Help for Complex Trauma

Help for Complex Trauma

Trauma is a deeply distressing experience or event. Trauma is complex when it occurs multiple times over a period of time. Complex trauma usually occurs within the context of the family or other interpersonal relationship.
 

Complex trauma can be a child who has been sexually abused by an uncle every time he visits.

Complex trauma can be a woman who stays with an abusive husband because she feels there is nowhere else to go.

Complex trauma can be a teen who has constantly been told by her family that she’s "stupid" and "worthless".
 

Complex trauma can take on many forms. Symptoms of Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) include:

Re-experiencing the past whether through nightmares, flashbacks or emotional flashbacks to feelings what we felt as a child.

Hypervigilance or distrust of others

Interpersonal problems

Avoidance of people, places, thoughts, or emotions that related to the trauma

Difficulty with emotion regulation or sensitivity

Negative self-concept or feelings of worthlessness
 

The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study showed just how detrimental complex traumatic experiences can be to an individual on a physical level. The ACE study found a correlation between complex trauma and chronic medical conditions, obesity, and early death. The greater the number of ACEs, the increased chances of physical issues.

Adverse Childhood Experiences include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, household mental illness, incarcerated household member, witness to violence against mother, divorce, and household substance abuse.

Those who have experienced complex trauma, trauma becomes their life. It is their normal. It becomes very hard to see that what they experienced is not ok, and it is not “normal”. For many of my clients, they struggle with anxiety and depression because of complex trauma. They do not recognize they actually have C-PTSD. When you have experienced a state of chronic stress, your brain becomes “stuck” in a state of anxiety, it rewires your brain. It affects how you interact with others, how you view and handle your own emotions, how you talk to yourself, and your self-worth.

The good news is that our bodies are amazing and we can heal them if we care for them. It’s never too late to rewire and grow our brains. I help people recover from a life of trauma through learning to love ourselves and our bodies again. Learning how to give ourselves what we needed back then. You’ve been through enough pain. I make it my priority to create a safe, warm, and non-judgmental place for you to unearth these painful experiences so that you can live as truly you. I offer Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to help individuals struggling with complex trauma. EMDR is an effective therapy for decreasing anxiety triggers and reprocessing traumatic memories.
 

If you live in the Traverse City area and feel as though you may have been struggling with Complex Trauma or are interested in EMDR therapy, please call me at 231-714-0292. Help is out there. You don’t have to do this alone.