Trauma and PTSD Therapy

Understanding Trauma

Trauma can affect how we experience safety, connection, and the world around us.

For some people, trauma develops after a specific event that felt overwhelming or life-threatening. These experiences might include natural disasters, accidents, medical crises, or acts of violence. When something like this happens, the nervous system can remain on high alert long after the event has passed.

For others, trauma develops more gradually over time. Instead of one defining moment, it may emerge from repeated experiences that made the world feel unpredictable, unsafe, or emotionally overwhelming.

These experiences might include things like:

• growing up in emotionally unsafe environments
• chronic stress or prolonged periods of instability
• religious trauma or high-control belief systems
• family systems where emotional needs were not consistently supported
• cultural or systemic injustice
• identity-related trauma, such as discrimination experienced because of race, gender identity, sexuality, ability, or other aspects of identity

Because these experiences often occur over long periods of time, people sometimes question whether what they went through “counts” as trauma.

But the impact of trauma is not determined only by the type of event that occurred. It is also shaped by how safe or supported a person felt during those experiences and whether their nervous system had the opportunity to recover afterward.

Many people living with trauma notice patterns such as persistent anxiety, hypervigilance, emotional overwhelm, or feeling disconnected from themselves or others. These responses are not signs that something is wrong with you. They are often the nervous system’s way of trying to protect you after experiences that felt overwhelming or unsafe.

Therapy can provide a space to understand these patterns with compassion and to support your nervous system in gradually moving toward greater safety and regulation.

Common Effects of Trauma

Trauma affects people in many different ways.

Some common experiences include:

• feeling constantly on edge or easily startled
• difficulty relaxing or feeling safe in your body
• intrusive memories or strong emotional reactions
• feeling numb or disconnected from yourself or others
• difficulty trusting people or relationships
• persistent anxiety or overthinking

These responses are not signs that something is “wrong” with you.

They are often the nervous system’s attempt to protect you after experiences that felt overwhelming or unsafe.

Healing from trauma often involves helping the nervous system learn that safety is possible again.

A Trauma-Informed Approach

My work integrates narrative therapy, EMDR, and somatic approaches to support healing on multiple levels.

Narrative therapy allows us to explore how traumatic experiences have shaped the stories we carry about ourselves and the world.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy that helps the brain process traumatic memories so they no longer carry the same emotional intensity.

Somatic therapy focuses on the body’s role in healing. Trauma often lives not only in our thoughts but also in our nervous system and physical responses. Somatic approaches support the body in releasing patterns of chronic stress and moving toward greater regulation.

Together these approaches allow therapy to address both the emotional meaning of experiences and the physical effects trauma can have on the body.

Moving Toward Healing

Healing from trauma does not mean forgetting what happened.

Instead, many people find that therapy allows them to develop a different relationship with their experiences.

Over time, traumatic memories may feel less overwhelming, your nervous system may begin to feel calmer, and new possibilities for connection, rest, and meaning can begin to emerge.

Trauma therapy moves at a pace that respects your safety and autonomy.

I provide trauma therapy for adults throughout Colorado through secure online sessions.

I provide trauma therapy to adults across Colorado, including clients in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Salida, Buena Vista, Poncha Springs, and throughout Chaffee County. Book a free consultation now to get started on your healing journey.