Trauma & PTSD
Finding safety in your body and your story again.
What is trauma?
Trauma isn’t about what happened - it’s about how your mind and body had to adapt to survive. You may find yourself always “on,” feeling detached from the world around you, or struggling with waves of emotion that seem to come out of nowhere. Sometimes trauma shows up as anxiety, irritability, exhaustion, or a constant sense that you have to be ready for something bad to happen.
However it looks for you, these reactions make sense. They’re protective responses your body learned long ago - they just might not be serving you anymore.
How Trauma Can Show Up
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Feeling on edge or “always on” (hypervigilance)
Startle response, muscle tension, headaches, stomach issues
Sleep problems, nightmares, fatigue
Numbness or feeling “shut down,” trouble sensing the body
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Sudden waves of fear, shame, anger, or sadness
Feeling flat, disconnected, or “not like yourself”
Guild or self-blame about what happened or how you coped
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Intrusive memories or images, flashbacks
Racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, feeling “foggy”
Negative beliefs about yourself, others, or the world
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Avoiding reminders, places, people, or conversations
Overworking, over-caretaking, perfectionism, people-pleasing
Using substances or distractions to cope
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Pulling away or feeling distant from people you care about
Difficulty trusting, feeling easily triggered in conflict
Feeling responsible for everyone else’s emotions
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Birth trauma or medical trauma memories
Heightened anxiety about baby’s safety, intrusive thoughts
Feeling overwhelmed, irritable, or disconnected from yourself or your partner
Healing is possible. Safety is possible. Connection is possible.
Healing is possible. Safety is possible. Connection is possible.
Our Work Together
How I understand trauma
I see trauma as a disconnection - from safety, from others, and from yourself. Whether your experiences involve a single event, chronic stress, or relational wounds that built over time, your nervous system learned to prioritize survival over connection.
Healing begins when we start to gently reconnect: to your body, your emotions, and the parts of yourself that had to go quiet for a while.
My approach
In our work together, we move at your pace.
I integrate a relational, trauma-informed approach with evidence-based methods drawn from approaches like parts work (Internal Family Systems), somatic awareness, and cognitive-behavioral strategies. You’ll always have a choice and agency in the process - my goal is to help you feel safe enough to explore, not be overwhelmed by it.