Do you think you can think your way out of trauma? Maybe you should think again! Multiple research articles show that the effects of a traumatic past are not only limited to our minds. Every part of our being is affected by trauma. What you may not realize is that trauma is also stored in your body. It can disrupt your memory storage and change your brain.
Trauma can manifest physically as headaches, muscle tension, stomach problems, or an inability to concentrate. It can even contribute to more serious physical ailments such as heart attack, stroke, obesity and cancer, according to medical research done at Harvard. Beyond that, coping with the after-effects of trauma can lead to chronic depression and anxiety.
The British Psychological Society confirms this viewpoint. As an interesting sidenote, in its annually published report, they stated that depression “wasn’t a mental disorder but rather an adaptive response to adversity.” Moreover, depression is ”best thought of as an experience, or set of experiences, rather than a disease.” Polyvagal theory endorses this perspective by stating that depression is a ‘biological defense strategy.’ In other words, depression is a manner of being that our body uses to protect itself from the after-effects of a traumatic past.
As a licensed professional counselor associate (supervised by Dr. McKinley Johnson, LPC-S), I have spent years learning strategies to help my clients overcome their trauma. Therapy has the potential to free you from fear, hurt, and anxiety as well.
What is Trauma Therapy?
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Trauma therapy starts with listening. As your therapeutic counselor, I know how imperative it is to create a safe space for you based on trust, understanding and acceptance. You have likely been suppressing your feelings for years. Together, we are able to establish connections between your present feelings and behaviors and the root cause - the original trauma that created them.
I will teach you skills to manage and cope with your stress. You will also learn how to love yourself despite your difficult past. You won’t forget what happened to you, but you will be able to process the emotional triggers which subconsciously remind you of those hurtful events.
Signs that you may need trauma therapy
Here are some signs that you might benefit from trauma therapy in Dallas:
- You are experiencing severe fear
- Your anxiety levels have escalated substantially
- You suffer from nightmares and terrifying memories
- Your experience difficulty forming close relationships
- You have difficulty focusing at work or home
- You always feel on edge
Listen as Ashley Evans describes EMDR Therapy
Why should you select me as your trauma therapist?
- I am trained in EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy helps a person deal with their traumatic past by tracing back those negative messages that were previously internalized as part of your trauma response.
It is useful for those “stuck” in a cycle of anger, fear, or resentment. EMDR is also beneficial for a wide range of issues, including but not limited to: addiction (substance, porn, gambling, food, shopping), anxiety, depression, PTSD/CPTSD, and attachment disorders. It helps to lessen feelings of severe distress and “remove the sting” of that unprocessed pain.
- I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
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Cognitive-behavioral therapy is incredibly beneficial for trauma survivors and those facing anxiety and depression. Another tool in our arsenal, CBT will also teach you how your thoughts influence your actions.
Acquiring the ability to evaluate those thoughts which drive your behavior is another powerful way of discovering how your mind can play tricks on you which keep you stuck, scared, and angry. Change your thoughts and change your life.
- Licensed Professional Counselor - Associate
Besides earning my Masters Degree in Professional Counseling and completing my practicum at a busy private practice in Plano, I have also undergone many hours of additional training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Attachment Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and EMDR.
- Experience dealing with PTSD
My own personal history of dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder enables me to empathize with how my clients feel from an experiential perspective. Not only do I know the depths of despair when dealing with PTSD, I also know how tremendously rewarding it is to get to the other side.
One of the best secrets about PTSD is the extraordinary opportunity for anyone who has faced trauma to experience the little talked about, but very real and rewarding, post traumatic growth (PTG). While PTSD is no laughing matter, the truth is you have the ability to not only survive and heal, but to actually thrive.
Let me show you how.
