Trauma Therapy in North Carolina
Do Reminders Of Past Trauma Interfere With Your Daily Life?
Have you been avoiding certain situations because you don’t want to encounter painful triggers? Are you struggling with shame, anxiety, or guilt over your trauma responses? Do you have trouble maintaining healthy relationships after living through traumatic experiences?
Are you suffering from panic attacks? Do you feel like traumatic events will happen again? Have you tried changing your routine to lessen your chances of facing triggers? But now, you feel like you’re avoiding places and activities that you used to enjoy.
Perhaps your “fight or flight” reaction kicks in when something brings your trauma to mind. You might get the urge to run, even if you know that you’re physically safe. Maybe you’ve found yourself sleeping more often. Simply because you feel safest when you don’t have to face the world.
You may have trouble connecting with your loved ones after a traumatic event. At times, you might feel like you don’t want to talk to anyone. You’re hesitant to open up about your trauma as you worry that your family and friends don’t understand what you’ve been through. But at other times, you feel almost manic. You constantly need to get your emotions off your chest, and you’re tempted to talk to anyone who will listen.
Even if you have been living with these symptoms for years, you do not have to spend your life constrained by stressors and traumatic memories. Trauma-informed therapy can help you rewrite your story. Find freedom and happiness in your everyday life again!
Most People Will Live Through A Traumatic Event
Almost everyone will face a traumatic experience at some point in their lives. The cultural conversation around trauma has slowly expanded. People are beginning to become more aware. The word “trauma” does not just apply to witnessing or experiencing violent events. It can also apply to losing a loved one, being in a toxic relationship, or experiencing neglect as a child. Most people will struggle with trauma. However, not every traumatic event has the same impact on an individual. Everyone experiences and processes trauma differently. Some people will live with the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder long after the events have passed. Treatment for PTSD is here to support you through living a fulfilling life.
Although the stigma surrounding trauma has lessened, healing trauma is not a solo endeavor. Trauma is complex, and it can be difficult to identify its roots. Openly talking about trauma is rarely easy. Even if someone has a supportive social circle, they may be nervous about sharing such painful and traumatic experiences with others.
Plus, It may be hard to recognize that certain symptoms are connected to complex trauma. You may not always realize the effects of your trauma. Physical and mental health suffers when untreated after trauma. For example, growing up with emotionally or verbally abusive parents. You may think that such an upbringing is “normal” and that it has no effect on your present life.
With the support of a trauma-informed therapist, you will be able to make sense of your trauma. Learn how to get your PTSD symptoms under control. Trauma-informed care can help you reduce your vulnerability to triggers and release your anxiety.
Trauma-Informed Therapy in Charlotte, NC, and Surrounding Areas
We can help you let go of Guilt and Shame.
You might be concerned that a trauma-informed therapist would push you to recount painful details from your experienced trauma, which leaves you feeling worse. At Inward Counseling, your trauma-informed therapist will provide a safe environment. You can process your feelings without dwelling on traumatic memories that could further harm you.
No matter what you’re going through or what PTSD symptoms you’re dealing with, you can say exactly what’s on your mind in trauma-informed therapy. During your sessions, you will learn to reduce your sensitivity to triggers and feel more at ease as you move through your days!
Before your first session, you will complete an intake form with questions about why you’ve sought trauma-informed care and what symptoms you’ve been struggling with. In your first sessions, you and your trauma-informed therapist will discuss your childhood and your family history. You may explore the trauma that could be rooted in child abuse or neglect, as well as other formative events from your childhood.
Inward Counseling practices a body-centered approach to trauma-informed therapy. Your trauma-informed therapist will help you understand how trauma is stored in the body and why your physical and mental health are deeply connected. You will learn why experienced trauma affects your nervous system. You will learn your fear responses kick in and put you in “fight or flight” mode even when you’re physical and emotional safety isn’t in danger. You’ll develop a deeper awareness of your body and find healthy ways to regulate your nervous system.
You will work with your counselor to cultivate a sense of dual awareness. You will recognize when you need to attend to an emotional wound. You’ll practice staying curious about what your body is trying to tell you through your symptoms.
The best way to cultivate a sense of greater awareness is through mindfulness skills. For example, you might work on breathing exercises, body scans, or meditation. These practices are especially helpful for trauma survivors who struggle with dissociation. You will stay mindful of your surroundings and grounded in your mind and body.
Your therapist can draw from several therapeutic modalities for trauma-informed care and PTSD treatment. Through polyvagal theory, you’ll broaden your knowledge of the nervous system. Explore how to regulate your fear responses. Analyzing internal family systems will help you learn to accept and love every part of yourself, allowing you to feel whole and integrated into your emotional life. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR therapy, can enable you to release trauma that your body has held on to.
Additionally, interpersonal neurobiology therapy will allow you to see how the brain can change if you’ve been subjected to psychological abuse in your relationships. Furthermore, your trauma therapist will demonstrate what safe, secure attachment is. You can apply this perspective to your relationships outside of therapy.
At Inward Counseling, we have supported many clients through our trauma-informed approach who have gone on to live happy, fulfilling lives. If past trauma is affecting your quality of life, trauma-informed care can help you begin a new chapter.
But You May Still Have Questions About Trauma-Informed Therapy…
Will Therapy Retraumatize Me?
At Inward Counseling, we understand that recounting traumatic experiences can heighten your stress. That’s why we emphasize recognizing the mental and physical effects of experienced trauma. Rather than simply encouraging clients to reflect on their traumatic experiences, trauma survivors will focus on the present state of mind and body and their reaction to the world. You can begin looking forward rather than reliving your trauma.
If I Tough it Out, Will My Symptoms Go Away on Their Own?
You do not have to keep enduring your symptoms on your own. Ignoring the effects of experienced trauma without seeking treatment can worsen your symptoms. In trauma-informed therapy, your counselor will help support you. You will develop the skills you need to manage your symptoms in a healthy way.
I’m Worried That Recovery Will Take so Long That The Effort Won’t be Worth it.
There is no rush to healing and treating trauma on a specific timeline. But you may see the benefits of trauma-informed therapy earlier than you might assume. Many of our clients begin to notice improvements in their mental health and reduced symptoms after about ten weeks of treatment.
Find Lasting Peace with a Trauma-Informed Approach in Charlotte, NC
Begin healing from past trauma! To find out if our trauma therapist is the right choice for you, request a free 15-minute consultation. Call us at 803-889-0985 to ask questions and learn more about our approach to treating trauma.
Other Services Offered At Inward Counseling
At Inward Counseling, we offer online therapy. We can also accommodate in-person services at our Charlotte, NC, or Pineville, NC, therapy-based office. We have a variety of techniques we use to support your healing! We also offer anxiety therapy, depression therapy, couples therapy, and Christian counseling. Feel free to explore our blogs for great reads and tips for managing life’s challenges.
Have any questions? Send us a message!
Recent Posts
