Know About “Little T” Trauma

Although we often associate trauma with “Big T” events, such as sexual assault, warfare, and car accidents, we fail to acknowledge the lasting impact that “Little T” trauma can have on our well-being. “Little T” trauma can accumulate when we experience ongoing circumstances that negatively affect us, like growing up with parents who were either emotionally unavailable or hyper-critical of us or entering a toxic relationship with a partner.

Our lack of awareness of how we’ve been impacted by more subtle forms of trauma often prevents us from seeking the appropriate help. Because we don’t realize how we could benefit from trauma counseling, we remain stuck.

Fortunately, evidence-based approaches to treatment can help you recover from any type of trauma you may have experienced. By tapping into your brain’s resiliency, EMDR therapy offers an effective method to heal from trauma.

Holistic Therapy Can Help You Heal From Trauma More Effectively

When it comes to trauma, processing disturbing memories that have become stuck and regulating the body’s nervous system are vital components of recovery. At Mental Health By Maria, I use a holistic approach to heal trauma. In therapy, we will engage your body and mind to process the trauma you have experienced and address the root cause of the issue. 

I utilize Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) to access the parts of your brain where trauma is stored. Additionally, I incorporate somatic therapy that focuses on how trauma affects your body. Learning mindfulness-based techniques will help you connect emotions with bodily sensations so you can learn how to better regulate your nervous system.

Holistic Trauma Therapy by Maria Reiter

What To Expect In Trauma Counseling

The emotional connection that you and I make will be the foundation that we build upon. Our rapport will allow you to build trust with me. In therapy, it’s okay to admit you’re having a bad day. I understand that healing isn’t always linear and will provide you with a safe space to share exactly how you’re feeling without judgment. 

EMDR for Trauma

EMDR is an evidence-based protocol that focuses on organizing unwanted feelings, emotions, and thoughts by using bilateral stimulation—such as left-to-right eye movements, alternating finger tapping, tones, or music—to help you work through traumatic memories. Bilateral stimulation replicates what our eyes do during REM sleep, the cycle that helps us process and store new information so we can reset our brain each night. 

EMDR therapy helps desensitize you to previous experiences so you can live in the present moment with less emotional pain. Clearing out troubling memories through desensitization also helps create space for more positive thoughts and beliefs about yourself. Not only will this new mindset make you feel more empowered, but it will also improve your ability to handle stressful situations in the future. In addition to being effective therapy, EMDR allows you to heal from trauma without having to retell your story to your therapist over and over.

Psychoeducation about the mind-body connection is another important aspect of trauma therapy. With an understanding of how the body stores trauma, we will incorporate coping and mindfulness-based skills to increase your tolerance of potentially traumatic experiences. Once you are equipped with these tools, we can then turn to self-compassion work to help you build your self-worth, leading to healthier relationships.

I aim to help you live your best life free of guilt, shame, and low self-image. I want you to feel confident in your decisions, advocate for yourself, and fully love and embrace your life. Without the shadow of trauma hanging over you, you will be open to life’s possibilities and able to build closer connections with others.

But You May Wonder Whether Trauma Therapy Is Right For You…

  • To ensure therapy is convenient and accessible, my practice is conducted solely through Telehealth. As a trauma therapist, I can attest that clients enjoy therapy from the comfort of their homes. With Telehealth, you can come to sessions in your pajamas and access your pets, loved ones, and supportive objects, like fidgets or blankets. Feeling safe throughout trauma treatment increases your ability to cope with accessing traumatic memories. What’s more, online EMDR for trauma has been shown to be as effective as in-person sessions.

  • Initially, I will ask you a series of questions to access the traumatic memory we decide to target. We will then pair these questions with bilateral stimulation for short periods. After that, I will ask you to observe any changes you may have noticed. We will continue processing the traumatic memory until it becomes less disturbing, and you associate more positive thoughts and beliefs with it. EMDR is suitable therapy to address childhood neglect and abuse, sexual trauma, and relationship trauma.

  • Because the client and counselor must establish a strong connection in trauma therapy to achieve beneficial results, I offer a free 15-minute consultation to determine if we would be a good fit to work together. If we decide we are, we will set up an intake to get started with trauma counseling. And if we decide we are not the best fit for each other, I am happy to connect you with another provider.

Healing From Trauma Can Help You Reshape Your Relationships

I’m eager to help you heal past wounds and build a more fulfilling future for yourself. For more information about how trauma therapy can help you, please contact me to schedule your free consultation.