Healing from Trauma & Complex Posstraumatic Stress Disorder
Sometimes trauma isn’t confined to one moment … it’s years of moments.
When repeated over time, these moments can reshape how you see yourself and the world.
This can leave you feeling on guard even when you’re safe, disconnected even when you’re loved, and unsure of who you are without the constant need to survive.
In therapy, we make space to listen to those experiences with compassion and curiosity … to understand how they’ve shaped you, and to begin reconnecting with who you were, who you are, and who you hope to become.
Because while trauma happens in relationships, healing does too.
And in that process, you learn what it means to feel at home with yourself.
Trauma leaves an imprint not only on the body and mind, but on how we view ourselves and relate to others.
Sometimes the hardest part of healing is realizing how much of your life has been shaped by what you’ve survived. Maybe you’ve learned to anticipate others’ needs before your own, or to stay composed even when your body tells a different story. Over time, these patterns can blur the line between who you are and who you had to become.
In therapy, we begin by noticing that difference ~ understanding, rather than overriding, your emotions ~ and moving toward a sense of greater authenticity. Years of surviving on alert can make trust, even with yourself, feel complicated. You may find yourself doubting your perceptions, repeating familiar dynamics, or feeling disconnected even in closeness.
Together, we work to untangle these patterns, making space for emotion, clarity, and a more compassionate view of your story. Healing in this context isn’t just about symptom relief; it’s about reconnecting with the parts of you that were silenced and hidden in an effort to stay safe.
Long-term trauma can narrow what feels possible ~ in love, in self-expression, in joy. Our work explores what has previously felt unsafe, so you can begin to inhabit your life more fully and freely.
What is C-PTSD?
Generally speaking, most people in today’s society are familiar with the term posttraumatic-stress disorder (PTSD). What seems to be less commonly understood is how chronic or prolonged trauma impact individuals across their lifespan.
Imagine a cracked mirror. The reflection is altered, but there’s a clear point of rupture - something that can be identified and repaired. This is much like PTSD, where the witnessing or experiencing of isolated traumatic event(s) completely overwhelms the mind and body, often leaving residual symptoms of flashbacks, mood disruptions, nightmares/sleep disturbance, hypervigilance, and efforts to avoid reminders of the event(s).
C-PTSD feels more like a mirror that was slowly warped over years of heat and pressure. There’s no single shatter … just a reflection that’s been subtly bent until you can’t quite trust what you see anymore.
In my work with trauma survivors over the last six years, many described years of feeling overtaken by their emotions and repeatedly struggling in relationships ~ feeling safe with others was still challenging long after the trauma had ceased. I can recall countless moments of listening to frustration and confusion - “why do I still feel this way; things are actually okay now.”
This inspired my current research endeavors, which explores how childhood trauma affects adult self-concept and highlights the neurobiological shifts that occur in response to repeated traumas. In short, it changes the structure of our brains, thereby influencing the way we perceive ourselves and others. Research suggests that when a person’s memories remain closely tied to the trauma, they’re more likely to experience PTSD/C-PTSD symptoms.
Why is this important? Well … too many people blame themselves for not being able to “get over it.” The fact of the matter is that these experiences deserve proper attention and care ~ and I mean this quite literally! Brain imaging technology and the concept of neuroplasticity really debunked any claim that “talking isn’t helpful” (though therapy involves much more than this) - it actually rewires your neuropathways. In a more heartfelt sense, we are hurt in relationships, and we also heal in them. This is the foundation of what therapy offers.
In line with my overall perspective on therapy (Learn more here), I help clients grow beyond the impacts of C-PTSD to rediscover agency in shaping their own narratives and re-engage with the world from a place of greater wholeness.
So, what exactly does that look like? Well, we start by taking a few steps back and compassionately examining that mirror and begin to more accurately reflect what is felt. Together, we learn to feel safe while holding these memories, discover new self-narratives, and relate to others with greater perspective. Throughout all this, we progress at your own pace … it is incredibly important to me that my clients feel empowered throughout their healing journey.