Has A Traumatic Experience Made You Feel Unsafe In Your Own Skin?
Are you struggling with flashbacks, nightmares, and panic attacks?
Does it feel like your brain is always stuck in “on” mode and unable to relax?
Do you often find yourself going into states of emotional shutdown when things go wrong?
Maybe you rarely get a good night’s sleep and have trouble focusing at work. Perhaps you feel like you’re constantly on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop—ordinary sounds and situations trigger feelings of panic and hypervigilance. Sometimes, you might become extremely withdrawn and shut down entirely, like you’re not even present in your body. As a result, maybe you’re thinking it’s time to connect with a trauma specialist.
When You’re Dealing With Trauma, Every Day Feels Like Survival
Whether your trauma took place in a warzone, a car accident, or your own home, daily life probably feels fraught with tension. Whereas you once felt confident, outgoing, and spontaneous, now you feel anxious, vulnerable, and withdrawn. It’s like you’re not even the same person anymore—you feel stuck in survival mode, unable to find joy in doing what you normally love.
If your trauma stems from an abusive relationship, you might even blame yourself for what happened to you and rationalize the perpetrator’s behavior. This could lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and self-loathing.
Thankfully, you don’t have to keep living in the shadow of the past. At Abundant Life Institute, our therapists specialize in empowering trauma survivors like you to reclaim your peace, restore your relationships, and rediscover your joy and vitality. We offer both standard weekly sessions and intensive therapy options for clients who want to get their healing work done in a shorter timeframe.
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What Is Trauma?
In his groundbreaking book The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk defines trauma as “an overwhelming experience that breaks past our ability to cope. It changes the way we perceive ourselves and the world, often leaving us feeling unsafe and unable to trust.”
In short, trauma disrupts our lives. It rewires our brain and our whole nervous system, making us feel “frozen” in the past. It can also take many forms, including:
Car accidents
Abusive relationships
Exposure to violence
Natural disasters
Medical trauma
Military combat
Workplace or school shootings
This is hardly an exhaustive list, as many different experiences can lead to PTSD. Growing up in hostile environments with racism, poverty, and unstable family systems can deepen emotional wounds, as can repeatedly witnessing trauma online and in the media.
Trauma isn’t A Sign Of Weakness—It Can Happen To Anyone
At Abundant Life Institute, many of our clients have backgrounds in the military, law enforcement, and other professions that don’t exactly encourage emotional vulnerability. Oftentimes, these clients have been told to just “be strong” and “move on,” which only adds to the shame and guilt they’re already feeling. Many of them turn to drugs or alcohol to try and “numb” their pain rather than acknowledge it.
Yet the truth is that living with trauma doesn’t mean you’re weak. Hurting is a natural part of being human; we aren’t meant to heal in isolation or go it alone. That’s why it’s so essential to have a wise and compassionate professional who can guide you on your journey. True courage is found in vulnerability—we are social creatures, and we are at our strongest when we have support.
Healing Is Possible Through The Power Of Trauma Therapy
Trauma does not have to define you. With the right help, you can transition from a life of survival to one of peace, connection, and meaning. Instead of living in fight, flight, or freeze mode, you can respond to life’s challenges with calmness and clarity.
Our practice believes that trauma therapy is about so much more than just reducing symptoms—it’s about restoring hope, rebuilding relationships, and reclaiming the abundant life you were created to live. We combine clinical expertise with compassion and can even offer faith-based support for those who desire it.
No matter what yesterday looked like for you, let’s work together to build a brighter tomorrow!
What To Expect In Trauma Counseling Sessions
In sessions together, we’ll explore the root of your trauma and look at how it affects your thoughts, emotions, and relationships. You’ll learn grounding techniques, mindfulness skills, and breathing exercises for calming your body. Our counselors can utilize a wide range of trauma-informed approaches to help you process your memories safely, including:
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) Therapy, which seeks to remove the emotional charge of trauma so that you can remember what happened without reliving it.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), an approach that can help you restructure the way you look at trauma so that you can view it more objectively and realistically.
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), a form of cognitive behavioral treatment that specifically focuses on reframing negative beliefs related to PTSD.
In addition to standard counseling sessions, our practice offers EMDR intensives for clients who want to do their trauma healing work in a more accelerated format. No matter what your needs are, we’re confident that we can tailor therapy to accommodate them. Many of our clients have discovered strength, hope, and freedom through trauma therapy, and we want the same for you.
You May Have Questions About Trauma Treatment…
What if therapy reopens old wounds and makes things worse?
Sessions will always move at a pace that’s comfortable for you. After all, trauma therapy is safety-first. We’ll teach you a wide variety of grounding skills so that you feel equipped, not overwhelmed, when you process your trauma.
What’s more, approaches like EMDR do not require you to share all the details about what happened to you. So if your traumatic experience was too distressing to recount, that’s okay—you are welcome to share as much or as little as you’d like.
What if my trauma is too big for therapy?
No trauma is too big (or small, for that matter)—healing may look different for everyone, but progress is always possible. Many clients are surprised at how much relief they feel after the first few sessions. For those with severe PTSD symptoms, we highly recommend intensive sessions, as they allow you to speed up the counseling process and alleviate symptoms in a matter of days.
What if other people judge me for seeing a therapist?
We live in a small community, so we get it: you probably don’t want your co-workers seeing you go to therapy. The good news is that we offer both telehealth and in-person appointments, and we’ll do whichever option is comfortable for you. Our sessions are also confidential, so you won’t have to worry about people finding out you’re in therapy.
It’s Time To Reclaim Your Abundant Life
Daily life doesn’t have to be about survival. With our guidance and support, you can build a life where confidence, clarity, and connection outweigh the pain of the past. To learn more about how therapy can help trauma survivors like yourself, we invite you to schedule a free, 20-minute phone consultation by using our contact page or calling us at (770) 246-2822.
